Opinion: Aggie basketball: cautiously optimistic for new season
Could you imagine a year without sports? How boring would that be?
I, for one, cannot wait to enter the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum and bellow the Scotsman alongside the best fans in Utah. Perhaps that might not happen for a while, but I’ll gladly take watching games from home than not watching them at all.
Ever since I was little, attending a USU football or basketball game was something I looked forward to all the time. The school spirit is tangible during a game, and the countless fun traditions have made me a die-hard Aggie fan.
A large portion of what makes the culture at USU so enticing is not only the history of success our sports teams have experienced but also the awesome fan engagement. There’s a reason Utah State has been listed in the Bleacher Report “10 Greatest Traditions in College Basketball” as well as an honorable mention in their “Best College Basketball Fanbases” list.
Bleacher Report writes: “By and large, their deafening, intimidating and sometimes annoying chants have played no small role in creating a massive home-court advantage at the Spectrum.”
USU Men’s Basketball plays against New Mexico with USU taking the win 71-55. At the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at Utah State University in Logan,UT. Febuary 20, 2019. Logan, UT.
Fellow Aggies, I propose we do our best to keep it that way.
We need sports at USU. It gives us a source of excitement and pride that is a huge part of the overall college experience. Many students rely on weekly basketball and football games to take their minds off their studies and show their support for our teams.
Who could forget the most recent USU men’s basketball game? With March Madness just around the corner, the Aggies were determined to once again become Mountain West Conference champions. It was a tough match against the high-ranked San Diego State, and Utah State struggled to make a single shot.
For a while, it seemed like our Aggies had come to the end of the road, but Sam Merrill wasn’t finished yet. After racking up 27 points and six rebounds, Merrill led the Aggies to victory with an unforgettable game-winning 3-pointer. It was truly a proud night to be an Aggie.
Before a single bracket could be filled out, March Madness turned into March Sadness in the blink of an eye. The NCAA tournament was canceled on March 12th. The likelihood of another USU basketball season seemed low. Still, the Aggies ended their season on a tremendous high. Only three teams in the history of the Mountain West conference have ever won back-to-back championships.
Six months later, we are cautiously anticipating the start of the 2020-2021 basketball season.
Although we no longer have Merrill this year, we still have the tremendous talent that Neemias Queta brings as a center, Justin Bean as a forward, and Brock Miller as a point guard.
The incoming freshmen also offer incredible potential to aid USU in continuing the team’s success, such as newcomer Zahar Vedischev, who played for the Russian national team at the Under-19 World Basketball Championships.
I had the opportunity to talk with head coach Craig Smith about what we can expect this season, and how the players have dealt with all of the challenges that have been presented. Several of the players on this year’s roster are international and, for a while, it seemed as though they wouldn’t be able to join the team.
USU Today: Head coach Craig Smith standing with players honored on Senior Night in February 2020. (left to right) Sam Merrill, Diogo Brito, Craig Smith, Abel Porter, and Roche Grootfaam.
“There was a time in the summer when we didn’t even know if some of our players were going to be able to join us. Our guys at this point have been very, very resilient, but it’s been hard. It’s been hard for everybody… I’m really proud of our guys and how they’ve handled things.”
There’s no question that watching basketball games will be different this year. Obviously, fans will not be able to pack the stands like before. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be every bit as excited for this season as we have for others.
Smith continues, “All we can control is what we can control. We have to do everything we can to alleviate the chances [of getting COVID]… But we’re super excited and very optimistic. Our conference schedule hasn’t been released yet– we have nine non-conference games and feel pretty good about it. But we also know that can change. Whatever gets thrown our way, we’re going to have a positive mindset and a positive attitude. We know the rules and regulations, and we’re going to abide by them and make the most of every opportunity we have.”
Despite all the challenges and uncertainty that the pandemic brings, Utah State has high hopes for the season. While some things will change, there’s no reason why USU can’t continue to prove that we have the greatest college basketball fans.
No matter what the future holds, I’ll always be an Aggie fan, and I can’t wait to watch Utah State basketball this year.
Brayden Rigby is a sophomore studying Journalism. He enjoys writing of any kind, and spends most of his free time running and swimming.
brayden.rigby@usu.edu