Basketball rolls again in second exhibition game

The funny thing about Saturday's exhibition win over Simon Fraser is that there were a few stretches where it seemed like the Aggies weren't even playing that well. Yet during those stretches, the USU lead continued to widen, eventually leading in a dominating final score of 92-56.

Regardless of how it appeared, the Aggies dominated on Saturday against an actual NCAA team, even if they're Division-2. That's a classification that not a lot of past exhibition opponents can claim, and that Simon Fraser team was certainly bigger, more athletic and much more skilled than the likes of Laval University that past USU teams have played in exhibition.

Now consider that Laval is the only exhibition team that the Aggies have beaten worse in the last six years than the 36-point win against Simon Fraser on Saturday. Suddenly this team is looking pretty solid with that in mind. And things are only going to continue to tighten up and get more crisp for USU as this season goes on.

To me, that says that this Utah State team will be able to win ugly this year. Even when things aren't exactly in rhythm offensively, USU's size, athleticism and just natural skill will help them still put points on the board and frustrate teams defensively. That's the one thing I take most from this game, and that's one hell of a positive attribute to have!


NOTES
Since recapping the rest of an exhibition game that most of us watched anyway might be redundant, let's just comment on each player again, eh? 

• Tenale Roland was awesome!!! He definitely has a different game than Brockeith Pane, largely in being more versatile offensively. His three steals weren't too shabby on the defensive end either. Biggest thing though is this... I said I wanted 5+ assists tonight from Roland, even if it meant a few turnovers as a result of taking some wild chances. He finished with nine assists and only one turnover!! Feeling good about him upholding the tradition of excellence set by previous JUCO All-Americans to wear an Aggie uniform.
• Preston Medlin again did just about whatever he wanted. He looked to be trying more to help everyone else along and learn in this game, and still managed 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal. We know he'll be able to assert himself offensively, so if he can get everyone else just that much further along by the time Saint Mary's comes to town, USU could be in a good spot if the depth is producing at a high level.
• Danny Berger very obviously has a lot more spring in his legs this year, evidenced by his six rebounds, several of which he really got up there for. He hasn't lit it up in scoring in either exhibition game, but he hasn't really needed to either. Berger is excellent at helping the offense run, and will only be better at that this year, while also improving in other areas.
• Kyisean Reed... WOW!!! Dude is just taking the next step in year two here. His first four baskets were all dunks, and they were all pretty damn thrilling! Reed also led the team with seven rebounds. He's going to cause a whole lot of ringing ears in The Spectrum this year.
• Jarred Shaw had a much tougher test Saturday than he did against Grand Canyon. Simon Fraser had an athletic big man of its own with previous D-1 experience. He still managed 12 points, but only two rebounds. Shaw wasn't forcing the action as much, which probably makes sense considering he had an actual capable defender matching up on him. He shot much better from the field though, both inside and out. Another solid game for the ChainShaw, as the kids are calling him.
• Marcel Davis is just fun to watch. You've got to love a dude that hustles like he does, and with five points, five rebounds and two assists, it's really a solid performance for any true freshman. Between he and Roland, you can tell Roland is the starter at this point, but man this kid is gonna be good!
• Spencer Butterfield seemed to very quietly rack up nine points in only 13 minutes. He looked a little more comfortable tonight, but not a ton, and junior college transfers catching on slowly is nothing at all out of the ordinary. Lots of great players in recent years took a bit to make the transition to USU, Jared Quayle and Brian Green being two very notable ones (you're welcome for the goosebumps those names induce).
• Marvin Jean was awesome on Saturday! He scored 11 points on 4-5 shooting, including 3-4 from deep, and also pulled down six rebounds. On top of all that, he looks like a fairly different style of player than Berger, giving Stew Morrill some flexibility on the wings early in the year. Nothing else to say really. It was just a great game by Jean.
• Ben Clifford didn't have as great a game as he did in the first exhibition, but the hustle is still there. There's also no shame in five rebounds and two blocks. We knew he's going to be solid in his role, so no real worries here.
• Jordan Stone will help this team win a lot of games if he plays all season like he did Saturday. Any garbage around the basket, he cleaned up, getting a couple tip-in baskets using his size and strength down low. Nothing but encouragement from Stone on Saturday.
• Quincy Bair didn't get much of a chance to show off his game, which probably indicates a redshirt this year. That's perfectly understandable though. Transitioning from high school is a massive jump, and a year to get up to speed for any freshman is going to make their four years of playing that much more productive. We might not get to see it for a year, but Bair is going to be a solid player here.