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September 19th,
2006
By Joel
Welser
Broadcast Basketball
Utah State
Aggies
Overall Rank:
#53
Conference
Rank: #3 WAC
2005-06:
23-9, 11-5, 2nd (t)
2005-06
postseason: NCAA
 Coach Stew
Morrill and
Utah State have proven time and time again that they
are a team that can reload and put out a solid squad year after
year. With three starters gone, it will be difficult to sneak
into the NCAA Tournament this time around, but the last thing
anybody should do is doubt the Aggies and Coach Morrill.
Who’s Out:
There
are big losses all over the court with Nate Harris and Cass
Matheus out up front and David Pak and Chris Huber from the
backcourt. Harris and Matheus leave a big scoring and
rebounding gap in the paint. They combined to averaged 13.7
boards per game and the returning leader is at just 3.5 rebounds
per contest. Pak was a solid floor leader during his time at
USU. Last year he averaged 4.6 assists per game and tacked on
7.5 points. Seldom used Everett Morgan and Nate Bendall will
not be returning to Logan for the 2006-2007 campaign.
Who’s In:
With so many
newcomers, it will take a little time for Utah State to get
everything organized. And it all starts at the point where
Mikel Watson, Kris Clark and Blake Tillotson will man that
position. Watson redshirted last year after spending some time
at Saddleback Junior College in California, where he averaged
14.4 points and 1.8 assists as a sophomore. Clark, a transfer
from Vincennes University in Indiana is more of a pure point
guard than Watson. Tillotson, an incoming freshman walk-on,
isn’t expected to see much action this year, but the overall
unit has plenty of talent and versatility. Aaron England will
provide some more depth on the wings. He earned first-team
all-state honors last year at Cyrpus High School in Utah. The
small forward spot is the deepest on the team and O.J. Harrison
and Andrew Jordan will add to that. Harrison spent his freshman
season at Vincennes University where the athletic 6-4 Danville,
Illinois native averaged 10.4 points per game. Jordan averaged
over 20 points per game during his last two seasons at
Northridge High School in Layton, Utah. He has plenty of
potential to become a solid player, but will find it difficult
to find the floor as a freshman. Stephen DuCharme and Michael
Earl will bring some much needed experience to the post.
DuCharme averaged 12.4 points and 9.0 rebounds at Hutchinson
Community College in Kansas as a sophomore and will get the
opportunity to see plenty of minutes for the Aggies this year.
Earl is a quality shot blocker and can fill in minutes at the
four or five. Arvydas Vaietiekus is the only true center on the
roster. Prior to redshirting last year, the 6-11, 230 pounder
averaged 5.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a sophomore
at Marshalltown Community College in Iowa. If Vaietiekus isn’t
ready for major minutes, the Aggies will be forced to employ a
smaller lineup.
Who to Watch:
With
Harris gone, there is little doubt who USU’s big man on campus
will be. Jaycee Carroll showed up as a freshman and lit up the
Big West two years ago. He was able to surprise again last year
and put up huge numbers in the WAC. The 6-2 shooting guard
averaged 16.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals
as a sophomore. Now, as an upperclassman, the sharp shooter
will garner even higher hopes from Aggie fans. Carroll will be
joined on the wing by the only other returning starter on the
team, Durrall Peterson. Peterson averaged 7.2 points and 3.4
rebounds as a junior.
Final
Projection:
It won’t be easy
replacing the frontcourt of Harris and Matheus. Chris Session
started five contests last year and averaged 2.6 points and 2.9
rebounds. With an increase in playing time, Session is expected
to step up and help fill the void. Chaz Spicer was the first
big man off the bench last year. Ideally a power forward,
Spicer could move to the five spot if the newcomers aren’t ready
to contribute right away. While not the greatest rebounder
around, Spicer is a decent scorer and can hold his own on the
defensive end. The frontcourt raises some questions, but there
are some nice options. Even if one the newcomers doesn’t pan
out, another one will. The top of the WAC is too good for USU,
but if the WAC can squeeze a third team into the NCAAs, it could
be USU. That’s unlikely though and a trip to the NIT is more
realistic.
Projected
Post-season Tournament:
NIT
Projected
Starting Five:
Mikel Watson,
Junior, Guard, DNP last season
Jaycee Carroll,
Junior, Guard, 16.3 points per game
Durrall
Peterson, Senior, Guard, 7.2 points per game
Chris Session,
Senior, Forward, 2.6 points per game
Chaz Spicer,
Senior, Forward, 7.9 points per game
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