This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Here are some of the keys for Utah State if the Aggies want to beat San Jose State
1. Sunshine and Adrian - Obviously Adrian Oliver is one of the best scoring guards in the country. He's averaging 25.8 points per game and really filling it up from everywhere on the court. But Justin Graham is a big key as well. At 6-5 he's a great point guard in the WAC. He's athletic, he plays good defense, he gets into seams off the dribble. Containing both would certainly mean a resounding win for the Aggies.
2. Wipe the boards clean - Wil Carter has proven to be a very good rebounder for San Jose State. He probably would've given serious thought to coming to USU had the Aggies showed any serious love. But with all the big men USU has, there wasn't room for the former SLCC star. Tai Wesley and Brady Jardine certainly have to be aware of him because he's become a stalwart for the Spartans in the paint.
3. Remember who you are - Utah State leads this series 44-21. The Aggies have won the last five meetings. USU hasn't been beaten in the Spectrum by San Jose since 1982. Mentally, that has to be draining for a program.
4. Feed the post - Tai Wesley scored 27 points against Hawaii, and probably could've scored 35 had he gotten the ball to him more when he was open. Wesley is the most unique player in the league. If he's on the court, an arguement can be made that he needs a touch on every possession.
5. Keep on keeping on - The rebounding edge over Hawaii was a sight to see. The Warriors, in fact, were able to stay in the game only because of hot shooting. Not every team is going to be that good shooting the rock against the Aggies. That means, rebounding and defense will win USU a ton of games.
Tony Jones