This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Logan • In the classroom, Utah State players just completed final exams.
On the basketball court, preparations for another big test continue.
The Aggies face New Orleans on Monday night at the Spectrum, just 10 days before the start of the Mountain West Conference season.
Utah State has not played since an 80-79 overtime win at Utah Valley on Dec. 10.
Working around his players' academic schedules, coach Tim Duryea says the week-long break has "been good for us. … We've added a few things and we've changed a few things that needed to change. We took stock of our team."
Utah State is 5-4 heading into its game against the 4-5 Privateers, a member of the Southland Conference.
These schools aren't exactly arch-rivals. They have played twice, the last time in 1976.
According to Duryea, getting New Orleans on the schedule came down to need, as well as his friendship with Privateer head coach Mark Slessinger and assistant Jody Bailey.
"A lot of it is connections and, sometimes, two desperate teams coming together because nobody else will play them," Duryea said. "… They needed a game just before Christmas, we needed another home game and the date worked."
New Orleans finished 10-20 last season, but Duryea says the Privateers are "one of the most improved teams, from one year to the next, that I've seen in a long time. …
"They know exactly who they are as a basketball team. They know how they want to play and they know their roles. They are not flashy. They are a grind-you-out, blue-collar-type team."
According to Duryea, sophomore Alex Dargenton (6-foot-8, 205 pounds) will once against start at power forward. Undersized for the position, he has played well since assuming his new role.
Senior small forward Jalen Moore can also slide over if Duryea decides to use three of his four guards — Shane Rector, Koby McEwen, Julion Pearre and Sam Merrill — at the same time.
"I feel like a manager of a baseball team that has to bring in the lefty to face the lefty, take him out, then bring in the righty to face the next guy," Duryea said. "It's a bullpen by committee."
Twitter: @sluhm —
Utah State vs. New Orleans
P At the Spectrum
Tipoff • 7 p.m.
Broadcast • utahstateaggies.com/videos
Radio • 610 AM, 1280 AM, 102.1 FM
Records • Utah State 5-4, New Orleans 4-5
Series • Tied, 1-1
Last meeting • New Orleans, 79-75 (1976)
About the Aggies • They have not played since an 80-79 overtime win at Utah Valley on Nov. 10. … They are 3-1 at home. … All-time, they are 7-3 against schools from the Southland Conference. … G Koby McEwen leads all Mountain West Conference freshman in minutes (29.3). … Senior F Jalen Moore has scored at least 10 points in 22 straight games.
About the Privateers • They come off consecutive losses to Northwestern (83-49) and Louisiana-Lafayette (76-71). … They average 72.3 points per game. … They shoot 33.6 percent on threes. … Their top scorer is senior F Erik Thomas (20.3). … They have been to the NCAA Tournament four times. including 1987, when they defeated BYU in the first round, 83-79.