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Stew Morrill knew a season like this may be coming, a rebuilding time where his team struggles. He even warned his fan base last year in a coaches luncheon. Now, it looks as if his words are coming to life.

Heading into Saturday night's contest against Idaho State in Pocatello, the Aggies are 2-2, injury-plagued, unsure of themselves and reeling after a loss to Texas A&M Corpus-Christi on Tuesday night, which is one of their worst defeats of the past few seasons.

Could we be looking at a USU team that's mediocre at best? Can the Aggies turn it around? Those are just some of the questions that need to be answered. Losing to a Southland Conference team like the Islanders isn't going to inspire much confidence.

"It doesn't bode well for us," Morrill said. "One thing we know is that Idaho State is going to be better than this team."

Right now, this looks like Morrill's most offensively challenged team in years. Utah State doesn't have a consistent shooter from the perimeter, and the one player who was supposed to fill that role, Preston Medlin, has been mired in a slump.

Brady Jardine, USU's best and most experienced post player, is done for at least a month with torn ligaments in his foot, and point guard Brockeith Pane has struggled to produce with defenses geared to shut him down.

The Aggies do have an impressive win over BYU at the Spectrum, but even that victory comes a little tainted, as Scott Barnes and President Stan Albrecht issued the Cougars a formal letter of apology for the student section's treatment of BYU center Brandon Davies, who was suspended last season for an honor code violation.

So how can USU get better and get past its struggles?

"We all are going to have to pitch in," senior forward Morgan Grim said. "Guys are going to have to step up and produce."

Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Aggies have had little practice time since Tuesday's overtime debacle. Time will tell, however, if Utah State can rebound and contend for another WAC title this year. —

Utah State at Idaho State

P At Reed Gym, Pocatello ID

Tipoff • 7 p.m., MST

TV • None

Radio • 97.5 FM

Records • Utah State 2-2, Idaho State 1-3

About the Aggies • Brady Jardine will miss his second straight game due to injury. … Utah State is coming off a loss to Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. … The Aggies have lost two of their past three games. … Morgan Grim is coming off a 20 point, 12 rebound performance against the Islanders.

About the Bengals • ISU has lost three of four to start the season. … The Bengals lost a narrow four-point game at Oklahoma to start the season. … ISU is 0-2 on the road to start the season. … The Bengals have three players averaging double-figures.