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LOGAN — In just his second year at the helm of the Utah State men's basketball program, head coach Tim Duryea faces a difficult challenge. Outside of seniors Shane Rector and Jalen Moore, the cupboard is a little bare. The Aggie roster features just three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and a bevy of inexperienced freshman.
Here are a few things to watch for as USU gears up for a new season and new opportunity.
True freshman is a player
Having an ESPN top-100 recruit come to Logan doesn't happen too often, if ever. However, Koby McEwen made the decision to come to Logan, and Duryea and the Aggie faithful are expecting big things.
McEwen averaged 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game as a senior in leading Wasatch Academy to a 29-4 record. In the Primetime Madness on Friday night, McEwen showed his ability to get to the rim and finish as well as a knack for creating havoc on defense.
"He is going to have to play a lot of minutes," Duryea said of McEwen after the event. The media and coaches of the Mountain West Conference also believe McEwen will make an instant impact. Why else would they vote him as the preseason favorite to win Freshman of the Year?
Moore, Rector need to have big seasons
Jalen Moore was named to the preseason All-Mountain West Conference team, and there is good reason why. The North Logan native led the Aggies in both scoring and rebounding for the second consecutive year, averaging 15.2 points (eighth in the MWC) and 6.0 rebounds (12th in the MWC). Moore scored in double figures 13 straight times to end the 2015-16 season. It is safe to expect that he will continue that streak in the season-opener at UC Irvine on Nov. 11.
Shane Rector led the Aggies in assists, was third on the team in scoring and brings a shifty ability to get to the rim. What the 6-foot-2 guard lacks in size, he makes up for with quickness and an ability to make things happen.
Both Moore and Rector have had solid careers with USU. But in 2016-17, they are going to have to have their best seasons, especially with the influx of youths and inexperience on the roster. They are the leaders and who the young guys will look to. If they can step up and have the big seasons that are expected of them, the Aggies should be able to put together a solid season.
Will inexperience cause problems?
Outside of Moore, Rector, Quinn Taylor and Julion Pearre, the cupboard is bare of any experience. Some of the underclassmen will redshirt, but others will be called upon to play big minutes. One of the names that Duyrea threw around after Primetime Madness was Ngor Barnaba. The 6-foot-8 forward junior college transfer can step out and hit the three but also battle inside for rebounds.
The lack of experience puts more pressure on the shoulders of the veterans. However, with the likes of McEwen, who will thrive under the lights leading the newcomers, this young Aggie team is bound to make noise in the Mountain West Conference.
Kyle McDonald is sports fan who loves the Chicago Cubs and the Utah Valley University Wolverines. He is a communication major at UVU and will graduate in the spring of 2017. Follow him on Twitter at @kylesportsbias
