Aggie coach happy to end offseason

LOGAN — When the clock struck midnight Friday signaling the beginning of college basketball season, no one could have been happier than Utah State coach Stew Morrill.

Instead of focusing solely on making his 25-4 team better in the offseason, Morrill dealt with problems that ended with the suspension of two players and the dismissal of another.

Starter Jason Williams was placed on probation and Quenton Harvey was suspended indefinitely in May for rules violations, and Williams and Marques Crane were suspended last month for another violation.

"(Because of the problems) you don't have as much time to re-energize and regroup. You spend a lot of time on things you would prefer not to," Morrill said. "It's been no fun. There's no other way to say it. It's a distraction."

Morrill said Williams and Crane still could be dismissed from the team, however.

"We're still in a suspension mode and taking things slowly and see what happens with the whole thing with the courts and the campus," Morrill said.

Now Morrill will focus on preparing for the Aggies' exhibition opener Nov. 6 against Puget Sound.

"We're looking forward to it (practice)," he said. "I enjoy the period of time where you try to get the basics in and establish a foundation of how you're going to play."

That foundation will be built upon seniors Spencer Nelson and redshirt Cassiano Matheus and junior Nate Harris.

"I think they (the players) are excited. I think they feel like we have a chance to be a good basketball team," Morrill said. "Also, there is apprehension because we lost some key guys."

The Aggies, who, at 17-1, tied with Pacific for the Big West Conference regular-season championship, lost starters Mike Ahmad, Cardell Butler and Mark Brown.

The then No. 21 Aggies suffered a disappointing loss to Northridge in the semifinals of the Big West Conference tournament, which eventually cost the Aggies a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Instead, they played Hawaii at home in the first round of the NIT and lost, 85-74.

Along with Williams, Nelson, Harris and Matheus, the Aggies return Chris Huber, John Neil and Ian McVey, all of whom played considerable minutes last year.

Provo High's Tai Wesley tops a solid list of freshmen and junior college recruits who are expected to contribute.

Following their opener with Puget Sound, the Aggies host EA Sports in another exhibition game Nov. 12 before opening the regular season with Georgia Southern Nov. 18 at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska.

After returning from Alaska, the Aggies will play eight of their next 11 games at home.

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