Utah State basketball: Schedule for Aggies may grow

BOISE — When Utah State coach Stew Morrill was asked about his team — the one he said was 'stunned' by Marquette's athleticism over the first 15 minutes of the 58-57 loss on Friday — it led to a question during the post-game press conference the 11-year USU coach has grown a little weary of answering.

The questioner asked if the Aggies might be better prepared for the quick, athletic players they always seem to face in the NCAA tourney by playing a team or two such as Marquette in the regular season.

You know, just to open the eyes of Utah State's players to what they might face when the pressure is really on.

"Yeah," Morrill said. "And they're going to come back to Logan, right?"

Utah State's non-conference schedule has been a sore point for Morrill for years. This season, though, it was repeatedly called into question as the Aggies — who finished the season with a hefty 30-5 record — climbed the polls despite a relatively weak strength of schedule.

So, will Morrill try to get his team matched up with tougher foes next season?

"Absolutely. We're going to try like hell," Morrill said. "But it's got to be fair. I mean we'll play them on a neutral court or play them on a TV game, but, you know, what you're talking about is us going to their place and playing, and that ain't fair."

With that in mind, Morrill has hinted he might be a little less strict in his long-held scheduling philosophy and send his team to play a one-and-done series against a team from a power conference.

Next season, USU has Saint Mary's coming to Logan as well as the traditional BYU, Utah and Weber State games. The Aggies will also host a BracketBuster game and is scheduled to host Morehead State, Cal State-Fullerton and Weber State in its almost-annual winter tournament.

COACH RAINMAN: Marquette coach Buzz Williams loves numbers — a lot.

The first-year coach of the Golden Eagles opens his mouth, and facts, figures, statistics and percentages start flowing out. It's enough to make a certain radio sports talk personality blush in embarrassment.

"I'm probably not quite as 'Rainman' as you think," Williams said. "But I do think this: I think when you're teaching 19, 20 and 22-year-old young men the game, I think any statistical evidence that you give them to support your teaching ... give them another perspective on how to absorb and comprehend what you're saying."

Williams' propensity to spout numbers isn't lost on his players.

"I know the first time he started doing it, we would look at each other and smile, like 'Man, he's making these numbers up,' " MU guard Wesley Matthews said. "There ain't no way like off the top of his head he's calculating these percentages, but they make a lot of sense."