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AZTECS HOOPS-NEW YEAR-DIFFERENT TEAM
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San Diego State, with lots of new faces, is opening its basketball season, with a bunch of winnable non-conference games over the next two weeks.

Playing UCSD-Occidental-USD and more, is to get SDSU ready for the big time teams they will play starting before Thanksgiving.

The new look roster will face Gonzaga…Oregon…Tennessee and make a statement as to who they are in the Player’s Festival Tourney in Las Vegas.

All that before the rugged start to the Mountain West Conference Tourney.

Brian Dutcher has a (177-58) record as head coach with this 8th season at the helm, but he has never had this type of challenge, rebuidling the roster with young recruits, blending in transfers, and waiting for veteran guard Reese Waters to recover from a broken foot.

Dutcher spoke about all things Aztecs basketball, right before the opening game with UCSD:
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Excited to get season started..
UCSD returns great guard play
They had 14 point lead on us with 9-minutes left
They transferred in two bigs from St Mary’s
They hit alot of 3’s

We scrimmaged UCLA-we were gritty..despite 24-turnovers
That was a good dress rehearsal for this team
First time for most of them on the Viejas floor

Nick Boyd is finally back after a summer long foot issue
Wayne McKinnie finally back after a long off season of rehab
Finally getting pieces of team on floor together the past two weeks

McKinnie wanted to be here-had to wait to move in.
I wanted people who wanted to be here
Timing for him to transfer was not right with all the guards we had
Excited to get him on the floor from USD

Biggest transition I have ever had on roster
We had 3-guys leave who could have given us minutes
Saunders-Butler-Trammel could have come back
Have to see how new pieces fit
We are on a learning mission together-
Learn lessons when you win..but will learn even if we lose

We haven’t played freshman a whole lot over the years
We started Nathan Mensah and Matt Mitchell
Pharaoh Compton is a very good freshman
Magoon Gwath will start

College game is so much more physical
Compton is a physical play-exception to the rule type kid
Point guard is so hard to play as first year player though

Magoon-like to play him on perimeter on defense
Such good shot blocker want-need him to play inside in paint
He can impact game inside and will
7-foot is no good out on perimier-has to play like he is 6’6
He can play 7-footer inside with rim protection-his reach changes offenses

We will protect the rim really good
Teams nowadays want to pressure the rim
Our shot blockers can take the penetration away with this roster
College basketball is driving to the rim and shooting 3’s…we can defend that

NBA is hard league to make-our 3-ex Aztecs will be given a chance.
LeDee will play his way into the NBA-starting G League in Iowa
Malachi Flynn will start in G-League after being in NBA
Mensah was hurt and come back from G-League and get to San Antonio
Alot of guys have to decide to play for small money in G League vs Europe and payday
Jamal Franklin is prime example..made millions in China

Matt Bradley retired-played a bit-decided to get into workforce in career
Matt always talked about career outside basketball
He seems at peace with his decision

Putting banner up for Sweet 16 team is special
Remember losing to U-Conn twice
Lose to the best shows how good we really are

Nervous as a head coach..it is a journey
I am wired for this
Each of 25 years I have been here has had a different feel

This roster-these guys all wanted to be here..settled for less NIL money
These players are chasing their dreams not money

Questions need to be answered..Quick window to be good
This is a hard schedule ahead of us
Wish I had Nick Boyd for all of camp
Want to see BJ Davis progress after his big run game vs UCLA
Let the learning curve begin

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