Coach Brian Dutcher of the San Diego State Aztecs is ready for some basketball.
It’s just that his rebuilt roster isn’t quite up to speed yet heading into what’s expected to be a tough exhibition opener at Arizona on Friday night.
“Where has all the time gone? Friday already,” Dutcher said during a news conference on Tuesday to preview his mostly new roster and the first season in the reborn Pac-12 Conference.
The Arizona game is the first of three exhibitions. The other two will be at home, against USC on Oct. 23 and Long Beach State on Oct. 28.
Dutcher spoke glowingly about his roster, which he had to rebuild after the Aztecs fell far short of preseason expectations and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons.
But he’s concerned about guard Latrell Davis’ shoulder injury and European forward Luka Skoric’s groin injury. Both will sit out the game against Arizona, which reached the Final Four last season before being routed in a national semifinal by eventual champion Michigan.
Why Brian Dutcher is concerned about Arizona
“I've been watching Arizona. They're a little bit different than us,” Dutcher said. “They've got a lot of new players but they've been on a European trip where they played three really good teams, came back and had their Red-Blue scrimmage, and then they play the University of San Francisco tonight. So they're gonna have five games under their belt, and we're trying to get five guys out on the floor.”
Dutcher said he has to keep it in perspective that it’s just an exhibition game and he doesn’t want to get tempted into bringing any injured player back too soon.
“If there’s a regular-season game, I'm sure they'd all be on the floor,” Dutcher said. “And so I've got to walk the fine line of wanting to be competitive, wanting to put up a good effort, while trying to stay healthy for the opening of the regular season, which isn't until Nov. 3.
“So we are making progress. I like the pieces, I like this team, but I'm a little concerned that we're not going to be quite where we need to be for a scrimmage of this magnitude in Tucson against a very good Arizona team.”
Latest injury update on San Diego State guard Latrell Davis
Davis redshirted last season, and Dutcher said a few times that had he been active, he would have been an everyday player. Davis separated a shoulder about a month ago and missed three weeks, returned and tweaked it, causing him to miss another week.
“Latrell Davis was tough to redshirt because I thought he was one of our best players last year,” Dutcher said. “He's a dynamic offensive player. He gets to the rim at will. He can drive the ball, he shoots it at a high level. So Latrell, we know, is a really good player. So I'm excited to get him out there with all our new pieces and see how it kind of fits.
“When he's been out there, he's been dynamic. But like I said, I'm trying to err on the side of caution. And once you're dealing with his shoulder, you know how that is. It could pop out again. And the way he plays with reckless abandon, I'd imagine it's something we're gonna deal with all year. But I know we're a better team with him out on the floor.”
How San Diego State's European newcomers are progressing
The Aztecs signed three European pros during the spring, but it took until just recently for the NCAA to certify them, as it took a closer look at whether their pay was above “actual and necessary expenses.”
The three are Skoric, a 6-foot-9 forward from Zagreb, Croatia; and 6-2 guard David Torresani and 6-10 forward Luca Vincini, both from Italy.
Dutcher said the three Europeans couldn’t practice during the summer but have been during the fall.
“So they’ve been on the floor and I'm seeing real progress from Vincini and David, he’s made real progress,” Dutcher said. “So I'm encouraged by what they're showing me. With that being said, there is a learning curve, and there's no rushing that. You know, they've played a lot of basketball. They’re good players, but they haven't played in our system. They're playing with new guys. And so there is that learning curve that, as much as you want to speed it up, it takes time.”
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