ByDan HayesAssistant Sports Editor
Saturday was only a quiz.
Tonight will be the first true test for the San Diego State men’sbasketball team as New Mexico State comes to Cox Arena.
“It’s going to show us whether we’re competitive or not,” saidjunior transfer Randy Holcomb. “We’re a good team but we need to geta lot better for New Mexico State.”
SDSU opened its season Saturday night with an 80-48 handling of UCSan Diego at Cox Arena. The win was a solid victory for the Aztecsbut should come with a disclaimer. The Tritons are a Division IIprogram, having just moved up from Division III, and featured aroster with no players taller than 6-foot-7.
One good sign for SDSU was its 80-point effort, something it didjust two times all last season. Part of the reason for the explosionis the plethora of weapons the Aztecs have in the second year of headcoach Steve Fisher’s tenure.
“We have a lot more options for scoring this year,” said seniorcenter Marcelo Correa. “The responsibility is being shared by a lotmore players and it makes it easier to score.”
Holcomb led four SDSU players who scored in double-figures with agame-high 15 points, despite missing 12-of-18 attempts from thefloor. Overall the team hit 55 percent of its attempts, but the groupstill didn’t seem pleased with its effort.
“We had a lot of open looks,” Holcomb said. “I had a ton myself,but we missed a lot of shots.”
Said point guard Deandre Moore: “We couldn’t make shots and that’sthe bottom line. That game (NMSU) is going to be a tad more intense.We’re going to have to come out and play.”
Headed by the No. 11 all-time coach in NCAA history (727 wins),Lou Henson, NMSU comes to San Diego with a 1-1 record. The Aggieslost in their season opener to St. Bonaventure and then came backthree nights ago to roll St. Mary’s, 82-64.
Last season NMSU won 22 of its 32 games, earning itself a berth inthe National Invitational Tournament. Returning from that team isthis year’s leading scorer, junior guard Eric Channing, who isaveraging 16.5 points per game.
The two schools met last Nov. 30 in Las Cruces, N.M. with theAggies winning, 66-49.
“It will be much harder on Tuesday,” Fisher said. “I can tell youthat.”
TONIGHT
Who: San Diego State (1-0) vs. New Mexico State (1-1)
Where: Cox Arena
When: Tonight, 7:05 p.m.
Aztecs update: Randy Holcomb led four players in double figureswith a game-high 15 points. Marcelo Correa was six-for-six from thefloor on the way to a 13-point effort, while last year’s leadingscorer Myron Epps added 11 points. Shooting guard Karlo Kovacic added10 points, including two 3-pointers.
Aggies update: Eric Channing leads the team in scoring (16.5 ppg).Mikko Noopila is second on the team with 10 points a game. Lastseason, NMSU followed its 23-win campaign from 1998-99 with a 22-winseason and its fourth-ever NIT appearance.
