USIU Gets Game It Wants but Still Loses to SDSU

SAN DIEGO —  Gary Zarecky, U.S. International’s basketball coach, did everything this week but get down on his knees and beg San Diego State Coach Jim Brandenburg to have his team play an up-tempo game Saturday night.

Zarecky said he believes in the running game. That it sure would be nice to have a shoot-out. That the people of San Diego would like to see one.

Brandenburg didn’t say anything. Everyone just figured he wasn’t about to let anyone coax him out of his patterned offense.

So what happened Saturday night before 3,709 in the San Diego Sports Arena?

Aztecs, 108-97.

Actually, the Aztecs didn’t come out running. The game kind of evolved. It seems to happen often with USIU, whose offense (96.4 points a game) is ranked sixth in the nation. The Gulls came out sprinting, taking fewer than 10 seconds to get off a shot on 26 of their first 30 possessions.

It led to SDSU’s most productive game offensively since the 1985-86 season, when the Aztecs defeated--yep--USIU, 138-93. It also was USIU’s 100th road loss in the past eight seasons.

“(The pace) was deceptive,” Brandenburg said. “Eventually, you have to take what the defense gives you.”

That was quite a bit, despite a lousy Dow-Jones report for SDSU. Center Marty Dow watched the game in street clothes with a partially torn tendon in his right foot. Guard Rodney Jones didn’t start because of missed practice time this week with a sprained ankle. Jones played 30 minutes, though, and got 10 points. In Dow’s absence, junior Neal Steinly made his first career start and finished with nine points and two rebounds.

But the key was SDSU’s Shawn Jamison, who was left alone by USIU most of the night and ended up with 37 points and 13 rebounds--both SDSU career highs--and seven dunks. It was the most points by an Aztec since Anthony Watson had 54 against--again--USIU in the 1985-86 season, and it tied Michael Cage for 10th on the SDSU list for points in a game.

“They seemed to come easy,” Jamison said. “I know that much.”

Said Zarecky: “The difference in the game was we didn’t have an answer for Jamison. That has been our problem all year long--we don’t have anyone with bulk inside.”

USIU’s Kevin Bradshaw, the nation’s third-leading scorer at 31.3 points a game, had a particularly rough night. He scored 28 points but, while being constantly harassed by SDSU’s Michael Hudson and Vern Thompson, made just six of 22 shots. And he was whistled for two crucial technical fouls that gave SDSU momentum in the second half.

SDSU led, 70-64, with 11:23 to play when Bradshaw reacted as if he had been fouled by Hudson. No foul was called, and SDSU grabbed the rebound and went the other way. Bradshaw stayed put, said a few words to the officials and was called for two technicals.

Hudson made three of four free throws to make it 73-64--the Aztecs’ largest lead to that point. The closest USIU would come the rest of the way was five.

USIU outrebounded SDSU, 47-36, but the Aztecs had 21 second-half rebounds to USIU’s 16.

The Aztecs (13-11) now have more victories in a season than at any time in Brandenburg’s tenure of nearly three years. They had identical 12-17 records during the past two seasons.

SDSU scored the final eight points of the first half and led at halftime, 48-47. In doing so, they magnified the weaknesses of a running game.

USIU led, 47-44, with 46 seconds left. Most teams would hold the ball for a last shot in this position. Not these guys. A missed shot and an Aztec rebound turned into a Vern Thompson layup to make it 47-46 with 29 seconds left.

That gave USIU another chance to hold the ball. Instead, the Gulls came downcourt, and Greg Howard turned it over. Jones made another layup to give SDSU the lead.

This came despite USIU’s dominance under the boards. The Gulls outrebounded SDSU in the half, 31-15. SDSU had just two offensive rebounds to USIU’s 17.

SDSU’s 48 first-half points were a season high. And USIU’s 47 matched the most allowed by the Aztecs in a half this season. Alabama-Birmingham also scored 47 during a tournament game in December.

Jamison had 20 points in the first half, including three dunks. Bradshaw had 10 for USIU. Two of his shots were blocked in the first half--one by Michael Hudson and one by Eeric White.