What San Diego State basketball coach Brian Dutcher said ahead of season opener

Aztecs open at home against Long Beach State

San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher. / Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

It’s finally “go time” for San Diego State basketball, and coach Brian Dutcher is just as excited as everyone else to begin a season of high expectations. 

The Aztecs host Long Beach State on Tuesday night at Viejas Arena in the first of three home games to open the season. 

“It's been a long summer and fall leading into the first game. I feel like I'm already having to deal with mid-season issues as far as keeping everybody focused and moving in the right direction, but that's part of coaching,” Dutcher said on Monday. I've got a really good and talented group. They’ve put a lot of work into it leading up into the first game. Now the journey begins.”

The Aztecs will be led by swingman Miles Byrd and guard Reese Dixon-Waters, and they’re expected to get 7-footer Magoon Gwath back soon. 

Here are the highlights of Dutcher’s news conference:

Dutcher on the feeling going into the opener

“I'd like to tell you that this is what we’re going to be at the start but until you go play, you really don't know what you are. I know eventually we're going to have a good team, but whether we'll have one right from the start of the season, I don't know. I'm hoping that we will, but I know somewhere along the journey we will hit our stride, and we will have a good team this year.” 

Dutcher on the timeline for the return of Magoon Gwath

“Nov.  6 has been the target for final clearance for when he can start practicing with contact. Right now, he's running, he's shooting, he's hit all his marks as far as rehab. I told him today that if he's practicing on Nov. 6, maybe we'll throw him in there on Sunday. I don't know if that's realistic, but I know he's ready to go mentally. He wants to be out there, so we'll start easing him back into full contact practice and see what the timeline is.” 

On facing Long Beach State

“I watched them on tape, and they look like an Aztec team. They guard at a high level. They're fundamentally sound, but Coach Chris Acker is piecing a lot of new players together. They lost an entire roster. I watched that exhibition game against LMU, where they won by 24, and they look really good for having that many new pieces that early in the year. I think they'll have a good season. Hopefully it doesn't start tomorrow.”

Dutcher on the return of Reese Dixon-Waters

“You saw in the two exhibition games the numbers he puts up. He's a dynamic scorer and he's a veteran player, and he's everything you want in college basketball. You want to be older, you want to be experienced, and he provides both of those. Hopefully, Reese will stay in good health and have the kind of year we all know he's capable of.”

Dutcher on possible lineup combinations

“We're trying to figure out what combinations are playing best together. That may take some game time to see. That'll be a work in progress. We'll watch and we'll keep data, and we'll look at the metrics of what lineups are most productive together, and we'll have something to work with as the season goes on.”

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