USIU Shows No Sympathy for the Aztecs

At 9:38 p.m. Thursday, Coach Smokey Gaines of San Diego State was ill in bed at his Del Cerro home. Across town in the Sports Arena, Coach Gary Zarecky of United States International University was being doused by water by his players.

USIU had just defeated SDSU, 87-81, in front of 1,261.

For USIU, it may have been the biggest victory in school history. On the other hand, SDSU tied a school record with its 11th straight loss.

The Gulls had lost their last nine games to the Aztecs, including 45- and 38-point blowouts the previous two seasons.

“Without a doubt, it is the greatest thrill in my coaching career to do it (beat SDSU) as early as we have,” Zarecky said. “Despite the fact San Diego State is having a down year, it’s important for us to play well against teams like that. . . . This makes our season.”

The loss makes SDSU’s season even more miserable. The Aztecs (2-17) are hoping to finish better than in 1979-80, when their 6-21 record was the worst in school history.

Gaines was bedridden with the flu and a recurring pain in his side from glass that entered his body in an auto accident 20 years ago.

“Smokey has never missed a game in his life as long as I have known him,” said Michael Brunker, SDSU’s acting coach. “For him to miss a game, you know he has to be sick.”

Zarecky said he was “surprised” when Gaines did not appear. It was the first time Gaines missed a game in his coaching career.

“I don’t think he’d miss a game unless he was really down,” Zarecky said. “I don’t think he purposely would not show up for a game. Guys in the ‘40s and ‘50s might have done it for their players . . . to win one for the Gipper.”

USIU’s players wanted to win one for Zarecky. They were aware that Zarecky and Gaines have had public disagreements over recruiting and other matters ever since Zarecky was coach at Sweetwater High School.

Before Thursday’s game, the Gulls (7-11) thought SDSU was taking them lightly.

“Those guys didn’t respect us in warmups,” said USIU’s Russ Heicke, who scored a team-high 20 points. “They were laughing and taking it all softly. They didn’t look like they thought we were a threat to them.”

SDSU discovered early on that USIU was a threat. The Aztecs took a 10-8 lead four minutes into the game, but USIU scored the next six points and never trailed again.

The Gulls started four guards, hoping they could stay even on the boards and beat SDSU on the fast break.

USIU led at halftime, 51-39, and the strategy was working. The Gulls outrebounded SDSU in the first half, 26-20, and scored seven baskets on layups.

USIU had its biggest lead, 80-60, with 5:42 remaining. SDSU closed with nine straight points but never got closer than six.

The Gulls shot 50% overall, SDSU shot 35.7%. The Aztecs concentrated on outside shooting in the second half, making 2 of 10 three-point attempts. SDSU held a 54-47 rebounding edge but had committed 20 turnovers to USIU’s 17.

Joe Yezbak scored 19 points and Kelly Andrews had 16 for USIU.

Josh Lowery was 9 of 17 from the field and scored a game-high 24 points for SDSU. The other SDSU guards were a combined 7 of 38. Tony Ross, the team’s leading scorer, was 4 of 16 and finished with 11 points. Zarecky said the Gulls stopped Ross by playing him man-to-man at all times. Rodney Hawkins scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds, and Gerald Murray added 14 points and 15 rebounds.

For SDSU players, the game was close to an all-time low.

“I’m not embarrassed, but I really feel down,” Murray said. “We needed to beat them.”