Aztecs to Tip Off with Marathon Oil

The San Diego State men’s basketball team opens the 1991-92 season with an exhibition tonight at 8 in Peterson Gym against Marathon Oil, a touring AAU team of former college players.

SDSU will be without Keith Balzer, one of its returning leaders, who had off-season surgery for tendinitis in his right knee. Balzer has been practicing, but the knee is sore and the Aztecs want him to rest.

Coach Jim Brandenburg said the exhibition would be a welcome break from practice.

“We just need to play outside competition,” Brandenburg said. “They’re an older, more experienced team. I’m anxious to see how we react to that.

“We’ll try and play as many people as we can. We’d like to have some success, if we could.”

Marathon Oil was scheduled to play University of San Diego Thursday, but the team had travel problems in Denver and didn’t arrive in San Diego in time for the 8 p.m. game. On Wednesday, Marathon Oil lost to Oklahoma, 124-111.