USD, SDSU Hoping to Take Big First Step : College basketball: Searching for direction, Aztecs and Toreros want to establish a winning trend.

Tonight’s city championship basketball game between the University of San Diego and San Diego State matches teams that appear to be a classic contrast: tall, patient, young SDSU against small, savvy, up-tempo USD.

Things may not be quite what they seem, especially with each team playing its first official game, when they tip off at 8 p.m. in the Sports Arena. It’s difficult to get a read off their exhibitions because USD had one game postponed and played an outmanned Czech club and SDSU lost both its preseason games but is missing two key players.

At this point, all both coaches ask is to take a stride forward into the season and produce a game as competitive and entertaining as last year’s 75-74 USD victory.

USD Coach Hank Egan, who holds a 4-2 edge against SDSU, says, “There’s not a clear-cut we’re-better, they’re-better. We’re different. They’re power. We don’t have anybody powerful.”

Aztecs Coach Jim Brandenburg, however, downplays the teams’ differences.

“That’s a nice (approach) if you’re the Toreros,” he said, “but the (lineup) we’ve been playing is probably smaller than them. We’re very young, very inconsistent and we have to learn our lessons quickly and well and gain some experience.”

Egan, whose forwards would be guards on many teams at 6-6 and 6-5, says the Toreros will try to offset their height disadvantage against most opponents by running when possible.

Brandenburg said: “I imagine they’ll try to pressure us and push the ball a little bit. That wouldn’t bother us. I’m not interested in trying to control the tempo this early in the season so much as gain execution offensively and defensively. Tempo is only a factor if both teams execute.”

USD, 17-12 last season, starts a relatively experienced lineup that includes four-year starters Kelvin Woods at forward and Wayman Strickland at guard, the team’s leading scorers last season. The other starters are junior forward Gylan Dottin, a transplanted guard at 6-5; center Brooks Barnhard, a 6-9 sophomore who sat out last season after back surgery; and junior point guard Geoff Probst.

However, Egan often gives reserves as many minutes as his starters. In their exhibition game, senior guard Michael Brown--who started last season--ended up playing the most minutes.

“Starting is not that big a deal with me,” Egan said. “I’m gonna play a lot of people, (the important thing is) trying to figure out who plays best with who.”

When they need more height, the Toreros’ can come in with 6-8 senior Reed Watson and 6-7 sophomore Chris Grant, a junior college transfer who looked solid against the Czechs.

For explosiveness, Egan is hoping for big things from sophomore swing man Joe Temple, who redshirted last season. The team’s best athlete, Temple can be electrifying off the break or in a good shooting streak . . . or his shot can look terribly awkward when he’s not in rhythm.

Egan just hasn’t seen enough of his team in a competitive setting to know where they are yet.

“We’ve put in pretty much everything we want to do,” he said. “I don’t think we’re anywhere near doing it like we have to do it.”

SDSU, which was 13-16 last season, is waiting for prize Arizona transfer Tony Clark, 6-8, to become eligible in mid-December and for 6-8 forward Keith Balzer to recover from knee surgery. On paper, the biggest problem the Aztecs present for the Toreros is 6-10 sophomore center Joe McNaull. Brandenburg said the center matchup “should be a good confrontation.”

In the preseason, however, the Aztecs’ most productive player has been 6-7 sophomore forward Courtie Miller. Sophomore 6-6 forward Terrence Hamilton and guards Virgil Smith and Ray Barefield, both juniors, round out the starting lineup. Barefield may be slowed by a groin strain.

“It’s so early, we’re still trying to put things in,” Brandenburg said. “We’re still kind of at a formative stage. In execution, (USD) is ahead of us at this point.”

Over the years, the series has been competitive--even before USD upgraded to Division I in 1979--with nine of the games decided by five points or less, 15 by 10 points or less. Last year’s game was decided on Keith Colvin’s layup with 21 seconds left.

This is considered USD’s home game for one of the few times since the series began in 1962-63.

“This city championship is a good deal,” said Egan, who starts his eighth season coaching the Toreros. “The game should be competitive and enthusiastic.

“We’d like to have a couple (games) under our belt but, if that’s when we have to play, then we do it because it’s good for the city. Last year was a hell of a game. The kids believe it’s a rivalry and get after each other pretty good.”

Brandenburg said: “I think it’s a rivalry, sure. The kids play against each other in the spring and summer and there is always bragging rights. But I think it’s a little early to decide who is the best team. Our (SDSU) teams start notoriously slow.”

Ready or not, tonight’s game counts.

There is a preliminary game at 6:15 pitting the Marines and Navy for the city’s military championship.

SDSU-USD Series

SDSU leads, 16-9

Year Result 1962-63 SDSU 68, USD 49 1963-64 SDSU 70, USD 69 1964-65 USD 89, SDSU 85 (2 OT) 1965-66 USD 54, SDSU 47 1966-67 SDSU 55, USD 50 (OT) 1967-68 SDSU 69, USD 59 1968-69 USD 72, SDSU 65 1969-70 SDSU 70, USD 67 1979-71 SDSU 97, USD 82 1971-72 SDSU 87, USD 69 1972-73 USD 78, SDSU 67 1974-75 SDSU 84, USD 61 1975-76 SDSU 78, USD 62 1976-77 USD 67, SDSU 63 *1979-80 SDSU 67, USD 58 1980-81 SDSU 60, USD 52 1981-82 SDSU 41, USD 36 1982-83 SDSU 47, USD 45 1983-84 SDSU 61, USD 47 1984-85 SDSU 57, USD 53 1985-86 USD 81, SDSU 64 1986-87 USD 83, SDSU 67 1987-88 USD 76, SDSU 53 1989-90 SDSU 85, USD 75 1990-91 USD 75, SDSU 74

*note--USD upgraded to Division I in 1979-80