SDSU Aztecs Basketball Preview
Matt Mitchell (No. 11), Malachi Flynn (No. 22), and Jordan Schakel (No. 20). (Photo:©@GoAztecs/Via Twitter)
If the San Diego State University Men’s Basketball Team is going to contend for a Mountain West Conference Championship, it will be because of exceptional backcourt play from newcomers, Malachi Flynn and KJ Feagin.
Both Flynn and Feagin are transfers coming into the Aztecs program with impressive college basketball resumes. Flynn is a redshirt junior who sat out all last season after transferring from Washington State. In his final season with the Cougars, Flynn averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals-per-game. Feagin is a graduate transfer from Santa Clara where averaged 14.2 points and 4.0 assists for his career. He missed last season due to a fractured hand.
Their arrival to Montezuma Mesa couldn’t have come at a better time as the Aztecs lost their top two scorers (Devin Watson and Jalen McDaniels) from last season’s 21-13 squad. An inconsistent offense is what plagued SDSU last year as they struggled badly putting the ball in the basket. Often, their extended scoring droughts in games were painful to watch. Flynn and Feagin are welcome additions to the starting lineup and should help in the scoring department.
San Diego State Men’s Basketball Team Photo, 2019-20. (Photo:©@GoAztecs/Via Twitter)
One area of concern for the Aztecs is frontcourt play as the unit is young and inexperienced, not the best recipe for defending the Mountain West’s top big men (Colorado State’s Nico Carvacho and New Mexico’s Carlton Bragg). Collectively, it might be Brian Dutcher’s most athletic frontcourt since taking over the head coaching position. Matt Mitchell should provide consistent scoring, but the Aztecs need more production from first-time starter Nolan Narain, who disappeared too much in games last season. The challenge of defending Carvacho and Bragg could unlock Narain’s true potential.
Let us not forget incoming freshman Keshad Johnson, who should add a unique dimension to the second unit. Johnson will provide some much-needed bench scoring that was lacking last season.
Developing team chemistry will be the key to success for the Aztecs this season. No team observer doubts Flynn and Feagin’s ability to score, but the Aztecs need better ball movement, and the offense cannot become stagnate near the basket. It is imperative for the starting unit to set one another up for easy, high percentage shots.
Coach Dutcher has proven to be a fine successor to Steve Fisher’s throne, and he will make the right on-court adjustments to keep the Aztecs competitive in the always tough Mountain West Conference.