This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Some thoughts from Utah State men's basketball coach Tim Duryea prior to Tuesday night's home opener against Adams State, which starts at 7 p.m. at the Spectrum:

Question: What kind of player is the Grizzlies' leading scorer, Shakir Smith?

Answer: "He played at Wyoming and is really dangerous. He is capable of going on 10- and 12-point runs by himself and makes some tough shots. He is a volume shooter. He is going to get close to 20 shots up and can make all kinds of different shots. He reminds you of a poor man's Steph Curry. He has a quick, push release, has a deep range, makes runners in the lane, and is just a quick, wiry and fast. He plays multiple positions so, in transition, he is hard to find and hard to match up with between your one and your two. Matchups are a huge issue because they play so many different lineups. He is a talented guy."

Question: Are there other Adams State players who caught your attention while watching video of the Grizzlies?

Answer: "DJ Morgan is another guy who could play at our level. He is a 6-5 wing and can even play some stretch-four. Joe Bell Austin, when he comes in at the point, is a tremendous 3-point shooter and a very quick on-ball defender."

Question: "What impact did Utah State assistant Louis Wilson, the former head coach at Adams State, have on the Grizzlies' program?

Answer: "Obviously, Coach Wilson laid the foundation for these guys and this program and that is how they are playing right now. You can still see a lot of his imprint on the program."

Question: "Does his familiarity with Adams State help your preparation for this game?

Answer: "He is a big help in terms of their mindset and their mentality in what they are trying to do. Even some offensive and defensive calls, he can help us with. He has been a big help in figuring them out in a short time frame.

Question: Does Adams State compare to the two Division II teams that Utah State played in exhibition games, Panhandle (Okla.) State or Cal State-Monterey Bay?

Answer: "They are much better. They are much more talented. Not quite as big as Monterey Bay, but they'll play a similar style to Panhandle State, just with a lot more talent. They are better defensively because they've been in their system for a year or two and know what they are doing. They'll give you more looks than what Panhandle State did. They are a scary matchup, they really are."

Question: Will Utah State player smaller in order to match up with Adams State?

Answer: "We can go smaller; we can't go as small as they go. A big key to the whole night will be controlling tempo. We can't play racehorse basketball, just because they are shooting it quick. We can't fall into that trap. We have to execute our stuff, attack the lane, be good on the glass, get second-chance points and make them take the ball out of the net, which will slow them up a bit. We can't shoot hurried, quick, bad shots and put ourselves on skates all night getting back. The best way to control them offensively will be for us to play good, patient, sound offense.

— Steve Luhm