Logan • Stew Morrill knew this was coming.

He knew there would be a day when Tai Wesley and a class of six seniors would graduate, taking the pedigree of four consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles and the distinction of being the winningest class in school history with them.

Knowing that, Morrill prepared.

Last season he recruited junior college All-American Antonio Bumpus and redshirted him. He redshirted Preston Medlin. He brought in former Bingham star Ben Clifford, a 6-foot-8 power forward, and redshirted him as well.

Because of this, Utah State, coming off a 30-4 season and a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, has options next season. No, the Aggies won't be anywhere near as experienced as they were this year. No, Wesley won't be there to provide a security blanket offensively and defensively.

USU, however, brings back an all-league point guard in Brockeith Pane and one of the most athletic players in the WAC in Brady Jardine.

Will it be enough to win a fifth straight league championship?

"There's no question that we can be good," Morrill said. "We have a chance, but we're going to be very inexperienced in spots. There's no way to tell how that can affect a team. We lost a great class, and we have a lot to replace."

Pane and Medlin are pretty much locked in to be the backcourt combination next season, with James Walker backing up Pane. The staff is counting on JUCO transfer Norvell Arnold to come in and compete for the starting job at small forward. Arnold, at this point, hasn't made it to campus, but is expected to be in Logan this summer.

Then there's Kyisean Reed, a 6-7 athlete who can play both forward positions. It all adds up to a team that will be much different structurally than in the past three seasons.

The Aggies will score more from the perimeter, will be much more athletic and may even run more.

But USU won't be anywhere near as good defensively, won't rebound as well and won't have Wesley to dump the ball into on the post.

"We're going to be different, but we're excited about the possibilities," Jardine said. "We've got to have a solid offseason. But we have guys such as myself and Brockeith who have been here and who know what it takes to win games."

Morrill acknowledged that getting to the Big Dance and losing in the first round is a "problem, but a good problem to have." It will also be interesting to see a team of his relying on a point guard to do the bulk of the playmaking for the first time, perhaps, since the Bernard Rock days of 10 years ago.

"It's all got to start in practice and in workouts," Pane said. "I think we can accomplish our goals next season. We just have to get better over the summer, but it's there for the taking."

tjones@sltrib.com —

Key new players

• Norvell Arnold, 6-7 forward

• Antonio Bumpus, 6-4 guard

• Steven Thornton, 6-5 guard

• Ben Clifford, 6-8 power forward

• Preston Medlin, 6-4 shooting guard

• Jordan Stone, 7-0 center

• Kyisean Reed, 6-7 forward

—

Key returners

• Morgan Grim, 6-8 forward

• Brockeith Pane, 6-2 guard

• Brady Jardine, 6-7 forward —

Ex-Ute Clyburn transfers to Iowa St.

Ames, Iowa • Former Utah standout Will Clyburn is transferring to Iowa State.

The 6-foot-7 swingman told The Associated Press that he plans to sign a financial aid agreement with Iowa State in the coming days. Clyburn will have to sit out next season under NCAA transfer rules, and he'll be eligible for only the 2012-13 season.

Clyburn led the Utes in scoring and rebounding last season, averaging 17.1 points and 7.8 rebounds. He spent his first two years at Marshalltown Community College, a short drive east of the Iowa State campus in Ames.