Pack to have quick repeat with Aggies

Because of bad weather last month, UNR and Utah State now will face each other twice in a 10-day span.

And since the Aggies beat the Wolf Pack 77-63 on Saturday night in Logan, Utah, they would seem to have the edge, at least psychologically, when the teams meet again Monday at Lawlor Events Center.

Not so, according to Utah State coach Stew Morrill.

"I don't think it's a big factor," Morrill said Monday during the Western Athletic Conference coaches' teleconference. "It may help us in our prep, since we're only going to have one day to get ready for them and we may still have that game fresh in our minds.

"But I don't think it helps us from a confidence standpoint. Not at all. We've had our butts handed to us enough times at (UNR) to think we should be smarter than that."

The teams were scheduled to play Jan. 5 in Reno. But strong winds, rain and snow created unsafe travel conditions for Utah State, and the WAC postponed the game.

For the Wolf Pack (13-8, 5-3 WAC) the rematch with Utah State (16-6, 6-1) seems light years away instead of just over a week. UNR hosts San Jose State on Thursday and Hawaii on Saturday, and coach Mark Fox said his team's focus is clearly on the Spartans (10-11, 2-6), who beat UNR 62-60 last month in San Jose for one of their two conference wins.

"This is an important part of our schedule," Fox said. "We've got five games in the next 10 days, and the last two are on the road, so we can't afford to get caught looking ahead or talking about revenge or anything like that."

Fox said he hopes his team can quickly put Saturday's loss -- UNR's first in its last four games -- in the past.

"The thing about kids is they're resilient," he said. "They bounce back pretty quick. We had a tough time up there last Saturday. Utah State's a very good team and they jumped on us early, and we didn't respond the way I had hoped."

Fox said spending the entire week at home will help his team focus on Utah State during Sunday's practice.

"We had one day to prepare for them last week, and when you're traveling, flying and then (taking) a long bus ride, that's a challenge," he said. "I think being at home all week will certainly help when it comes time to get ready to play them again."

• BRACKETBUSTER GAME -- UNR will go to Carbondale, Ill., to face Southern Illinois on Feb. 23 in an ESPN-televised game.

The Salukis, who are tied for third in the Missouri Valley Conference, are 6-5 in league and 11-11 overall.

UNR and Southern Illinois have met twice, with the Salukis winning both games.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.