Aztecs, Shooting Poorly, Lose Exhibition Game

San Diego State, a young team facing its first basketball test of the season, lost its exhibition basketball opener to Marathon Oil Friday, 97-74, in front of 1,056 in Peterson Gym.

The Aztecs, playing without veteran forwards Keith Balzer (knee tendinitis) and Courtie Miller (bruised thigh), shot only 41% from the field (31 of 75) and 47.6% from the free-throw line (10 of 21).

Joe McNaull, starting at center, had 15 points and 15 rebounds. Forward Terrence Hamilton added 15 points, and junior guard Virgil Smith, a transfer from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, had 11 points, eight assists and several more impressive passes. John Mille, a freshman guard from Irvine, had 10 points.

“This was really good for us,” SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg said. “I guarantee one thing. I think we’ll understand that we can’t be a three- or four-pass team when we play good people. We have to start passing and screening.”

Guard Andre LaFleur, a guard from Northeastern, led Marathon Oil with 25 points.