Look for the Aggies to handle this overmatched weak weak Vandal team. Utah State destroyed BYU in Provo last week. Byu would kill even this weak vandal team. Come on their only win is against Great Falls. Utah State lost an early road game to IFWPU becasue the Aggies took them lightly. Stew Morril won't let it happen again. Utah State's strength is their back court and with the awesome shooting of freshman Jaycee Carroll they have rounded out quite well. Hit the Aggies and hit them hard.
? Utah State has won five straight Big West openers and is 5-1 in league openers under Morrill. The last time USU lost its first game in conference play was on Jan. 7, 1999 at Pacific 84-73. On the road, Utah State has won two straight conference openers and is 7-5 in league openers on the road since joining the Big West prior to the 1978-79 season. Overall, USU is 17-9 in league openers.
? Over the last five years, Utah State is 71-15 (.826) against the Big West during the regular season and 11-2 (.846) against the league in postseason play for an overall record of 82-17 (.828) against Big West opponents over the last five years.
? Utah State has won five straight Big West Conference games and 19 of its last 20 league games dating back to the 2002-03 campaign.
? Utah State is 34-11 (.756) in the month of December under Morrill, and has won nine of its last 10 games. On the road, USU is 4-9 (.308) during the month.
? Utah State is 11-4 in known games played on Dec. 23 and 46-11 (.807) in games played on Thursday's under Morrill.
Up Next
Utah State (7-2) will begin Big West Conference play at Idaho (1-8) on Thur., Dec. 23 at 8:05 p.m. (MST). The game will mark the second-earliest date USU has ever played a league game as the Aggies began its 2001-02 Big West season on Dec. 20 with a 73-56 home win against Cal State Northridge.
Looking At Utah State
Utah State is 7-2 on the season following an 84-62 road win at Brigham Young. The Aggies are led by senior forward Spencer Nelson who is averaging 15.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, while shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 75.8 percent from the free throw line. Junior forward Nate Harris is averaging 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the free throw line. Freshman guard Jaycee Carroll is averaging 13.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point range. As a team, Utah State is averaging 69.6 points and is shooting 52.7 percent overall. Defensively, USU is allowing only 56.9 points per game, while its opponents are shooting just 41.6 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from three-point range.
Scouting Idaho
Idaho is 1-8 on the season after suffering an 82-53 loss at Southern Utah last time out. The Vandals only win on the year is a 79-47 home win against the University of Great Falls. Idaho, who is 1-2 at home this year, is led by senior guard Dandrick Jones who is averaging 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while junior guard Tanoris Shepard is averaging 10.2 points and 3.3 assists per game. As a team, Idaho is averaging 64.2 points and shooting 42.2 percent from the field, while its opponents are averaging 68.9 points and shooting 45.6 percent. The Vandals return two starters and seven lettermen from last year's team that went 14-16 on the season and finished in fourth-place in the Big West with a 9-9 league record. Leonard Perry is in his fourth year as the head coach at Idaho and has an overall record of 37-58.
? Utah State has won five straight Big West openers and is 5-1 in league openers under Morrill. The last time USU lost its first game in conference play was on Jan. 7, 1999 at Pacific 84-73. On the road, Utah State has won two straight conference openers and is 7-5 in league openers on the road since joining the Big West prior to the 1978-79 season. Overall, USU is 17-9 in league openers.
? Over the last five years, Utah State is 71-15 (.826) against the Big West during the regular season and 11-2 (.846) against the league in postseason play for an overall record of 82-17 (.828) against Big West opponents over the last five years.
? Utah State has won five straight Big West Conference games and 19 of its last 20 league games dating back to the 2002-03 campaign.
? Utah State is 34-11 (.756) in the month of December under Morrill, and has won nine of its last 10 games. On the road, USU is 4-9 (.308) during the month.
? Utah State is 11-4 in known games played on Dec. 23 and 46-11 (.807) in games played on Thursday's under Morrill.
Up Next
Utah State (7-2) will begin Big West Conference play at Idaho (1-8) on Thur., Dec. 23 at 8:05 p.m. (MST). The game will mark the second-earliest date USU has ever played a league game as the Aggies began its 2001-02 Big West season on Dec. 20 with a 73-56 home win against Cal State Northridge.
Looking At Utah State
Utah State is 7-2 on the season following an 84-62 road win at Brigham Young. The Aggies are led by senior forward Spencer Nelson who is averaging 15.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, while shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 75.8 percent from the free throw line. Junior forward Nate Harris is averaging 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the free throw line. Freshman guard Jaycee Carroll is averaging 13.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point range. As a team, Utah State is averaging 69.6 points and is shooting 52.7 percent overall. Defensively, USU is allowing only 56.9 points per game, while its opponents are shooting just 41.6 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from three-point range.
Scouting Idaho
Idaho is 1-8 on the season after suffering an 82-53 loss at Southern Utah last time out. The Vandals only win on the year is a 79-47 home win against the University of Great Falls. Idaho, who is 1-2 at home this year, is led by senior guard Dandrick Jones who is averaging 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while junior guard Tanoris Shepard is averaging 10.2 points and 3.3 assists per game. As a team, Idaho is averaging 64.2 points and shooting 42.2 percent from the field, while its opponents are averaging 68.9 points and shooting 45.6 percent. The Vandals return two starters and seven lettermen from last year's team that went 14-16 on the season and finished in fourth-place in the Big West with a 9-9 league record. Leonard Perry is in his fourth year as the head coach at Idaho and has an overall record of 37-58.
