Nov. 23, 2002

Final Stats

NORMAL, Ill. (AP) - Desmond Penigar scored 22 points and Mark Brown added 19 points Saturday night as Utah State beat Illinois State 68-53 in the season opener for both teams.

Penigar was 4-for-4 from 3-point range for the Aggies (1-0), who completed 50 percent of their field goal attempts in the game and were 6-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Trey Guidry hit 6 of 11 3-pointers and led the Redbirds (0-1) with 20 points. Vince Greene, who had 10 points, was the only other Redbird in double figures.

Trailing 32-22 at halftime, Illinois State scored 15 of their first 17 points from beyond the arc. The Redbirds closed the deficit to 43-41 before Utah State went on an 8-0 run, fueled by seven points from Penigar, and reopened the lead to 51-41 with about six minutes left.