Dec. 28, 2002
Box Score
LOGAN, Utah - Desmond Penigar scored 24 points and had 15 rebounds and Spencer Nelson added 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds to lead Utah State to its ninth straight Gossner Foods Holiday Classic championship here late Saturday as the Aggies defeated Idaho State 66-59. The Aggies are now 18-0 in their own tournament.
For the second straight year Utah State defeated Idaho State in the championship game. Last year the Aggies disposed of ISU 74-56. The two teams had also met in the inaugural 1994 title game with USU winning that contest 67-62. Earlier in the night Arkansas State won the consolation matchup against Missouri-Kansas City, defeating the Kangaroos 71-56.
Nelson was the early force for Utah State with seven points and 10 rebounds in the first half. However, the Aggies led only 29-28 at the break. USU committed 12 turnovers and were 0-of-eight shooting from three-point range at the half. Idaho State meanwhile had eight points from Rashad Kirkland and six from Marquis Poole in the first period. Kirkland ended the game as the Bengals' leading scorer with 20 points off the bench.
Utah State led the entire second half, but could not push its advantage to more than nine points. Trailing 60-51 with less than four minutes left, ISU cut the margin to four at 63-59 with 1:11 remaining. However, USU's Ronnie Ross hit two free throws and Penigar added another to allow USU to hold on for the victory.
The Aggies out-rebounded Idaho State 50-23 and scored 19 points on second chance opportunities. Idaho State meanwhile converted USU's 19 turnovers into 20 points to stay close. For the game USU shot 42.6 percent from the field, while ISU hit only 37.7 percent.
Penigar finished the tournament with 28 rebounds in the two tournament games to establish a tournament record.
Utah State will open Big West Conference play on Thursday, when the Aggies play at Cal State Northridge. USU will also play at Pacific on Saturday.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMDesmond Penigar, Utah State (MVP)Tevoris Thompson, Arkansas StateMichael Watson, Missouri-Kansas CityScott Henry, Idaho StateToraino Johnson, Utah StateSpencer Nelson, Utah State
UTAH STATE 66, IDAHO STATE 59
Idaho State (59) Henry 6-14 3-3 15, Brown 1-10 0-0 3, Smith 1-4 0-0 2, Poole 5-10 0-0 10, Schroeder 1-5 0-0 3, Brooks 0-2 2-2 2, Boticki 0-3 2-2 2, Kirkland 9-12 2-3 20, Munyagi 0-1 2-2 2, Team 23-61 11-12 59.
Utah State (66) Penigar 9-16 5-9 24, Johnson 3-5 1-1 7, Nelson 4-6 5-7 13, Butler 1-7 0-0 2, M. Brown 1-6, 2-2 4, Ross 1-7 4-5 6, Harris 3-4 0-1 6, Puzey 0-0 0-0 0, Stowell 0-2 0-0 0, Evans 1-1 2-2 4, Team 23-54 19-27 66.
Halftime - USU 29, ISU 28. Three-Pointers - ISU 2-11 (Brown 1-5, Poole 0-1, Schroeder 1-2, Boticki 0-3), USU 1-12 (Penigar 1-2, Butler 0-4, M. Brown 0-3, Ross 0-2, Stowell 0-1. Rebounds - ISU 23 (Henry 6), USU 50 (Penigar 15). Assists - ISU 10 (Poole 3), USU 14 (Ross 4). Turnovers - ISU 6 (Brown, Poole 2), USU 19 (Penigar, Harris 4). Blocks - ISU 4 (Henry, Brown, Schroeder, Brooks 1), USU 3 (Penigar, Nelson, Harris 1). Steals - ISU 8 (Henry 3), USU 1 (M. Brown 1). Attendance - 8,355.
