Nov. 29, 2003

Final Stats

LOGAN, Utah - Mark Brown recorded career highs with 20 points and 13 assists to lead Utah State to an 89-84 victory against Illinois State here on Saturday. The Aggies improved to 3-0, while Illinois State dropped to 1-2 on the year.

Brown scored 17 of his team-best 20 points in the second half, hitting six of nine shots in the game. His 13 assists tied for fifth on the USU single-game record list and bettered his career mark of 12 set last year against Cal State Fullerton. Brown's previous scoring best was 19 at Illinois State last year.

In all five Aggies scored in double figures as Cardell Butler added 14 points, Spencer Nelson 13 and Jason Williams and Nate Harris each had 11. Nelson added a game-high seven rebounds.

ISU was led by 21 points from Neil Plank. The Redbirds also had five players reach double-digits in points.

The Aggies shot 66.7 percent from the field, the eighth-best mark in school history, while ISU hit 58.5 percent of its attempts. ISU's 84 points were the most allowed by USU since losing 86-73 at Weber State on Dec. 21, 1999. The 84 points were the most scored against USU at home since the Aggies defeated Long Island 100-84 on Dec. 20, 1997.

USU trailed 31-30 at halftime, but opened the second half with a quick Nelson layup to take a lead they would never relinquish. USU went on a 17-4 run early in the half to lead 50-37 with 13:46 left in the contest and ISU never got closer than five points the rest of the way.

Utah State will play at Utah on Dec. 3 at 7:05 p.m., while ISU returns home to host Bellarmine on Dec. 2.