Feb. 18, 2008

Final Stats

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Despite a game-high 31 points from Jaycee Carroll, including 18 in the second-half, Utah State lost its third-straight game falling to San Jose State, 70-67, here at The Events Center Monday night. It is the first time since the end of the 1998-99 season that a Utah State team has lost three straight, a span of 287 games.

Utah State is now 18-9 with the loss, while San Jose State improves to 12-13 with the win. USU also falls into fourth-place in the Western Athletic Conference and is now 8-4 in league play, while SJSU improves to 4-8 in the WAC.

Chris Oakes led San Jose State with a career-high 21 points to go along with 12 rebounds, while Tim Pierce scored 16 points and C.J. Webster added 15 points for the home team.

Kris Clark and Tyler Newbold joined Carroll in double-figures for Utah State as Clark had 12 points and seven assists, while Newbold recorded 10 points and four assists.

San Jose State took its biggest lead of the game at 47-32 with 17:34 to play on a jumper by Webster and the Spartans led by 12 with just over 13 minutes to play before Utah State went on a 13-4 run to get within 60-57 with 8:42 remaining. SJSU was able to extend its margin back to eight and led 70-63 with 1:01 remaining before USU made one last charge as Clark made two free throws and Carroll scored on a baseline jumper to get the visitors within three. San Jose State kept the game interesting by missing three straight free throws in the final 49 seconds, but Utah State missed three straight three's by Carroll, Clark and Gary Wilkinson that would have tied the game.

Following Wilkinson's three-point attempt, San Jose State's Pierce grabbed the rebound but ran out of bounds with three seconds remaining giving Utah State one last chance, but Carroll's inbounds pass was intercepted and USU was never able to get another shot to tie the contest.

Utah State finished the game by shooting just 42.1 percent from the field (24-57) and just 35.0 percent from three-point range (7-20), while San Jose State shot 43.9 percent overall (25-57) and 41.7 percent from behind the arc (5-12). USU was also 12-of-14 (.857) from the free throw line, while SJSU was 15-28 (.536) from the charity stripe.

Wilkinson got the visitors on the board first with a pair of free throws, but San Jose State scored the next six points to take the lead. SJSU's margin grew to 12 at 23-11 on a three-pointer by Pierce with 9:51 to play and the Spartans took its biggest lead of the half with 2:40 to go on a pair of free throws from Lance Holloway to extend the margin to 39-24. USU did cut the lead to nine at 39-30 but gave up a layup just before the half to Oakes to trail by 11 at intermission.

In the first-half, San Jose State shot 46.2 percent from the field (12-26) as compared to 38.5 percent (10-26) for Utah State. The Spartans were also 4-of-9 (.444) from three-point range and 13-of-21 (.619) from the free throw line, while USU was just 1-of-5 (.200) from behind the arc and 9-of-10 (.900) from the charity stripe. Carroll led the Aggies with 13 points at the break, while Pierce had 13 for the Spartans.

Utah State will return to action on Friday, Feb. 22 when it hosts former Big West Conference rival UC Santa Barbara at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum as part of the sixth annual ESPN BracketBusters. The game against the Gauchos will be televised live by ESPNU.