Feb. 22, 2008

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

LOGAN, Utah - Tai Wesley and Gary Wilkinson combined for 38 points and 21 rebounds to lead Utah State past UC Santa Barbara, 72-59, in an ESPNU BracketBuster men's basketball game Friday night at a soldout Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

The win snaps USU's three-game losing streak as the Aggies improved to 19-9 overall while UCSB is now 20-7 with the loss.

It was Utah State's 53rd home win in a row over a non-conference opponent, the second-longest in the country behind Duke's 57 in a row.

The Aggies also remain unbeaten at home this season, improving to 15-0, the only team in the Western Athletic Conference with an unblemished home ledger on the year. USU's 15-game home winning streak is the 13th-longest in the country.

With the victory USU improves to 37-22 overall vs. UCSB, a former Big West foe, and the Aggies have now won five in a row against the Gauchos.

Wesley, a freshman forward from Provo, Utah, tallied a game-high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds while junior forward Wilkinson, a South Jordan, Utah, native, posted 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. It was Wilkinson's team-leading fourth double-double of the season in helping USU improve to 140-12 at home under head coach Stew Morrill.

Senior All-American guard Jaycee Carroll was held to just six points in the first half but netted nine in the second half to finish with 15, USU's third player in double-figures on the night. The Evanston, Wyo., native has now posted double-digits in all 28 games this season.

Alex Harris and James Powell were the only two Gauchos in double-digits, netting 20 points apiece, as Powell hit a game-high six three-pointers to tie a career-high.

USU out-rebounded UCSB, 41-28, including 34 on the defensive end as the Gauchos shot just 21-of-62 (33.9 percent) from the field, shooting a better percent behind the arc (39.1 percent on 9-of-23).

The Aggies hit 54.2 percent (26-of-48) of their shots, making four of their 10 three-pointers (40.0 percent).

USU also made more free throws than UCSB attempted, hitting 16-of-21 (76.2 percent) while UCSB was 8-of-11 (72.7 percent).

The first half was back-and-forth, as Powell hit a three-pointer at the 4:12 mark to knot the score at 21-all, the seventh tie of the half. The Aggies pulled away to lead 28-24 at intermission, improving to 17-3 when leading at halftime while the Gauchos fell to 1-5 when trailing at the break.

Senior guard Kris Clark (Wilmington, N.C.) hit a three-pointer from the left wing at 13:34 for a 39-29 USU lead but UCSB countered with six unanswered points to pull within, 39-35, on a Harris layup.

Wesley sparked and capped a 12-0 run to give USU its largest lead of the night at 63-48 with 2:54 left and the Aggies coasted to the victory.

USU returns to conference action on Thursday, Feb. 28, hosting Louisiana Tech at 8 p.m. before the Aggies' home finale on Monday, March 3 against Fresno State at 7 p.m.

Utah State basketball games are broadcast on KVNU (610 AM) and KLZX (95.9 FM) in Logan, Utah, KFAN (1320 AM) or ESPN Radio (1230 AM) in Salt Lake City and KLZX (105.3 FM) in Montpelier, Idaho, as well as on the internet at www.UtahStateAggies.com through Yahoo! Sports. Al Lewis serves as the play-by-play announcer.

For Aggie basketball ticket information, fans can go to www.UtahStateAggies.com and click on "tickets" or call the USU Ticket Office at 1-800-USTATE-1 or 435-797-0305.