Utah State Game Notes | Watch Live | Listen Live | Live Stats
Utah State continues a three-game homestand on Tuesday night, hosting Mississippi Valley State inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 7 p.m.
• Utah State leads the all-time series 2-0 against the Delta Devils with an 80-63 on Dec. 28, 1995, and an 83-47 victory on Nov. 15, last season.
• Utah State has recorded double-digit wins at home in each of the last 24 seasons, including five straight 17-win seasons at home from 2007-2012.
• USU head coach Craig Smith is the 10th coach in Aggie history to win his first two games joining Tim Duryea (4), Stew Morrill (5), Dutch Belnap (3), Ladell Andersen (8), H. Cecil Baker (4), H.B. Lee (3), D.D. Young (5), Robert W. Burnett (2) and E. Lowell Romney (5).
• Utah State has scored 100 or more points in each of the first two games this season, marking the first time in program history that the Aggies have opened the year with back-to-back games over the century mark.
• The start marked the first time since the 1994-95 season the Aggies have scored 100 or more in back-to-back games, and the first time since the 1979-80 season the Aggies have scored 100 or more points in back-to-back victories.
• Every active Utah State player has scored in every game this season.
• Utah State has out rebounded its first two opponents by more than 20 in each game, marking the first time the Aggies have posted back-to-back rebounding margins of 20 or more since the 2004-05 season.
• In its season-opening 101-71 victory at Montana State, Utah State eclipsed 100 points for the first time since scoring 105 points against Oakland on March 25, 2012. It was the most points scored in a season opener under a first-year head coach in USU history.
Scouting Mississippi Valley State
Mississippi Valley State (0-2) continues a season-opening five-game road trip when the Delta Devils visit Utah State on Tuesday night. MVSU has opened the year with a 37-106 defeat at Nebraska, followed by an 52-84loss at Texas Tech.
The Delta Devils are averaging 44.5 points per game and shooting 25.4 percent (31-of-122) from the floor, 26.3 percent (10-of-38) from behind the 3-point line and 70.8 percent (17-of-24) at the free throw line. MVSU is paced individually by senior guard Jordan Evans with 14.0 points per game. Senior forward Dante Scott leads MVSU on the glass, averaging 6.5 rebounds per game.
Defensively, Mississippi Valley State is surrendering 95.0 points per game to its opponents and allowing the foe to shoot 52.6 percent (70-of-133) from the floor, 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from behind the 3-point line and 60.0 percent (27-of-45) at the free throw line. Evans is tied with junior guard Torico Simmons for the team lead with three steals, while junior forward Marcus Mitchell and senior center Emmanuel Ejeh are tied with one block apiece.
Just Going to Leave This Here
Utah State last scored 100 or more points in three consecutive games during the 1972-73 season. The only other time the Aggies have scored 100 or more in three straight games was during the 1967-68 season. Coincidentally the next 100-point game for the Aggies will be the 100th in school history.
Back-Up Brigade
Utah State's reserves are out scoring the Aggies' starting 5 this season. USU's bench has made up 51.2 percent of the points scored this season.
Back-Up Brigade - Part II
Utah State's bench is averaging 51.5 points per game this season.
Remember Your 20's
Senior forward Dwayne Brown Jr. has been a large reason the Aggie bench is so prolific. Brown tied his career high with 24 points in Utah State's 100-73 victory over Hartford, marking the first player to score 20 or more off the bench since Dec. 20, 2017.
Career-High Curtain Riser
Junior guard Sam Merrill scored a career-high 37 points in the Aggies' 101-71 season-opening victory at Montana State on Nov. 6.
Sharp-Shooting Sam
Merrill has been dialed in from the floor in each of the first two games for Utah State, shooting 72.0 percent (18-of-25) from the field, 75.0 percent (6-of-8) from behind the 3-point line and 100.0 percent (9-of-9) at the free throw line.
Send in the Rookies
Utah State started a pair of freshmen against Montana State as Neemias Queta and Brock Miller appeared in the starting lineup. It marked the first time the Aggies have started a pair of freshmen in a season opener in more than 20 years.
