Weekly Aggie Update (PDF)
WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - NOVEMBER 12, 2018
FOOTBALL
Contact: Doug Hoffman (435) 797-3714
This Week
Sat., Nov. 17 --- at Colorado State, Noon (AT&T Sports Net)
• Utah State's football team (9-1, 6-0 MW) continues its 2018 season this weekend with a Mountain West road game at Colorado State (3-7, 2-4 MW) on Saturday, Nov. 17, at noon. The game will be televised regionally on AT&T Sports Net (Comcast Ch. 52, DISH Ch. 414, DirecTV Ch. 683). USU is 33-39-2 all-time against the Rams, including a 15-19-1 road record.
Last Week
W, 62-24 --- SAN JOSÉ STATE
• Sophomore quarterback Jordan Love passed for a career-high 491 yards and a school-record-tying five touchdowns in three quarters of work as No. 14 Utah State (9-1, 6-0 MW) cruised to a 62-24 home win against San José State (1-9, 1-5 MW) last weekend. USU's nine-game winning streak is tied with the 1960 team for the longest in school history. Love completed 32-of-42 passes, helping the Aggies rack up a school-record 804 yards of total offense, the third-most by any team in the nation this year, the third-most in Mountain West history, and just the 17th time ever in college football. USU finished with 510 yards passing, the second-most by the Aggies this season and third-most in school history, to go along with 294 yards rushing. San José State finished with 400 yards, including 344 passing. Junior running back Darwin Thompson became the first Aggie since Kerwynn Williams in 2012 to have both a 100-yard rushing and 100-yard receiving day. Thompson rushed for 140 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries (9.3 ypc) for his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season, to go along with a career-high 115 yards receiving and a career-best two receiving touchdowns on a career-high four receptions. Thompson's 255 all-purpose yards are the most by an Aggie since Hunter Sharp had 227 against Air Force in 2014. Senior wide receiver Ron'quavion Tarver had eight receptions for 74 yards as he was one of 12 Aggies to catch a pass on the day. Sophomore linebacker David Woodward led the Aggies with seven tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss. USU forced three turnovers on the day as sophomore defensive end Logan Lee recovered a fumble that was forced by sophomore safety Baron Gajkowski, while junior linebacker Tipa Galeai and senior cornerback Deante Fortenberry each had an interception.
VOLLEYBALL
Contact: Kyle Cottam - (435) 797-2066
This Week
Tues., Nov. 13 --- at Boise State, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 17 --- at Air Force, 1 p.m.
• Utah State's volleyball team (5-22, 3-13 MW) wraps up its 2018 season this week with Mountain West road matches at Boise State (17-10, 9-7 MW) on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m., and at Air Force (14-15, 4-11 MW) on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. USU is 18-24 all-time against the Broncos, including a 6-13 road mark, and 8-2 all-time against the Falcons, including a 3-1 mark on the road. Both matches will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network at utahstateaggies.com/watch.
Last Week
L, 0-3 --- COLORADO STATE
L, 0-3 --- WYOMING
• Utah State lost both Mountain West home matches last week with a 3-0 loss against Colorado State and a 3-0 loss to Wyoming. Against the Rams, USU hit -.044 (21-25-90) to CSU's .151 (37-23-93) as sophomore outside Gabbi Shumway led the Aggies with a team-high seven kills. Against the Cowgirls, USU hit .064 (33-26-110) to UW's .326 (41-11-92) as sophomore right side Bailey Downing led the Aggies with a match-high 13 kills, hitting a team-best .458 (13-2-24).
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Kyle Cottam - (435) 797-2066
This Week
Tues., Nov. 13 --- MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE, 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 16 --- UTAH VALLEY, 7 p.m.
• Utah State men's basketball (2-0, 0-0 MW) continues its 2018-19 season this week with home games against Mississippi Valley State (0-2) on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. and Utah Valley (1-2) on Friday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. USU is 2-0 all-time against the Delta Devils, with both victories coming in Logan, and 12-0 against the Wolverines, including a 6-0 mark in Logan. Both games will be streamed live at utahstateaggies.com/watch.
Last Week
W, 101-71 --- at Montana State
W, 100-73 --- HARTFORD
• Utah State went 2-0 last week with a 101-71 season-opening victory at Montana State, followed by a 100-73 win in its home opener against Hartford. Against the Bobcats, USU shot 49.3 percent (34-of-69) from the floor, 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from behind the 3-point line and 88.5 percent (23-of-26) at the free throw line, and out-rebounded MSU 51-25. Individually, junior guard Sam Merrill scored a career-high 37 points, making a career-high 12 field goals on a career-high 18 attempts. MSU finished the game shooting 37.7 percent (20-of-53) from the floor, 37.0 percent (10-of-27) from behind the 3-point line and 63.6 percent (21-of-33) at the free throw line. Against the Hawks, Utah State shot 55.7 percent (39-of-70) from the floor, 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from behind the 3-point line and 85.0 percent (17-of-20) at the free throw line and out-rebounded Hartford 48-26. Individually, senior forward Dwayne Brown Jr. led the Aggies with a career-high-tying 24 points off of the bench as the Utah State reserves scored a season-high 59 points. Hartford finished the game shooting 37.5 percent (24-of-64) from the floor, 31.0 percent (9-of-29) from behind the 3-point line and 80.0 percent (16-of-20) at the free throw line.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Wed., Nov. 14 --- #3 OREGON, 7 p.m.
• Utah State women's basketball (2-0) continues its 2018-19 season this week as it hosts third-ranked Oregon (2-0) on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. All of USU's home games will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network at utahstateaggies.com/watch.
Last Week
W, 72-61 --- at Washington State
W, 106-35 --- NORTHERN NEW MEXICO
• Utah State opened the 2018-19 season with a 72-61 road win at Washington State, followed by a 106-35 home win against Northern New Mexico College. The 71-point win against the Eagles marked the largest margin of victory in program history. Against the Cougars, junior guard/forward Hailey Bassett-Meacham posted a career-high 23 points, while three other Aggies scored in double figures in junior guard Olivia West (16), junior guard/forward Shannon Dufficy (12) and junior forward Marlene Aniambossou (10). USU finished the game shooting 43.9 percent (29-of-66) from the field, 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from behind the arc and 100 percent (10-of-10) at the free throw line. Against the Eagles, USU had six players score in double figures in Bassett-Meacham (18), West (17), freshman guard Steph Gorman (14), senior guard Rachel Brewster (12), Dufficy (12) and Aniambossou (10). USU shot 54.2 percent (45-of-83) from the field, 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from behind the arc and 71.4 percent (10-of-14) at the free throw line against NNMC.
CROSS COUNTRY
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361
This Week
Sat., Nov. 17 --- at NCAA Champ., Madison, Wis., 9:45 a.m. (MT)
• Utah State's women's cross country team will be represented by senior Cierra Simmons at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wis.
Last Week
W: 7/20; M: 8/17 --- at NCAA Mountain Region Champ., Provo, Utah
• Utah State senior Cierra Simmons was the lone Aggie to record all-region accolades by placing 17th with a time of 20:25.0 at the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships held last weekend in Provo, Utah. By placing in the top 25, Simmons garnered all-region accolades for the first time in her career and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. Fellow senior Alyssa Snyder nearly gave the Aggies a pair of all-region honorees, but she crossed the finish line in 26th place with a time of 20:49.5. Simmons led Utah State's women to a seventh-place finish with a total of 222 points. The Aggies finished ahead of in-state rivals Weber State (eighth, 243 points), Utah (11th, 294) and Utah Valley (15th, 377), as well as Mountain West-foes Colorado State (ninth, 280) and Wyoming (12th, 300). New Mexico captured the team title with 41 points. Other finishers for the Aggies included freshman Mica Rivera in 54th (21:20.4), senior Megan Ryan in 58th (21:23.7), junior Josie Givens in 67th (21:30.9), junior Grace Gibbons in 105th (22:14.3) and senior Tavia Dutson in 108th (22:19.5). On the men's side, Utah State placed eighth with 239 points. Junior Luke Beattie led the way for the Aggies as he finished 31st overall with a time of 30:05.8, while fellow junior Adam Hendrickson placed 33rd with a time of 33:09.4. The Aggies defeated in-state rivals Weber State (ninth, 239 points) and Utah Valley (15th, 427), as well as Mountain West-foe New Mexico (10th, 256). Northern Arizona captured the team title with 42 points. Three runners placed in the top 50 for the Aggies as junior Sam Clausnitzer was 45th with a time of 30:29.6. Other finishers for Utah State included junior James Withers in 54th (30:46.6), sophomore Coen Haroldsen in 76th (31:19.8), sophomore Haydon Cooper in 78th (31:26.2) and redshirt freshman Stokton Smith in 91st (32:06.3).
MEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Michael Palmer - (435) 797-8584
Last Week
NTS --- at Loyola Marymount Invitational
• Utah State men's tennis concluded its 2018 fall season last week at the Loyola Marymount Invitational. Junior Duro Opacic led the Aggies with a 3-0 singles record. Freshman Daniel Bushamuka went 2-0 in singles play, while freshman Rithvik Bollipalli finished the tournament with a 2-1 record. Freshman Mitch Johnson went 1-1 in singles play, while junior Sergiu Bucur and sophomore Felipe Acosta each went 1-2 in singles play. Freshman Isaac Arturo Arevalo rounded out the singles results with an 0-3 record. The duo of Arevalo and Bollipalli, as well as Opacic and Acostas, finished with a 1-2 doubles record, while Johnson and Bushamuka (0-2) and Bucur and Bushamuka (0-1) rounded out the doubles results.
