USU Game Notes | Listen Live

Utah State will join Saint Mary's, Arizona State and Mississippi State at the MGM Main Event in Las Vegas, Nev., playing a pair of contests inside T-Mobile Arena on Monday, Nov. 19, and Wednesday, Nov. 21.

Opening Tips
• Utah State is 109-39 all-time in regular season tournaments, including an overall mark of 55-37 when not serving as the host institution.

• Utah State will look to be the second-straight Mountain West school to win the MGM Main Event Heavyweight Championship as UNLV beat Utah 85-58 in the finals last year.

• Utah State is off to its best start, 4-0, since the 2015-16 season, when the Aggies also began the year with a perfect 4-0 record.

• USU head coach Craig Smith is the seventh coach in Aggie history to win his first four games, joining Tim Duryea (4), Stew Morrill (5), Ladell Andersen (8), H. Cecil Baker (4), D.D. Young (5) and E. Lowell Romney (5).

• Utah State has outrebounded each of its first four opponents by double digits, including more than 20 in each of the first two games of the season.

• Utah State has led at the half in every game this season.

• Utah State's reserves have outscored the opponents' bench by a 3-to-1 margin, totaling 168 points to the opposing teams' 56.

• Aggie reserves are also pulling down the majority of the rebounds for Utah State this season, recording 103 and making up 54.8 percent of Utah State's total this 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 Saint Mary's
Saint Mary's has opened the year with a perfect 3-0 mark after victories over McNeese State (87-65), Utah Valley (92-63) and New Mexico State (73-58). The Gaels were picked to finish second in the preseason WCC poll.

SMC is averaging 84.0 points per game and shooting 52.9 percent (90-of-170) from the floor, 43.5 percent (30-of-69) from behind the 3-point line and 77.8 percent (42-of-54) at the free throw line. Junior guard Jordan Ford and sophomore forward Malik Fitts lead the Gaels individually with 28.7 and 16.0 points per game, respectively. Ford also leads SMC with 13 assists on the year, while Fitts leads the team on the glass with 8.7 rebounds per game.

Defensively, teams are averaging 62.0 points per game against the Gaels and are shooting 42.3 percent (71-of-168) from the floor, 27.8 percent (15-of-54) from behind the 3-point line and 63.0 percent (29-of-46) at the free throw line. Ford leads the team with nine steals and senior center Jordan Hunter and freshman forward Dan Fotu are tied for the team lead with one apiece.

Utah State/Saint Mary's Series Notes
• Utah State and Saint Mary's will meet for the 10th time in program history on Monday night with the Aggies leading the Gaels 5-4.

• Utah State won four of the first five meetings between the two teams, but Saint Mary's has won three of the last four.

• The team that has shot better from the floor has won each of the last six games.

• The team that has made more free throws has won five of the last six games.

• The battle of the boards has not impacted the outcome of the game as the team with more rebounds has only won three of the last six.

• The team that has fouled less has won five of the last six games.

Scouting Arizona State
Arizona State has opened the year 3-0 after victories over CS Fullerton (102-94, 2OT), McNeese State (80-52) and Long Beach State (90-58). The Sun Devils had a game that was canceled against San Franciso on Nov. 16 due to poor air quality and will play Mississippi State in its opening round of the MGM Main Event. ASU was picked sixth in the preseason Pac-12 poll.

Arizona State is averaging 90.7 points per game and shooting 44.3 percent (89-of-201) from the floor, 32.8 percent (20-of-61) from behind the 3-point line and 69.2 percent (74-of-107) at the free throw line. Freshman guard Luguentz Dort leads four players averaging double figures with 21.7 points per game, followed by sophomore forward Kimani Lawrence with 15.0 ppg, junior guard Rob Edwards with 14.0 ppg, and senior forward Zylan Cheatham with 13.3 ppg. Cheatham, a transfer from San Diego State, is also leading the Sun Devils on the glass with 13.3 rebounds per game.

Defensively, teams are averaging 68.0 points per game against Arizona State and shooting 36.1 percent (66-of-183) from the floor, 28.0 percent (21-of-75) from behind the 3-point line and 64.6 percent (51-of-79) at the free throw line. Dort leads the team with seven steals and senior forward De'Quon Lake leads ASU with six blocks.

Utah State/Arizona State Series Notes
• Utah State and Arizona State could meet for the 15th time on Wednesday, Nov. 21, with the Aggies leading the all-time series 9-5.

• Utah State began the series by winning eight of the first 10 games.

• Arizona State has won three of the last four.

• The team that has scored more points in the second half has won four of the last five games.

• The team that has shot better from the floor has won four of the last five games.

• The team that has won the battle of the boards has won four of the last five games.

• None of the players on the Utah State roster were born the last time Utah State and Arizona State met on the basketball court.

• Utah State's Shaler Halimon recorded one of the only three triple-doubles in school history against Arizona State, recording 35 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds against the Sun Devils on Feb. 10, 1968.

Scouting Mississippi State
Mississippi State has opened the year 3-0 with victories over Austin Peay (95-67), Hartford (77-59) and Long Beach State (79-51), and will meet Arizona State in its opening round of the MGM Main Event. The Bulldogs were picked fourth in the preseason SEC poll.

MSU is averaging 83.7 points per game and shooting 48.0 percent (98-of-204) from the floor, 27.8 percent (20-of-72) from behind the 3-point line and 77.8 percent (35-of-45) at the free throw line. The Bulldogs have four players all averaging double digits in senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon (21.3 ppg), junior guard Tyson Carter (14.3 ppg), senior forward Aric Holman (10.7 ppg) and junior guard Lamar Peters (10.0 ppg). Holman also paces Mississippi State on the glass, pulling down 8.3 rebounds per contest. Peters leads the team with 15 assists.

Defensively, opponents are averaging 59.0 points per game against the Bulldogs and shooting 38.7 percent (63-of-163) from the floor, 32.0 percent (16-of-50) from behind the 3-point line and 67.3 percent (35-of-52) at the free throw line. Weatherspoon and Carter are tied for the team lead with nine steals apiece, while Holman leads the team with nine blocks.

Utah State/Mississippi State Series Notes
• Utah State has never met Mississippi State on a neutral court, but is 1-2 all-time against the Bulldogs. The home side has come away with the victory in each contest.

• The team that has led at the half has won two out of three games in the series.

• The team that has shot better from the floor has won two out of the three games in the series.

• The team that has shot better from behind the 3-point line has won two out of the three games in the series.

• The team that has shot better from the free throw line has won two out of the three games in the series.

• The team that has won the battle of the boards has gone on to win the war as the team with the most rebounds has won each contest.