LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Utah State freshman center Neemias Queta scored a game- and career-high 24 points and was one rebound shy of recording his first career double-double as Utah State cruised to an 80-63 victory over Saint Mary's in the semifinals of the MGM Main Event on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena.
 
Junior guard Sam Merrill added 23 points, eight assists and four rebounds for the Aggies (5-0), who will play either Arizona State or Mississippi State in the championship game of the Heavyweight Bracket on Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 9 p.m. (MT).
 
The 5-0 start for the Aggies is the best for Utah State since the 2014-15 season and first-year head coach Craig Smith became the fifth head coach in school history to win each of his first five games during his rookie campaign.
 
All five of Utah State's wins this season have been by double digits. In fact, the Aggies' average margin of victory through the first five games this year is an eye-popping 25.6 points.
 
The 6-foot-11, 240-pound Queta played arguably his best game as an Aggie, shooting 9-of-13 from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He also had a career-high five blocks on the night and his nine boards tied his personal best.
 
Jordan Ford and Malik Fitts each scored 14 to lead the Gaels (3-1), who were held to 21 points below their season scoring average of 84.0 ppg. Utah State held Saint Mary's to an icy 29.0 percent shooting clip from the field (18-for-62), including 25.0 percent from beyond the arc (6-for-24).
 
The 63 points scored by the Gaels were a season low.
 
Ford and Fitts came into the contest averaging 28.7 and 16.0 ppg, respectively, but were held in check by a stifling Aggie defense that forced them into shooting a combined 7-for-25 from the field (28.0 percent).
 
Utah State senior forward Quinn Taylor also pulled down nine rebounds for the Aggies, who outrebounded the Gaels 41-32. USU has outrebounded its opponent in all five games this season.
 
A layup by Ford gave Saint Mary's its last lead of the night at 16-14 with 12:19 remaining in the first half. USU junior guard Diogo Brito drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to give the designated hosts the lead back for good.
 
Brito's trey ignited a 20-4 run by the Aggies, who grew their advantage to 34-20 with 5:59 left in the half. Utah State led by as many as 16 during the first 20 minutes of play before taking a 41-29 lead into intermission.
 
The Aggies didn't take their foot off the gas pedal coming out of the break as they opened the second half on a 16-5 spurt to grab a 58-34 lead – their largest of the evening – with 11:09 to go.
 
The closest Saint Mary's would get the rest of the way was 12.
 
Utah State shot 29-of-59 from the field (49.2 percent), including 6-of-17 from 3-point range (35.3 percent), and 16-of-18 from the free throw line (88.9 percent). The Aggies had 17 assists on those 29 made basket.
 
The Aggies now lead the overall series with the Gaels 6-4.
 
Fans can purchase season tickets, or on a game-by-game basis. Fans can purchase tickets at the Utah State ticket office, located on the first floor of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tickets are also available online at utahstateaggies.com/tickets, or by calling the ticket office at (435) 797-0305 or (888)-USTATE-1.
 
Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).
 
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