Recap | Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -

UTAH STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Post-Game Notes vs. Boise State (3/8/18)

TEAM NOTES
* Utah State advances to the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament for the first time in its five years in the league. Overall, it is the first time since 2011 that USU has played in the semifinals of a conference tournament when it won the Western Athletic Conference Tournament title that season. All-time, Utah State has a 14-5 record in semifinal games and improved to 17-20 all-time in quarterfinal games.
* Utah State is now 5-4 all-time in Mountain West Tournament play, including a 4-2 record under head coach Tim Duryea. All-time, Utah State is now 43-31 in conference tournament play including a 4-1 record against Boise State.
* Utah State improves to 32-15 all-time against Boise State, including a 2-1 record this season.
* Utah State improves to 15-4 on the season and 43-11 under Duryea when scoring 70-plus points in a game.
* Utah State improved to 5-14 on the season, including a 2-0 record in the Mountain West Tournament when trailing at the half as Boise State led 40-32 at intermission.
* Utah State shot 56.0 percent from 3-point range (14-of-25) marking the fifth time this season that USU has shot at least 50 percent from behind the arc. The 14 made 3-pointers are a season-high and tied for the second-most made in a game in school history. Overall, it is the 16th time this season that USU has made double-digit treys and is now 9-7 in those games.
* Utah State has now had a player score at least 24 points in each of its last four MW Tournament games and in five of its last six MW Tournament games overall.
* Utah State improved to 6-8 on the season when it gets out-rebounded as Boise State had a 34-26 advantage on the glass. USU had just two offensive rebounds in the game, which is tied for its fewest in a game this season.
* Ten of the last 11 meetings between Utah State and Boise State, including each of the last six, have been decided by six or fewer points.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
* Sophomore guard Sam Merrill (3) scored 28 points, his second most in a game in his career. Overall, it is the eighth time this season and ninth time in his career he has scored 20-plus points in a game, and the 28th time this year and 42nd time in his career he has scored in double-figures, including his fourth straight game. Merrill also tied his career-high for the third time this season with his seven made 3-pointers, while his 10 3-point attempts are the third-most in his career.
* Merrill had five rebounds and five assists marking the fifth time this season and 12th time in his career he has grabbed at least five boards in a game and the seventh time this year and 15th time in his career he has dished out at least five assists in a game. Merrill also took his team-leading 13th charge of the season.
* Sophomore guard Koby McEwen (1) scored in double-figures for the third-straight game, 21st time this year and 45th time in his career with his 14 points. McEwen also recorded his fifth dunk of the season and had eight rebounds marking the 17th time this season and 38th time in his career he has grabbed at least five boards in a game. McEwen also had six assists in the game marking the seventh time this year and 15th time in his career he has dished out at least five assists in a game.
* Junior forward Dwayne Brown Jr. scored in double-figures for the second-straight game and 15th time this season with his 10 points.
* Senior guard Julion Pearre (5) tied his season-high with three assists and has now made seven 3-pointers in the Mountain West Tournament after making just six 3-pointers during the regular season.
* Junior forward Quinn Taylor (10) grabbed five rebounds marking the 17th time this year and 39th time in his career he has grabbed at least five boards in a game. Taylor also had his 11th dunk of the season and recorded a block for the fifth straight game.