USU Game Notes | Listen Live | Watch Live | Live Stats | Tickets
Utah State (11-4, 1-1 MW) continues a two-game homestand on Wednesday night, hosting Fresno State (11-3, 2-0) inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 7 o'clock.
Opening Tips
• Utah State leads the all-time series against Fresno State, 35-24, and has won each of the last three contests. The Aggies are 24-7 all-time at home against the Bulldogs.
• Utah State is a perfect 7-0 at home this season and is riding an eight-game home winning streak.
• The game will feature the top-two scoring defenses in the league as Utah State leads the MW and limits opponents to 65.1 points per game. Fresno State is second, holding teams to 65.6 points per game.
• The trend continues behind the 3-point line as Fresno State leads the MW in 3-point field goal defense, holding opponents to 29.3 percent from long range. USU is just behind in second, limiting opponents to 31.0 percent from behind the arc.
• The two teams are also first and second in the Mountain West in assists per game, as Utah State leads the MW with 16.3 per game, followed by Fresno State with 16.0 per contest.
• Junior guard Sam Merrill has made 23 consecutive free throws and leads the MW by shooting 93.4 percent (71-of-76) at the free throw line. Merrill is the only player in the country that is shooting better than 50 percent from the floor and better than 90 percent at the free throw line.
• Merrill is currently the most accurate free throw shooter in Utah State history, converting 88.7 percent (180-of-203) of his attempts at the line.
• Freshman center Neemias Queta leads Utah State on the glass this season, pulling down 8.1 rebounds per contest. Queta has pulled down 10 boards in each of the last two games.
• Redshirt freshman guard Brock Miller has provided a secondary scoring punch for the Aggies over the last two games, recording double figures (10 and 15) and averaging 12.5 points per game.
Scouting Fresno State
Fresno State is 11-3 on the year and 2-0 in the Mountain West after starting league play with back-to-back victories over San José State (73-53) and Colorado State (78-67). The Bulldogs have won nine of their last 10.
Fresno State is averaging 79.4 points per game, second in the MW, and shooting 46.8 percent (384-of-820) from the floor, 37.4 percent (137-of-366) from behind the 3-point line and 74.5 percent (207-of-278) at the free throw line. The Bulldogs have four players all averaging double figures in senior guard Braxton Huggins with 17.8, senior guard Deshon Taylor with 17.4, junior forward Nate Grimes with 11.9 and junior guard New Williams with 11.5 points per game. Grimes also leads the Bulldogs on the glass, averaging 8.7 rebounds per game, while Taylor leads the team with 5.1 assists per game. Junior guard Noah Blackwell is close behind with 4.6 assists per game, totaling a team-best 64 helpers on the year.
Defensively, teams are averaging 65.6 points per game against the Bulldogs, second in the Mountain West behind Utah State (65.1). Opponents are shooting 40.4 percent (322-of-798) from the floor, 29.3 percent (88-of-300) from behind the 3-point line and 74.8 percent (187-of-250) at the free throw line. Fresno State is second in the league with 7.5 steals per game with Williams and Huggins tied with a team-best 16 steals on the year. Grimes leads the Bulldogs with 23 blocks, averaging 1.8 per contest.
The Series
• Utah State and Fresno State have faced 59 times, representing the 13th longest series in Utah State history.
• Utah State leads the all-time series 35-24 and has won each of the last three.
• Utah State swept Fresno State last season, the first such sweep by the Aggies against the Bulldogs during Mountain West play.
• Utah State has won three of the four games in which it went into the half with a lead.
• Utah State has shot better than 45 percent from behind the 3-point line in five of the eight games played against the Bulldogs during Mountain West play.
• Utah State has had four players in double figures in five of the eight games during the series.
• Fresno State has had a player score 20 or more points in six of the eight games during the series.
