USU Game Notes | Listen Live - LSU | Live Stats - LSU | Listen Live - UNT
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State men's basketball will travel to to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic this week, facing LSU on Friday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m., and North Texas on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 4:30 p.m.
Opening Tips
• Utah State has now scored at least 80 points in each of its first five games for the first time since the 1986-87 season and for just the sixth time in school history, joining the 1969-70, 1968-69, 1965-66 and 1964-65 teams. The 1965-66 team holds the school record for most 80-point games to start the season at seven.
• Utah State posted victories of 40 or more points in back-to-back games over Weber State and Denver, marking the first time since the 1944-45 season and just the fourth time in school history the Aggies have posted back-to-back 40-point wins.
• Utah State, currently ranked No. 15 in the AP poll, is 61-18 all-time as an AP-ranked team.
• USU's 15th ranking is the highest for the Aggies since the 1970-71 season, when Utah State was ranked as high as No. 9. Utah State's highest AP ranking in school history came during the 1960 season, when USU was ranked as high as No. 7.
• Utah State posted a 55-point victory over Weber State on Nov. 8, with an 89-34 win against the Wildcats. The 55-point margin is tied for the largest in school history against a Division I opponent, matching a 115-60 win over CS Fullerton on Dec. 23, 1972.
• Utah State has held each of its last four opponents to less than 40-percent shooting from the field, holding Weber State to 21.7 percent (10-of-46), Denver to 38.9 percent (21-of-54, North Carolina A&T to 35.0 percent (21-of-60) and UTSA to 28.6 percent (20-of-70).
• Utah State was led in scoring by four different players in each of the first four games this season. Senior guard Sam Merrill led the Aggies with 28 points against Montana State, sophomore forward Justin Bean led the Aggies with 18 points against Weber State, sophomore guard Brock Miller led the Aggies with 27 points against Denver and junior forward Alphonso Anderson led the Aggies with 21 points against North Carolina A&T.
• Merrill tied a school record with 17 made free throws in the Aggies' 81-73 victory over Montana State. Merrill matched the school record alongside Tim Tollestrup, who made 17 free throws against Utah in 1970, and Bart Johnson, who made 17 free throws against Idaho in 1954.
• Bean is one of just four players in the Mountain West averaging a double-double over the first few games of the season (Nico Carvacho - CS, Nate Grimes - FS, RJ Williams - BS).
• Head coach Craig Smith is just the second coach in school history to start 5-0 in each of his first two seasons (D.D. Young, 1943, 1945).
• Utah State is 110-40 all-time in regular season tournaments, including an overall mark of 56-38 when not serving as the host institutions.
• Fans in the United States can watch the games live on the CBS Sports Network (Comcast Ch. 269, DirecTV Ch. 221, Dish Ch. 158) with Bill Roth providing play-by-play and Steve Wolf serving as the analyst.
The Utah State/LSU Series
• Utah State will meet LSU for the fourth time in school history on Friday night, and for the first time on a neutral court. The Aggies hold a 2-1 advantage over the Tigers, but have not played LSU since the 1984-85 season.
• In Utah State's two victories during the 70s, USU shot better from the floor and at the free throw line to post double-digit victories over the Tigers in each contest.
• In LSU's only victory in the series, the Tigers shot a blistering 58.0 percent (47-of-81) from the floor for the 32-point win.
• LSU has opened the season with a 2-1 record and will host UMBC before making the trip to Jamaica. The Tigers' only blemish on the year came on the road at VCU, an 84-82 defeat.
• LSU is averaging 81.7 points per game with five different players averaging double figures in senior guard Skylar Mays (19.7 ppg), sophomore forward Emmitt Williams (13.7 ppg), sophomore forward Darius Days (13.3 ppg), sophomore guard Javonte Smart (13.0 ppg) and freshman forward Trendon Watford (12.7 ppg). The Tigers are shooting 49.7 percent (86-of-173) from the floor, 32.1 percent (17-of-53) from behind the 3-point line and 75.7 percent (56-of-74) at the free throw line.
• LSU has gone into the half trailing in two of its last three games, but has outscored the opposition in the second half 123-103.
• On the glass, LSU is led by Mays with a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game, while the team is outrebounding opponents 43.3 to 33.3 rebounds per contest.
• If the Tigers have an Achilles heel, it is their turnovers. LSU is averaging 22.3 turnovers per game over their first three contests this season.
The Utah State/North Texas Series
• Utah State and North Texas will meet for the 10th time in school history with the Aggies holding a 9-1 advantage over the Mean Green. The contest in Jamaica will mark the first neutral site game in series history.
• USU and UNT were both members of the Big West during the 1997-2000 seasons.
• North Texas opened the year with a 79-40 victory over Oklahoma Christian before losing its next three at VCU and Arkansas and a home loss against Eastern Michigan. The Mean Green will host North Carolina A&T on Tuesday, Nov. 19, before making the trip to Jamaica.
• North Texas is averaging 57.3 points per game and has six players averaging 6.0 or more points per game, led by redshirt sophomore guard Umoja Gibson with 9.3 points per game. Junior forward Zachary Simmons leads UNT on the glass with 8.3 rebounds per contest, while the team is outrebounding teams 35.3 to 26.3 per game.
• As a team, UNT is shooting 43.0 percent (86-of-200) from the floor, 33.8 percent (27-of-80) from behind the 3-point line and 63.8 percent (30-of-47) at the free throw line. Opponents are shooting 37.6 percent (70-of-186) from the floor, 28.7 percent (25-of-87) from behind the 3-point line and 76.7 percent (56-of-73) at the free throw line.
• Turnovers have also proved costly for North Texas this season, as the Mean Green is averaging 18.8 per game. Opponents are averaging 11.0 steals per game against UNT over the first four games of the season.
• In Utah State's only loss during the series, UNT shot better from behind the 3-point line and logged 11 more free throws than the Aggies, knocking down 10. The Mean Green were also able to force 23 USU turnovers, while committing 15.
