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Utah State (19-6, 9-3 MW) will be back in action on Saturday afternoon, facing Air Force (10-14, 5-7 MW) at 2 p.m. (MT), inside Clune Arena, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Opening Tips
• Utah State leads the all-time series against the Air Force Academy, 17-5, including a 6-5 advantage in road games. However, the Falcons have won each of the last two games in Colorado Springs.

• Utah State is looking to win 20 games for the first time since the 2012-13 season and for the 29th time in school history. Overall, USU is 28-14 (.667) all-time when going for its 20th win.

• Utah State's nine victories in the Mountain West this season are the second-most conference wins for the Aggies since joining the league in 2013-14.

• Utah State is the only team in the Mountain West that ranks in the top three of all three shooting percentages, leading the league in field goal percentage (.478) and free throw percentage (.747) and ranking third in 3-point field goal percentage (.364).

• Junior guard Sam Merrill is second in the Mountain West in scoring, averaging 20.0 points per game this season. Merrill is the first Aggie to average more than 20 points per game since the 2007-08 season (Jaycee Carroll, 22.4 ppg).

• Merrill has attempted more free throws this season (136) than each of the previous two seasons combined (127). Merrill leads the MW at the charity stripe, shooting 89.0 percent (121-of-136) at the free throw line. 

• Freshman center Neemias Queta has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in each of the last seven games, including five double-double efforts against CSU (18/11), SJSU (11/11), UNLV (10/16), FS (18/15) and WYO (14/10).

• Senior forward Quinn Taylor also recorded a double-double in the Aggies' last game against Wyoming, logging 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Scouting Air Force
Air Force is 10-14 on the year, including a 5-7 mark in the Mountain West. The Falcons are best at home, carrying an 8-4 mark inside Clune Arena with MW victories over San Diego State (62-48), UNLV (106-88), Boise State (74-60) and Wyoming (81-76).

AFA is averaging 67.6 points per game this season and is shooting 45.9 percent (603-of-1,313) from the floor, 32.0 percent (162-of-507) from behind the 3-point line and 68.0 percent (255-of-375) at the free throw line. Junior forward Lavelle Scottie and junior forward Ryan Swan pace the Falcons in scoring, averaging 15.1 and 12.1 points per game, respectively. Swan also leads the Falcons on the glass, averaging 7.1 rebounds per contest.

Defensively, teams are averaging 71.5 points per game against Air Force and shooting 45.6 percent (619-of-1,357) from the floor, 34.3 percent (206-of-601) from behind the 3-point line and 66.7 percent (271-o-f-406) at the free throw line. Swan leads the Falcons with 20 steals on the year, averaging 0.9 per game, while sophomore guard Keaton Van Soelen has totaled 11 blocks, averaging 0.5 per game.

Series Notables vs Air Force
• Utah State is averaging more than 10 3-point baskets per game against Air Force since joining the Mountain West, including a series-best 14 3-point baskets on March 1, 2016. The Aggies have hit 10 or more 3-point baskets against the Falcons in each of the last two games and in five of the last six.

• Utah State has had at least one player make at least five threes in six of the last eight games. Chris Smith was 5-of-7 on March 1, 2016 and 6-of-7 on Jan. 17, 2015, and Julion Pearre was 5-of-9 on Feb. 28, 2015. Jalen Moore hit five 3-point shots against Air Force in both games during the 2016-17 season. Junior guard Sam Merrill and redshirt freshman guard Brock Miller has also hit 5 3-point baskets against the Falcons during their careers.

• Utah State has won the battle of the boards in each of the last eight games.

• Utah State has had one player hit the 20-point mark in seven of the last nine games against Air Force. Jalen Moore did it four times, while Julion Pearre did it once. Chris Smith eclipsed the 20-point mark, scoring 23 and 20 against the Falcons in two games during his career. Koby McEwen led the Aggies with 22 points against AFA on Dec. 31, 2016, and then recorded 20 points against the Falcons on Jan. 24, 2018. Junior guard Sam Merrill also logged a 20-point game against Air Force on Jan. 24, 2018, finishing the contest with a team-best 21 points. 

• Utah State has recorded double-digit victories in seven of the last nine games against the Falcons, carrying a winning margin of 18.3 points over that span.