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Utah State (20-6, 10-3 MW) hosts New Mexico (11-14, 5-8 MW) inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 9 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 20.
Opening Tips
• Fans can watch the game live on ESPNU (Dish 141, DirecTV 208) with Steve Quis providing play-by-play and Richie Schueler serving as the analyst.
• Utah State will be looking for its 11th victory in the Mountain West, which will tie for the most conference wins for the Aggies since joining the league in 2013-14.
• Utah State leads the Mountain West in both offensive and defensive field goal percentage, shooting a league-best 47.7 percent (721-of-1,511) on the offensive end and holding opponents to a league-best 38.9 percent (574-of-1,475) when playing defense.
• 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 (.477) and free throw percentage (.749) and ranking third in 3-point field goal percentage (.364).
• Junior guard Sam Merrill is one of three players in the MW that ranks among the top-10 in the league in field goal percentage (.478, 7th), free throw percentage (.893, 1st) and 3-point field goal percentage (.408, 5th).
• Utah State leads the Mountain West in both rebounding offense (39.8) and rebounding defense (30.7).
• Ball security has loomed large in Utah State victories this season as the Aggies are 13-0 on the year when recording more steals than their opponents. USU is also 9-0 on the year when committing fewer turnovers than the opposition.
• Utah State is one of only two teams in the nation this year with an 11-win football team and a 20-win men's basketball team (Cincinnati).
Scouting New Mexico
New Mexico is 11-14 on the year, including a 5-8 mark in the Mountain West. The Lobos have lost two of their last three and five of the last seven.
UNM is averaging 76.6 points per game and shooting 42.8 percent (636-of-1,487) from the floor, 35.4 percent (235-of-663) from behind the 3-point line and 70.8 percent (407-of-575) at the free throw line. Senior guard Anthony Mathis leads three Lobos averaging double figures with 15.3 points per game, followed by redshirt sophomore forward Vance Jackson with 12.8 ppg and redshirt junior forward Carlton Bragg with 10.5 ppg. Bragg also leads the Lobos on the glass, averaging 8.1 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Drue Drinnon leads the Lobos in assists, averaging 2.5 dimes per contest.
Defensively, UNM opponents are scoring 76.4 points per game and shooting 45.0 percent (687-of-1,526) from the floor, 34.9 percent (176-of-504) from behind the 3-point line and 66.7 percent (360-of-540) at the free throw line. Mathis and Jackson have each recorded 25 steals on the year, each averaging 1.0 per game, while Bragg has blocked 21 shots in 17 games this season, averaging 1.2 per contest.
Double Double-Double
Utah State has had two games this season where two players have recorded a double-double in the same game. Freshman center Neemias Queta (13 pts/10 rebs) and junior guard Sam Merrill (18 pts/12 asst) went for a double-double against Air Force on Jan. 5, while Queta (14 pts/10 rebs) and senior forward Quinn Taylor (13 pts/10 rebs) logged double-doubles against Wyoming on Feb. 13.
Quadruple Double-Double
Utah State has had four players record a double-double this season with freshman center Neemias Queta leading the way with seven, followed by senior forward Quinn Taylor and junior guard Diogo Brito with two apiece, and junior guard Sam Merrill with one.
Ken-Pom Performers
Utah State is the only team this season and one of only four teams in the KenPom era (2002-present) to rank in the top-5 in both defensive rebound percentage and opponent 2-point percentage. (Virginia, 2015; Bucknell, 2013; Washington State, 2009).
The Utah State/New Mexico Series - Did You Know?
• Utah State leads the all-time series against the Lobos 24-11, including a 13-2 advantage at home. The Aggies have won each of the last three games inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
• The Aggies and Lobos faced each other for 11 straight years from 1951-62. The teams met a single time in Albuquerque during the 1979-80 season, before squaring off each of the last six seasons as members of the Mountain West.
• The team with the lead at the half has gone on to win the game 10 of the last 12 times.
• Before scoring a career-high 37 points in the season opener against Montana State this season, junior guard Sam Merrill's previous career high came against the Lobos in a 33-point effort on Feb. 14, 2018.
• Merrill tied his career high with seven 3-point buckets against New Mexico on Feb. 14, 2018.
• Merrill made his first career start against the Lobos during the 2016-17 season, turning in 13 points, eight assists and three steals.
• Sophomore guard Abel Porter hit the game-winning 3-point basket with 1.6 seconds on the clock against New Mexico on Jan. 26, to give Utah State its first victory in the Pit since the 2014-15 season.
• Utah State scored a Mountain West series-record 89 points against New Mexico in the game against the Lobos on Jan. 31, 2018.
