USU Game Notes | Listen Live | Live Stats
Utah State (18-5, 8-2 MW) continues a two-game road swing on Saturday, Feb. 9, facing San Diego State (13-9, 5-4 MW) inside Viejas Arena at 8 p.m. (MT).
Opening Tips
• Fans can watch the game live on ESPN3 (www.watchespn.com) with Shawn Kenney providing play-by-play and Rich Zvosec serving as the analyst.
• Utah State's eight victories in the Mountain West this season are the second-most wins for the Aggies since joining the league in 2013-14.
• Utah State's current seven-game winning streak is the longest for the Aggies in the Mountain West era and longest since the team won 11 straight conference games during the 2010-11 season.
• Utah State's four-game road winning streak is the longest for the Aggies since the 2010-11 season. Furthermore, USU's six road victories this season are more than each of the last two years combined and the most since the 2014-15 season.
• Junior guard Sam Merrill has scored 20 or more points in each of Utah State's last four games and is averaging 22.8 points per game over the same stretch, while shooting 47.7 percent (31-of-65) from the floor, 40.7 percent (11-of-27) from behind the 3-point line and 85.7 percent (18-of-21) at the free throw line.
• Freshman center Neemias Queta has pulled down 10 or more rebounds in each of the last five games, including four double-double efforts against CSU (18/11), SJSU (11/11), UNLV (10/16) and FS (18/15). Queta has also recorded at least three blocks in each outing over the same five-game stretch. Over the last five games, Queta is averaging 13.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.
• Utah State leads the Mountain West in field goal percentage on both sides of the floor, shooting a league-best 48.0 percent (651-of-1,355) on the offensive side, and then holding opponents to just 38.7 percent (510-of-1,317) on the defensive side.
Scouting San Diego State
San Diego State is 13-9 on the year and 5-4 in the Mountain West after an 83-70 loss at New Mexico on Tuesday night.
The Aztecs average 75.1 points per game and are shooting 45.7 percent (571-of-1,250) from the floor, 36.9 percent (174-of-471) from behind the 3-point line and 74.0 percent (336-of-454) at the free throw line. Redshirt sophomore forward Jalen McDaniels leads three Aztecs averaging in double figures with 17.1 points per contest, followed by senior guard Devin Watson with 15.8 and sophomore forward Matt Mitchell with 10.8 points per game. McDaniels also leads SDSU on the glass with 8.5 rebounds per game, while Watson leads the team with 4.8 assists per game.
Defensively, San Diego State is allowing 69.5 points per game as opponents are shooting 41.9 percent (525-of-1,253) from the floor, 33.4 percent (181-of-542) from behind the 3-point line and 72.0 percent (298-of-414) at the free throw line. Freshman forward Nathan Mensah leads the Aztecs with 1.1 blocks per game, while McDaniels leads the team with 1.2 steals per game.
Baskets Aplenty
Utah State has made 30 or more field goals in each of the last three games, scoring 80 or more points in each contest.
The Utah State/San Diego State Series - Did you know?
• Utah State and San Diego State will play for just the 14th time in school history, making it the shortest series for the Aggies against a Mountain West opponent.
• San Diego State leads the all-time series 10-3 and has won 10 straight. The Aggies have yet to win a game against the Aztecs since joining the Mountain West.
• Four of the last five games between the two schools have been played away from Logan, including three games in San Diego, Calif.
• Utah State has made 10 or more 3-point baskets in each of its last three games and in five of the last six this season, but have never made more than nine 3-point baskets in a game against the Aztecs during the Mountain West era.
• Utah State pushed the Aztecs to overtime, shooting a series-best 52.7 percent (29-of-55) in the first meeting during the Mountain West era on Jan. 25, 2014.
• Utah State came closest with a 70-67 loss to San Diego State on Jan. 2, 2016, the Aggies' MW home opener that year. USU shot a series-best 24-of-29 at the free throw line in the narrow defeat.
• Utah State has made it a single-digit contest in two of the three games that the Aggies have shot more than 20 free throws against San Diego State.
• Utah State has made it a single-digit contest in three of the four games that the Aggies have outrebounded the Aztecs.
• Junior guard Sam Merrill is averaging 16.0 points per game against the Aztecs in his career, shooting 53.1 percent (17-of-32) from the floor and 50.0 percent (8-of-16) behind the 3-point line.
