USU Game Notes | Live Stats | Listen Live

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men's basketball returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 18, traveling to face Boise State at 8 p.m., on ESPNU (Comcast Ch. 400, DirecTV Ch. 208, Dish Ch. 141).

Opening Tips
• Utah State and Boise State have played some of the closest games since the Aggies joined the Mountain West Conference during the 2013-14 season. All but one game since 2013-14 has been determined by less than seven points.

• Utah State is 18-6 against Mountain West opponents over the last two years, including an 8-4 mark on the road. All-time, USU is 58-56 in the MW since joining the league in 2013-14.

• Utah State is third in the nation with 326 makes at the free throw line this season, while opponents have only attempted a total of 283 free throws.

• Utah State has been most successful this season when its starting frontcourt has outscored the opponent's frontcourt, carrying an overall mark of 8-1. All-time, USU is 23-2 under head coach Craig Smith when getting more production from its starting bigs than the opposition.

• Utah State has five players averaging double figures when appearing in the starting lineup - Sam Merrill (16.9), Justin Bean (12.8), Neemias Queta (12.2), Brock Miller (10.1), Diogo Brito (10.0).

• Utah State has used the same starting lineup in each of the last three games, marking the most continuity in the starting 5 since the end of November.

• As of Jan. 16, Utah State is among the Top-10 in the nation in five different statistics. The Aggies are third in the nation in both total rebounds (785) and free throws made (326), fifth in total assists (318), sixth in free throw attempts (429) and ninth in defensive rebounds per game (29.79).

• Utah State is also among the Top-25 in four other statistics, including assists per game (16.7, 12th), rebound margin (8.3, 14th), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38, 15th) and scoring margin (13.9, 17th).

• The Aggies are 37-4 over the last two seasons when scoring 70 or more points in a game.
• Utah State is 28-3 when holding teams to less than 70 points, including a perfect 17-0 mark when holding teams to less than 60 points.

• Utah State is undefeated this season (10-0) when shooting a better percentage than its opponent from the floor. 

• USU senior guard Sam Merrill is the first Aggie in school history to log more than 1,800 career points, 400 career assists and 100 career steals.

• Merrill has scored in double figures in each of the last 10 games, increasing his total of 93 career games in double figures, tying for fourth in school history.

• Sophomore guard Brock Miller has found his shooting touch in each of the last two games, scoring in double figures in back-to-back games. USU is 7-1 on the year when Miller has scored in double figures.

• Although appearing in limited games this season, sophomore center Neemias Queta has moved to No. 5 all-time in Utah State history with 90 career blocks, tying Nate Harris (2003-06).

• Queta made the most of his rehab, increasing his free throw percentage from 56.5 (78-of-138) a season ago to 77.4 percent (24-of-31) this season.

• Senior guard Diogo Brito has surpassed 100 career steals this year, totaling 104 during his career. Brito and Merrill are the first USU teammates to surpass 100 career steals in the same season since 1987-88 (Kevin Nixon, Jeff O. Anderson).

• Brito and sophomore Justin Bean are the only teammates in the top five in the MW in steals per game in league play as Bean is second with 2.0 per game, while Brito is fifth with 1.5 per game.

• Brito and Merrill are also the first teammates to surpass more than 100 career games in the same season since the 2010-11 campaign.

Thrill of Victory
• Utah State's formula to winning this season has been better shooting and dominating the glass. In its 14 victories this season, USU has shot 46.8 percent (401-of-856) from the floor and 34.5 percent (107-of-310) from behind the 3-point line, while opponents have shot 36.7 percent (309-of-841) from the floor and 28.7 percent (95-of-331) from behind the 3-point line.

• The Aggies have also pulled down 45.0 rebounds per game to their opponents' 31.4 rebounds per game, for a rebounding margin of +13.6 per contest.

• Utah State is averaging 83.6 points per game during its 14 victories this season.

Agony of Defeat
• Shooting and rebounding have also come into play in Utah State's five losses this season as USU is shooting 39.4 percent (111-of-282) from the floor and 27.9 percent (31-of-111) from behind the 3-point line, while opponents have shot 48.4 percent (138-of-285) from the floor and 36.9 percent (41-of-111) from behind the 3-point line.

• Opponents also have the advantage on the glass, pulling down 37.8 rebounds per game to the Aggies' 31.0 rebounds per contest.

• Utah State is averaging 63.6 points per game during its five losses this season.

Better Down the Stretch
Utah State has proven to be a better second-half team, shooting 47.5 percent (255-of-537) from the floor and 77.6 percent (194-of-250) at the free throw line over the final 20 minutes, compared to 42.6 percent (251-of-589) from the floor and 72.3 percent (120-of-166) at the free throw line during the opening half.