USU MBB NOTES - Utah State Hosts San José State on Tuesday Night, Celebrating Senior Night

Aggies and Spartans will tip at 9 p.m. on ESPN2

Men's Basketball 2/23/2020 4:26:00 PM

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LOGAN, Utah - Utah State men's basketball (22-7, 11-5 MW) hosts San José State (7-21, 3-13 MW) in its 2019-20 home finale on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 9 p.m. Utah State seniors Sam Merrill, Diogo Brito and Roche Grootfaam, in addition to redshirt junior Abel Porter will be recognized prior to the contest as part of Senior Day festivities. Fans can watch the game on ESPN2 (DirecTV Ch. 209, Dish Ch. 143, Xfinity Ch. 36) with Eric Rothman providing play-by-play and Adrian Branch serving as the analyst.

Opening Tips
• Utah State is riding the longest current winning streak in the Mountain West of five games. Additionally, USU has won 27 consecutive home contests against San José State.

• Utah State is 26-8 against Mountain West opponents over the last two years, including a 15-2 mark at home. All-time, USU is 66-58 in the MW since joining the league in 2013-14.

• Over the last nine games, Utah State have held seven opponents to less than 40-percent shooting from the floor.

• Over the same stretch, Utah State has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in four games.

• Utah State has scored more points in the paint than its opponent in all but one game over the last nine and has outrebounded eight of its last nine opponents.

• The Aggies have led wire-to-wire in three of its last nine games and carried a double-digit lead in each of the last 12 contests.

• Senior guard Sam Merrill became the fourth Aggie in school history and just the sixth player in MW history to surpass 2,000 career points. Merrill currently has 2,078 points to rank No. 3 all-time in USU history and needs 50 more points to finish second.

• Merrill has scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games, including a season-high 32-point performance at Colorado State on Feb. 11.

• Merrill is also moving up the all-time scoring records in MW history, as he is currently ranked fourth and needs 91 points to move to third.

• Merrill is second all-time in career assists (460) in Utah State history and is both the USU and MW-record holder in career free throw percentage, converting 89.2 percent (428-of-480) at the line.

• Merrill has led the Aggies in scoring in each of the last three games and over the last four games has shot 62.3 percent (33-of-53) from the floor, 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from behind the 3-point line and 95.2 percent (20-of-21) at the free throw line.

• Sophomore center Neemias Queta recorded his 100th career block against UNLV, becoming the fifth Aggie in school history to record 100 or more blocks in a career. Queta needs six more blocks to move into a tie for fourth all-time.

• Queta has recorded a block in each of the last eight games and multiple blocks in seven of the last eight, including each of the last six contests. Queta leads the MW with 1.79 blocks per game in league play.

• Senior guard Diogo Brito has surpassed 100 career steals this year, totaling 114 during his career to rank 10th in school history. Brito is second in the MW with 1.52 steals per game.

• Brito has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. Utah State is a perfect 28-0 over the last two years when Brito scores in double figures.

• Sophomore forward Justin Bean, a former walk-on, is one of only three players in the MW averaging a double-double, turning in 12.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Bean is 14th in the nation with 14 double-doubles this season, the most by an Aggie since Eric Franson logged 15 double-doubles during the 1994-95 season.

• Bean's effort on the floor is evident as he leads the league with 3.66 offensive rebounds per game overall and is also the league leader with 1.81 steals per game in league play. Bean has logged a steal in nine of the last 10 games and has recorded 106 offensive rebounds and counting.

• Head coach Craig Smith recorded his 200th head coaching victory in the Aggies' 71-59 win at Fresno State on Feb. 15. Smith then recorded his 50th victory with the Aggies in Utah State's 78-58 win over Wyoming on Feb. 19.

The Utah State/San José State Series
• Utah State and San José State will meet for the 86th time on Tuesday, the sixth-longest series in USU history.

• Utah State leads the all-time series against San José State, 63-22, including a 35-4 advantage in Logan. The Aggies have won 27 straight against the Spartans inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

• Utah State has won all but one game against San José State since joining the Mountain West.

• In the game against the Spartans on Feb. 28, 2018, Utah State attempted a school- and Mountain West-record 43 3-point baskets.

• Utah State has had at least one 20-point scorer in 11 of the last 13 contests. Senior guard Sam Merrill is the latest Aggie to score 20 or more against the Spartans, turning in a 29-point performance on Jan. 30, 2019.

• Merrill has had three 20-point games against San José State, scoring 22 on Feb. 22, 2017, 26 on Feb. 28, 2018 and 29 on Jan. 30, 2019. Overall, Merrill is averaging 18.9 points per game against the Spartans during his career and averaging close to six assists per game.

• Merrill recorded his first career double-double against San José State, posting 11 points and 10 assists in the first round of the MW Tournament on March 8, 2017.

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