LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Utah State men's basketball (25-8, 12-6 MW) is headed to the 2020 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Men's Basketball Championship game for the second-straight season after defeating No. 11 Wyoming (9-24, 2-16 MW) in the semifinals on Friday night inside the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Utah State, the reigning Mountain West tournament champions, will look to defend its title and secure a bid to the NCAA Tournament in the MW championship game against the 2019-20 regular season champions, San Diego State (30-1, 17-1 MW), on Saturday, March 7, at 3:30 p.m. (MT).
The Aggies were led in scoring by senior guard
Sam Merrill with 27 points, sophomore center
Neemias Queta with 21 points and sophomore guard
Brock Miller with 13. Sophomore forward
Justin Bean led USU on the boards with 10 rebounds.
Utah State moved the ball throughout the game, recording 21 assists on 28 made field goals. The Aggies outscored the Cowboys, 32-20, in the paint, while Wyoming's bench outscored Utah State's reserves, 39-23.
The game stayed tight for a large portion of the first half, with buckets from freshman
Sean Bairstow and Queta giving the Aggies their largest lead of the half of nine, 34-25, with 4:33 to go. Wyoming and Utah State went back-and-forth to end the half, with USU taking a 38-31 lead into the break.
A Wyoming 3-pointer cut the lead to two, 49-47, with 12:10 to go in the second half. The Cowboys continued to gnaw at the Aggie lead, but Utah State was able to counter each Wyoming bucket until Wyoming freshman guard Kwane Marble II knocked down a triple and a couple free throws to tie it up at 66-66 with 4:45 on the clock.
Utah State came back firing with a 13-0 run after free throws from Bean, a Queta layup, seven straight points from Merrill and free throws from Queta gave USU the 79-66 lead with 1:28 to play. Wyoming was able to trim the lead back to down six, 82-76, with 51 seconds remaining. The Aggies maintained their distance by knocking down late-game free throws to secure the 89-82 victory.
The Aggies did not miss a field goal in the final 11:12 of the game, shooting 10-for-10 from the floor.
The Cowboys were led by freshman guard Kenny Foster with 18 points.
USU shot 56.0 percent (28-of-50) from the field, 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from behind the 3-point line and 62.5 percent (25-of-40) at the free throw line. Wyoming shot 42.9 percent (27-of-63) from the floor, 45.5 percent (15-of-33) from behind the arc and 92.9 percent (13-of-14) at the free throw line.
Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).