WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - DECEMBER 13, 2021

Weekly Aggie Update
 
FOOTBALL          
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714 
 
This Week
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, Inglewood, California
Sat., Dec. 18 --- vs. Oregon State, 5:30 p.m. (MT) (ABC)
• Utah State football (10-3, 6-2 MW) will conclude its 2021 season against Oregon State (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12) in the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 5:30 p.m. (MT). The game will be played in Inglewood, California, at SoFi Stadium and be nationally televised on ABC. USU is 0-3 all-time OSU and 5-9 all-time in bowl games. 
 
Last Competition
Mountain West Championship
W, 46-13 --- at #19 San Diego State
• Graduate junior quarterback Logan Bonner passed for 318 yards and four touchdowns as Utah State throttled No. 19 San Diego State 46-13 two weekends ago in the Mountain West Championship Game. It is Utah State's 13th conference title overall and first since winning the Western Athletic Conference championship in 2012. The Aggies improved to 10-3 on the season, including 7-0 on the road, becoming just the fourth team in school history to record a 10-win season. Furthermore, this was Utah State's first over a team ranked in the top 25 since 2015. In its last 14 games against top-25 competition, USU is 5-9. Named the game's offensive MVP, Bonner set the MW championship game record with touchdown passes of 5, 58, 18 and 9 yards, respectively. He was 29-of-42 on the day, both of which are season highs. He now has a school-record 36 single-season touchdown passes, which is also tied for seventh in a career. Utah State's high-powered offense decisively won its matchup with San Diego State's elite defense, which had allowed a conference-low 17.3 points per game this season before getting shredded by the Aggies. USU finished the game with 383 total yards, including 318 threw the air. Graduate senior wide receiver Brandon Bowling caught eight passes for a career-high 154 yards and a career-high-tying two touchdowns, including a 58-yarder to open the third quarter that gave the Aggies a 21-3 lead. Junior defensive end Byron Vaughns was named the defensive MVP as he had six tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks, to go along with one of a season-high seven quarterback hurries by USU. Graduate senior inside linebacker Justin Rice and graduate junior safety Hunter Reynolds each had a game-high 10 tackles. Rice also had 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks, and a quarterback hurry. Reynolds had 0.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup, helping USU record a season-high six pass breakups on the day. Utah State limited San Diego State (11-2) to just 315 yards of total offense – 167 through the air and 148 on the ground. The Aggies recovered two fumbles, one by graduate senior defensive tackle Marcus Moore and another by sophomore cornerback Jaden Smith, that led to nine points. USU also blocked two punts in the game, one which resulted in a safety. Senior wide receiver Deven Thompkins led Utah State with nine receptions for 46 yards. Fellow senior wide receiver Derek Wright caught six passes for 57 yards and a touchdown, and junior wide receiver had three receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. Graduate junior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. led Utah State's ground attack with 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. 
 
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL       
Contact: Kyle Cottam - (435) 797-2066 
 
This Week
Wed., Dec. 15 --- at Weber State, 7 p.m. (ESPN+/KJZZ)
Sat., Dec. 18 --- vs. Iowa, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 7 p.m. (MT) (Big Ten Network)
• Utah State men's basketball (7-3, 0-0 MW) continues its 2021-22 season with a road game at Weber State (9-1) on Wednesday, Dec. 15, followed by a neutral-site contest against Iowa (7-3) on Saturday, Dec. 18, inside the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Both games are scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. USU is 44-28 all-time against Weber State, including a 16-18 mark in games played in Ogden. The Aggies are 1-2 all-time against Iowa and secured their only win over the Hawkeyes at the South Padre Invitational during the 2007-08 season. Fans can watch the game against Weber State on ESPN+ or locally on KJZZ. The game against the Hawkeyes will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
 
Last Week
L, 71-82 --- at #24 BYU
W, 82-50 --- NEW ORLEANS
• Utah State opened the week with an 82-71 loss at BYU, but returned home to post an 82-50 victory over New Orleans. In the loss in Provo, senior forward Justin Bean recorded his fifth 20-point outing of the season, scoring a game-high 20 points and adding a game-high eight rebounds. He was joined in double figures by senior forward Brandon Horvath with 14 points and junior guard Sean Bairstow with 11. USU finished the game shooting 51.0 percent (26-of-51) from the floor, 37.0 percent (10-of-27) from behind the 3-point line and a season-low 45.0 percent (9-of-20) at the free throw line. BYU finished the night shooting 50.0 percent (26-of-52) from the floor, 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from behind the 3-point line and 86.4 percent (19-of-22) at the free throw line. In the Aggies' home victory over the Privateers, Bean tied for the team lead with 14 points as senior guard RJ Eytle-Rock matched the total with a season-high 14 points as well. Junior center Trevin Dorius had a near-double-double with 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Utah State shot 48.4 percent (31-of-64) from the floor, 39.4 percent (13-of-33) from behind the 3-point line and 63.6 percent (7-of-11) at the free throw line. UNO only traveled seven players and finished the night shooting 28.6 percent (16-of-56) from the floor, 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from behind the arc and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) at the free throw line.
 
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL               
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547 
 
Next Week
Mon., Dec. 20 --- at Montana, 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Utah State women's basketball (5-4, 0-0 MW) continues its 2021-22 season next Monday, Dec. 20, with a road game at Montana (7-2) at 6 p.m. USU is 4-8 all-time against the Grizzlies, including 1-5 road record. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+.
 
Last Week
W, 66-65 --- ARKANSAS STATE
L, 55-81 --- at Ball State
• Utah State opened the week with a 66-65 home win against Arkansas State before an 81-55 loss at Ball State. In the win against the Red Wolves, Utah State played without a bench for the final 22 minutes of the game. With USU trailing by five, 63-58, senior guard Kaylin Randhawa scored the Aggies' final eight points of the game, including the game-winning 3-pointer, to seal the 66-65 victory. Junior guard/forward Adyrana Quezada led the team with her second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 boards, to go along with a career-high-tying five assists. Three other Aggies finished in double figures as Randhawa had 15 points, junior guard Shyla Latone had 11, all of which came in the first half, and sophomore guard Olivia Wikstrom had 10. USU ended the night shooting 33.8 percent (22-of-65) from the field, 23.5 percent (8-of-34) from behind the 3-point line and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) at the free throw line. ASU shot 39.7 percent (25-of-63) from the field, 32.0 percent (8-of-25) from behind the arc and 53.8 percent (7-of-13) at the charity stripe. In the loss to the Cardinals, Quezada led the Aggies with her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Latone also finished in double figures with 12 points. USU finished the day shooting 35.0 percent (21-of-60) from the field, 23.8 percent (5-of-21) from behind the arc and 88.9 percent (8-of-9) at the free throw line. Ball State shot 43.3 percent (29-of-67) from the floor, 43.2 (16-of-37) from behind the 3-point line and 100.0 percent (7-of-7) at the charity stripe.