by: Wade Denniston, USU Athletic Media Relations
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Junior center
Neemias Queta finished one block shy of a triple-double as second-seeded Utah State defeated third-seeded Colorado State 62-50 in the semifinals of the Mountain West Men's Basketball Championship Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Queta had 18 points, 14 rebounds and a school-record nine blocks for the Aggies (20-7), who will meet top-seeded San Diego State in the championship game for the third straight year. The Aztecs advanced with a 77-70 victory over fifth-seed Nevada.
USU, which extended its MW Tournament win streak to eight games, and SDSU will square off on Saturday at 4 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised on CBS.
Junior forward
Justin Bean had a double-double of his own with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while fellow junior guard
Brock Miller added 11 points.
Isaiah Stevens and David Roddy led the Rams (18-6) with 14 and 12 points apiece, respectively.
Redshirt junior guard
Marco Anthony gave the Aggies a 55-40 lead with 9:30 remaining in the game, but that proved to be the final basket Utah State would score on the night.
CSU used a 10-2 run to pare the deficit to 57-50, but that's as close as the Rams would get the rest of the way. Bean and Queta combined for five free throws down the stretch to seal the victory for USU.
Utah State had 16 assists on 22 made field goals, and outrebounded Colorado State 50-43. Anthony recorded a game-high five assists, while freshmen guards
Steven Ashworth and
Rollie Worster added four dimes apiece.
The Aggies shot 36.1 percent from the field on the night (22-of-61), including 28.0 percent from beyond the arc (7-of-25), and 78.6 percent at the charity stripe (11-of-14).
Colorado State shot an icy 25.4 percent from the field (17-of-67), including 15.8 percent from 3-point range (3-of-19), and 72.2 percent from the free throw line (13-of-18). CSU entered the game averaging close to 76 points per game and nine 3-point baskets per game and were held well below the season averages by the USU defense.
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).
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