WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - JANUARY 17, 2022

Weekly Aggie Update
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL         
Contact: Kyle Cottam - (435) 797-2066
 
This Week
Tues., Jan. 18 --- at Fresno State, 9 p.m. (MT) (CBSSN)
Thur., Jan. 20 --- BOISE STATE, 7 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State men's basketball (10-7, 1-3 MW) continues Mountain West play this week at Fresno State (12-4, 2-1 MW) on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 9 p.m., followed by a home game against Boise State (12-4, 3-0 MW) on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. USU is 41-25 all-time against FSU, including a 13-16 road record, and has won six straight and nine of the last 10 against the Bulldogs. The Aggies are 34-18 all-time against the Broncos, including a 20-3 home record. The game at FSU can be seen on the CBS Sports Network (Xfinity Ch. 269/753HD, DISH Ch. 158, DirecTV Ch. 221), while the game against the Broncos will be streamed online at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch.
 
Last Week
L, 72-77 --- at Colorado State
L, 69-71 --- WYOMING
• Utah State went 0-2 in Mountain West play last week with a 77-72 loss at Colorado State and a 71-69 home loss to Wyoming. Against the Rams, junior guard Sean Bairstow led four Aggies in double figures, scoring a career-high 20 points. He was followed by graduate forward Brandon Horvath (15), senior forward Justin Bean (14) and sophomore guard Steven Ashworth (13). USU shot 45.5 percent (25-of-55) from the floor, 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from behind the arc and 81.8 percent (18-of-22) at the free throw line, while CSU shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the floor, 37.0 percent (10-of-27) from behind the 3-point line and 85.0 percent (17-of-20) at the free throw line. Against the Cowboys, Bean recorded his league-leading 11th double-double of the year with 19 points and 13 rebounds and was followed in scoring by junior guard Rylan Jones (19), Bairstow (15) and sophomore guard Max Shulga (10). USU shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the floor, 23.1 percent (6-of-26) from behind the 3-point line and 73.3 percent (11-of-15) at the free throw line. UW shot 52.2 percent (24-of-46) from the floor, 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from behind the 3-point line and 81.0 percent (17-of-21) at the free throw line.
 
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL                 
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
 
This Week
Wed., Jan. 19 --- COLORADO STATE, 6 p.m. (MWN)
Sat., Jan. 22 --- WYOMING, 2 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State women's basketball (5-11, 0-6 MW) continues Mountain West play this week with a pair of games as it host Colorado State (11-4, 2-3 MW) on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m., and Wyoming (6-7, 2-2 MW) on Saturday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. All-time, the Aggies are 13-22 against the Rams and 9-28 against the Cowgirls. Fans can watch every game via the Mountain West Network, streaming online at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch.
 
Last Week
L, 45-66 --- at San Diego State
L, 68-86 --- at UNLV
• Utah State lost both of its Mountain West games last week with a 66-45 loss at San Diego State and an 86-68 loss at UNLV. Against the Aztecs, the Aggies were led by graduate forward Laci Hawthorne with 14 points off the bench. USU finished the night shooting 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the field, 22.7 percent (5-of-22) from behind the arc and 25.0 percent (2-of-8) at the free throw line. SDSU shot 35.6 percent (26-of-73) from the floor, 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from behind the 3-point line and 85.7 percent (6-of-7) at the free throw line. Against the Rebels, junior guard Shyla Latone lead the Aggies with a season-high 26 points, while junior guard/forward Adryana Quezada posted her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard/forward E'Lease Stafford also finished the day in double figures with 12 points. USU shot 39.1 percent (27-of-69) from the field, 13.6 percent (3-of-22) from behind the arc and 64.7 percent (11-of-17) at the free throw line. UNLV shot 54.0 percent (34-of-63) from the floor, 30.4 percent (7-of-23) from behind the 3-point line and 73.3 percent (11-of-15) at the free throw line.
 
 
GYMNASTICS      
Contact: Wade Denniston - (435) 797-1361
 
This Week
Fri., Jan. 21 --- BOISE STATE, 7 p.m.
• Utah State gymnastics (3-1, 2-0 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference) continues its 2022 season this week with a MRCG home meet against Boise State (0-0) on Friday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. Fans can watch streaming of every home meet online at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch.
 
Last Week
W, 194.950-191.975 --- AIR FORCE
• Utah State opened the home portion of its schedule with a 194.950-191.975 win against Air Force last weekend. After just two meets, the Aggies (3-1) are off to their best-ever start under fifth-year head coach Amy Smith. This is also USU's best start to a season since opening the 2017 campaign at 4-1. The Aggies enjoyed a strong night with seven gymnasts setting career highs and tying one personal best as they won all four events. USU did not compete an all-arounder as junior Rebecca Wells was out due to COVID protocols, as was junior floor specialist Ariel Toomey. Freshman Brie Clark won floor for the second-straight meet with a personal-best 9.950, which is tied for third all-time in school history. One of the judges even flashed a perfect 10. Sophomore Angel Stuart shared the vault title with freshman Trinity Brown, as the Aggie duo each had a career-high 9.850. Sophomore Eve Jackson captured the bars crown with a personal-best 9.900, while junior Sofi Sullivan won beam with a season-best 9.875. Sullivan also placed third on bars with a 9.850. The Aggies opened with a 48.375 on vault. Freshman Molly Arnold made her USU debut on the event and was given a 9.800 to place third. Arnold also tied for fourth on bars with a 9.775. USU set a season high of 49.175 on bars in the second rotation. Following Jackson's 9.900 on the event, sophomore Brianna Brooks placed second with a career-high-tying 9.875, Sullivan was third and Arnold tied for fourth with junior Jessica Gutierrez with scores of 9.775. Missing Wells on beam in the third rotation, the Aggies had to count a fall as they scored a 48.325. Sullivan was first and freshman Kielyn McCright was second with a 9.800. USU closed the meet strong on floor by scoring a 49.075, highlighted by Clark's jaw-dropping performance. Jackson was second with a 9.825 and freshman Amari Evans was third with a career-best 9.800.
 
 
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD                 
Contact: Daniel Hansen - (435) 797-8584
 
This Week
Sat., Jan. 22 --- at Nebraska Invitational, All Day
• Utah State's men's and women's indoor track & field teams continues its indoor season at the Nebraska-hosted Mark Colligan Memorial Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 22. It is the first time the Aggies will compete at the event.
 
Last Week
NTS --- at BYU Invitational
• Utah State's men's and women's indoor track & field teams began their respective 2022 seasons this past weekend at the BYU Indoor Invitational with six titles and 30 top-three finishes over the course of the three-day meet. On the women's side, sophomore Abbey Bryant claimed the title in the 60m hurdles, recording the seventh-fastest time in school history with a time of 8.80 seconds in the preliminaries and a time of 8.83 in the finals. In fact, USU had the top five finishers in the event. Additionally, senior Maia Garren won in the weight throw with a mark of 17.33m (56-10.25). On the men's side, senior Devin Pancake claimed victory in the mile with a time of 4:09.03, edging out Aggie freshman Wyatt Evans, who finished second with a time of 4:11.15. Freshman Marshall Rasmussen also claimed a title for USU in the triple jump with a mark of 13.05m (42-9.75). In the distance medley relay, both the men and women came away with titles. The women's team featuring senior Karen Christensen, freshman Adi Nielson, sophomore Hannah Davidson and junior Abby Jensen took the top spot with a time of 12:25.40. On the men's side, freshman Wyatt Evans, junior Josh Wintch, sophomore Brennan Benson and freshman Caleb Armstrong manned the first-place finish with a time of 10:22.58.
 
 
MEN'S TENNIS  
Contact: Daniel Hansen - (435) 797-8584
 
This Week
Sun., Jan. 23 --- IDAHO STATE, 11 am
• Utah State men's tennis (0-0, 0-0 MW) will open its 2022 spring season this weekend as it hosts Idaho State (0-2) on Sunday, Jan. 23, at 11 a.m., at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club. Last season, the Aggies finished 12-8 overall record, including a 3-4 mark in conference play. USU returns four letterwinners from the 2021 squad, while welcoming two transfers and two freshmen to the team.