by Daniel Hansen, USU Athletic Media Relations
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In a trip to the Battle Born State, Utah State men's basketball faced another battle to preserve its unbeaten start to the season.
Again, USU emerged battle-tested, but unblemished.
A pair of 12-1 and 14-2 runs catapulted the Aggies to a 79-67 comeback win over Loyola Marymount as Utah State moved to 8-0 on the season, tying for the third-best start in program history.
The Lions made the first move of the game, shooting 4-of-7 from 3-point range to open the game and built a 32-19 lead with six minutes remaining in the first half. The Aggies responded in kind with a 12-1 run to trim LMU's advantage to a single point, highlighted by a pair of dunks from seniors Sean Bairstow and Trevin Dorius. USU could not recapture the lead before halftime, however, as Loyola Marymount carried a 39-36 lead into the locker rooms.
After the teams traded baskets to start the second half, a dunk from graduate forward Taylor Funk gave Utah State their first lead since the game's opening minutes at 50-48. The dunk played part of a 14-2 run as the Aggies took a 58-50 lead and firm control of the contest. The Lions briefly cut the lead to four points before a decisive 9-0 run from USU swiftly closed the door on a comeback.
Junior guard Max Shulga led the Aggies with 18 points, including an 11-of-13 showing from the free throw line, in addition to five rebounds and four assists. Bairstow stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting alongside seven rebounds and a career-high six assists. Junior guard Steven Ashworth and graduate forward Dan Akin made it four Aggies in double-figures with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
USU outrebounded LMU, 36-29, as Funk led the team with 10 rebounds on the night. Utah State's size proved to be a deciding factor as the Aggies doubled up the Lions on points in the paint, 40-20.
At 8-0, the Aggies are now tied alongside the 1961-62 squad for the third-best start in program history and trail only the 9-0 mark set by USU in 1917-18 and 1938-39.
Up Next
Utah State (8-0) next puts its unbeaten record on the line at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum versus a pair of in-state foes. The Aggies will first face Westminster on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m., before taking on Weber State on Monday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m.
For more information on Utah State's men's basketball program, follow the Aggies on Facebook at usumensbasketball, on Twitter at @usubasketball and on Instagram at @usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men's basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics.
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