WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - DECEMBER 12, 2022

Weekly Aggie Update
 
FOOTBALL          
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714
 
Next Competition
2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, Dallas, Texas
Tues., Dec. 27 --- vs. Memphis, 1:15 p.m. (MT)
• Utah State football (6-6, 5-3 MW) will play in its 10th bowl game in the past 12 seasons and 16th bowl in school history when it faces Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC) in the 11th-annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1:15 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised on ESPN. USU is 3-4 all-time against the Tigers and this will be the first meeting between the two programs since 1977.
 
Last Competition
L, 23-42 --- at Boise State
• Junior quarterback Cooper Legas passed for a career-high 306 yards, while junior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn had a career-best 214 all-purpose yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in Utah State's 42-23 Mountain West loss at Boise State three weekends ago. After falling behind 21-0 in the second quarter, Utah State went on a 23-7 run to get within five points at 28-23 and had the ball at the BSU 15-yard line in the final two minutes of the game, but was unable to score. The Broncos then scored two touchdowns in a span of 38 seconds to close the game. Legas was 23-of-40 for 306 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions as he had career highs in completions, attempts and yards. Vaughn caught a career-high eight passes for a career-best 148 yards, including a career-long 75-yard touchdown. He also rushed for a career-high 22 yards on a career-best four carries and scored on a 3-yard run for his first-career rushing touchdown. Graduate senior running back Calvin Tyler Jr. rushed for 65 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown to give him 1,043 yards in his career, becoming just the 16th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season for the 19th time. Graduate senior wide receiver Brian Cobbs added seven receptions for 75  yards, while senior wide receiver Justin McGriff had a career-high-tying six receptions for 76 yards. USU finished with 468 yards of total offense (306 passing, 162 rushing) – 40 more than Boise State (208 rushing, 220 passing) – and had nine more first downs (24-15). The Aggies also possessed the ball for more than 34 minutes on the day. Defensively, USU was paced by graduate senior safety Hunter Reynolds, who had 10 tackles, while senior inside linebacker AJ Vongphachanh had seven tackles. Junior defensive end Byron Vaughns added six tackles, including a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks. 
 
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL       
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547 
 
This Week 
Thur., Dec. 15 --- WESTMINSTER, 7 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State men's basketball (8-0, 0-0 MW) continues its 2022-23 season this week as it hosts Westminster (1-8) on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The game will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch.
 
Last Week
W, 79-67 --- vs. Loyola Marymount, Las Vegas, Nevada 
• Utah State posted a 79-67 neutral-site victory against Loyola Marymount last week. Four Aggies scored in double figures in junior guard Max Shulga (18), junior guard Steven Ashworth (16), senior guard Sean Bairstow (14) and graduate forward Dan Akin (14). Grad forward Taylor Funk led the team on the glass with 10 rebounds. Overall, USU shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the floor, 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from behind the arc and 80.6 percent (25-of-31) at the free throw line, while LMU shot 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the field, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from behind the 3-point line and 75.0 percent (18-of-24) at the charity stripe.  
 
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL               
Contact: Ajay Salvesen - (435) 797-2066 
 
Next Week
Tues., Dec. 20 --- at Eastern Washington, 2 p.m. (MT) (ESPN+)
• Utah State's women's basketball (3-7, 0-0 MW) continues its 2022-23 season next week with a road game at Eastern Washington (5-2) on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m. (MT), in a game that will be streamed on ESPN+. USU is 2-2 all-time against the Eagles. 
 
Last Week
L, 54-64 --- BYU
L, 63-71 --- at Loyola Marymount
• Utah State posted an 0-2 record last week with a 64-54 home loss to BYU and a 71-63 loss at Loyola Marymount. Against the Cougars, graduate guard Mayson Kimball led the Aggies in both scoring and rebounds, tallying 14 points and five rebounds on the day. Senior forward Ashya Klopfenstein, making her first start for USU, recorded 12 points and four rebounds, while junior guard Tamiah Robinson had 10 points, to go along with four rebounds and a team-high five assists. USU forced 32 BYU turnovers, the most by an Aggie opponent since 2011 against Idaho, when they forced 30 miscues. Junior guard Olivia Wikstrom recorded four steals to lead the USU defense. For the game, USU shot 28.3 percent (17-of-60) from the field, 23.1 percent (6-26) from deep, and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the line. BYU shot 54.8 percent (23-of-42) from the field, 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from the arc, and 75.0 percent (12-of-16) from the line. Against the Lions, Robinson led the Aggies with 15 points, while Wikstrom had 10 points. Kimball led USU with seven rebounds, while graduate guard Maria Carvalho led the team with five assists. Senior forward Prima Chellis and Klopfenstein each added nine points off the bench. USU shot 41.3 percent (22-of-53) from the field, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point range, and 75.0 percent (12-of-16) at the stripe. LMU shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58) from the field, 7.7 percent (1-of-13) from 3-point range, 72.7 percent (16-of-22) at the free throw line.