WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - DECEMBER 19, 2022
Weekly Aggie Update
FOOTBALL
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714
Next Week
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.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Ajay Salvesen - (435) 797-2066
This 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 this 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 Competition
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 two weeks ago. 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.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
This Week
Mon., Dec. 19 --- WEBER STATE, 7 p.m. (MWN)
at Diamond Head Classic, Honolulu, Hawaii
Thur., Dec. 22 --- vs. Seattle, 3 p.m. (MT) (ESPNU)
Fri., Dec. 23 --- vs. SMU/Iona, TBA (ESPN Networks)
Sun., Dec. 25 --- vs. TBA, TBA (ESPN Networks)
• Utah State men's basketball (9-0, 0-0 MW) will play four games this week, beginning with a home contest against Weber State (4-7) on Monday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. USU is 45-28 all-time against the Wildcats, including a 26-9 home record. The game will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch. USU will then travel to Honolulu to play in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic from Thursday, Dec. 22, to Sunday, Dec. 25. USU opens the tournament facing Seattle (7-2) on Thursday, Dec. 22, at 3 p.m. (MT), in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. USU is 17-14 all-time against the Redhawks. USU will then play either SMU (3-7) or Iona (7-3) on Friday, Dec. 24, and conclude the tournament against either host Hawai'i (6-3), George Washington (6-4), Pepperdine (5-5) or Washington State (4-6) on Sunday, Dec. 25. All Diamond Head Classic games will be broadcast on the ESPN Networks.
Last Week
W, 106-68 --- WESTMINSTER
• Utah State posted a 106-68 home win against Westminster last week as it is now tied for the best-ever start in program history (9-0). USU set a program record for most 3-pointers made in game against the Griffins with 21. Overall, USU shot 60.9 percent (39-of-64) from the field, 56.8 percent (21-of-37) from behind the 3-point line and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) at the free throw line. Westminster shot 46.2 percent (24-of-52) from the field, 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from behind the arc and 93.8 percent (15-of-16) at the charity stripe. Six Aggies scored in double figures in sophomore forward Zee Hamoda (28), junior guard Steven Ashworth (17), senior guard RJ Eytle-Rock (17), senior guard Sean Bairstow (16), junior guard Max Shulga (11) and graduate forward Dan Akin (10). Hamoda's 28 points were a career high.
