LOGAN, Utah – Utah State's bid for becoming the first team in program history to start a season 10-0 came to an end at the hands of in-state rival Weber State.
 
Down by as many as 18 in the first half and 14 at halftime, the Wildcats stormed back to stun the Aggies 75-72 on Monday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
 
Utah State (9-1) started the season by winning its first nine games to match the 1917-18 and 1938-39 squads for the best start in school history. For the 1917-18 Aggies, they only played nine games, while the streak ended for the 1938-39 team with a 42-35 loss to Cal.
 
The game was tied at 64-apiece after Utah State junior guard Steven Ashworth knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:56 to go in the game, but Weber State used a 7-1 run to take the lead for good.
 
Five Aggies scored in double figures, led by 16 points from Ashworth, while senior guard Sean Bairstow had 14 points and grad senior forward Dan Akin chipped in 12 points off the bench. Junior guard Max Shulga and grad senior forward Taylor Funk added 10-apiece.
 
Utah State, the top 3-point shooting team in the nation coming into the game, was held to just 8-for-23 shooting (34.8 percent) from beyond the arc. The Aggies shot 42.0 percent overall (21-of-50) and 75.9 percent from the free throw line (22-of-29) as a team.
 
Dillon Jones led the Wildcats, who extended their winning streak to a season-high three in a row, with 16 points. Weber State shot 49.1 percent from the field (28-of-57), including 50.0 percent from beyond the arc (10-of-20), and 56.3 percent from the charity stripe (9-of-16).
 
Utah State led 43-29 at the break.
 
NEXT GAME 
 
The Aggies conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule when they head to Honolulu for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, which will take place over four days at the Stan Sheriff Center. Utah State opens the tournament on Thursday, Dec. 22, at 3 p.m. (MT), against Seattle (8-2), winners of three of its last four.
 
NEXT HOME GAME 
Utah State opens the Mountain West portion of its schedule by playing host to Fresno State, at noon, on New Year's Eve. Tickets can be purchased here.
 
For more information on Utah State's men's basketball program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @usubasketball, on Facebook at usumensbasketball and on Instagram at usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men's basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics. 
 
-USU-