WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - DECEMBER 5, 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 two 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
Sat., Dec. 10 --- vs. Loyola Marymount, Las Vegas, Nevada, 10:30 p.m. (MT)
• Utah State men's basketball (7-0, 0-0 MW) continues its 2022-23 season this week as it faces Loyola Marymount (7-3) in a neutral site game on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 10:30 p.m. (MT), at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Last Week
W, 86-81 --- UTAH TECH
W, 82-64 --- at San Francisco
• Utah State posted a 2-0 record last week with an 86-81 home win against Utah Tech and an 82-64 win at San Francisco. Against the Trailblazers, junior guard Steven Ashworth had 27 points off the bench, while graduate forward Taylor Funk had a loaded stat line with 20 points, eight rebounds and a career-high-tying seven assists. Graduate forward Dan Akin added 15 points and junior guard Max Shulga posted his second-straight, and second-career, double-double with 10 points and a career-best 10 assists. USU shot a season-high 54.5 percent (30-of-55) from the field, 41.9 percent (13-of-31) from behind the arc, and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) at the free throw line. Utah Tech shot 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from the floor, 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from behind the 3-point line and 79.2 percent (19-of-24) at the charity stripe. Against the Dons, five Aggies scored in double figures in Akin (19), Shulga (16), Funk (13), senior guard Sean Bairstow (12) and Ashworth (11). USU shot 50.8 percent (31-of-61) from the field, 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from behind the arc and 83.3 percent (15-of-18) at the free throw line. USF shot 43.6 percent (24-of-55) from the floor, 33.3 percent (7-of-21) behind the 3-point line and 60.0 percent (9-of-15) at the free throw line.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Ajay Salvesen - (435) 797-2066
This Week
Tues., Dec. 6 --- BYU, 11 a.m. (MWN)
Sat., Dec. 10 --- at Loyola Marymount, 3 p.m. (MT) (WCC Network)
• Utah State's women's basketball (3-5, 0-0 MW) continues its 2022-23 season this week with a pair of games as it hosts BYU (3-5) on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 11 a.m., and plays at Loyola Marymount (1-7) on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. (MT). USU is 4-39 all-time against the Cougars and 2-2 all-time against the Lions. All home games will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and available at www.utahstateaggies.com/watch., while its road game this weekend will be streamed live on the West Coast Conference Network.
Last Week
W, 74-69 --- at Weber State
W, 65-55 --- UTAH VALLEY
• Utah State posted a 2-0 record last week against in-state competition with a 74-69 win at Weber State and a 65-55 home win against Utah Valley. Against the Wildcats, USU had four players score in double-figures as junior guard Olivia Wikstrom had a team-high 19 points, while graduate guard Maria Carvalho scored 17 points, to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. Junior guard Tamiah Robinson added 12 points, to go along with seven rebounds, while graduate forward Prima Chellis added 10 points. As a team, USU shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, including 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from the 3-point arc, and 80.0 percent (12-of-15) at the free throw line. WSU shot 32.3 percent (21-of-65) from the field, including 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from 3-point range, and 76.7 (23-of-30) from the free throw line. Against the Wolverines, Carvalho led all scorers with 21 points, while graduate guard Mayson Kimball scored 15 points and Wikstrom scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game with 10 points. Overall, USU shot 31.0 percent (18-of-58) from the field, including 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from 3-point range, and 73.1 percent (19-of-26) from the free-throw line. UVU shot 35.8 percent (19-of-53) from the field, 20.0 percent (3-of-15) from three, and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the charity stripe.
VOLLEYBALL
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
Last Week
2022 NCAA Tournament, Eugene, Oregon
L, 0-3 --- vs. Arkansas
• Utah State volleyball (22-11, 11-7 MW) concluded its 2022 season with a three-set loss to sixth-seeded Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Against the Razorbacks, USU hit .136 (31-17-103), while Arkansas hit .333 (43-12-93). Senior outside hitter Shelby Capllonch and junior outside Tatum Stall each led the Aggies with eight kills, while sophomore setter Beatriz Rodrigues had 15 assists, followed by freshman Leah Wilton-LaBoy with 12. Defensively, sophomore opposide side hitter Adna Mehmedovic and grad middle blocker Myrthe Maring led USU with three blocks each, while Capllonch had a match-best 10 digs. For USU, it was its fifth-ever NCAA appearance.
