LOGAN, Utah – After surrendering a 6-0 run and a five-point lead, the same devils threatened to sink Utah State's hopes of victory on Tuesday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
 
In a showcase of mettle and grit, Utah State men's basketball vanquished those demons, closing out UNLV in the final minutes for a 75-71 victory to keep pace in the crowded Mountain West standings.
 
Four days after an onerous loss at Nevada, the Aggies showed few signs of any lingering issues, embarking on a 10-0 run in the game's opening minutes to take early command over UNLV. Senior center Trevin Dorius was particularly effective, scoring nine of USU's first 12 points to help build the quick cushion. 
 
The Runnin' Rebels clawed back over the ensuing 10 minutes, piecing together runs of 8-2 and 8-1 to retake the lead at 32-29. USU responded, or moreover, graduate forward Taylor Funk responded by draining three triples in 51 seconds of game time to re-establish Utah State's control of the game. Funk scored 11 consecutive points for the Aggies as part of a 17-5 run to close the half, giving USU a 46-37 advantage heading into intermission. Funk scored a team-high 20 points on the night, all in the first half, on 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point territory.
 
A pesky Runnin' Rebels squad refused to relinquish the game, however, holding the Aggies scoreless for four minutes to open the second half as part of an 8-0 run to trim the lead to a single point. The sides traded buckets for the following 10 minutes as USU never surrendered the lead but was unable to extend the lead beyond seven points. With less than six minutes remaining and Utah State leading 65-60 UNLV vaulted into the lead with a 6-0 run to force an Aggie timeout with 3:55 remaining. 
 
Facing many of the same questions as recent MW outings, it was graduate forward Dan Akin who first answered the call coming out of the timeout, finishing through contact and converting the and-one opportunity to retake the lead for USU. UNLV countered with a corner three from Jordan McCabe to again snatch a one-point lead. 
 
With just over one minute remaining, two Rebels converged on Funk leaving junior guard Steven Ashworth open at the top of the arc. Ashworth buried the three-pointer to catapult USU back into the lead. 
 
On the defensive end, Akin again made a game-altering play, maintaining legal guarding position to draw the offensive foul on UNLV's Keyshawn Hall and give the ball back to the Aggie offense. USU's offensive possession stalled, forcing Ashworth to call a timeout with two seconds on the shot clock, but on the ensuing inbounds, senior guard Sean Bairstow found an opening at the top of the key and buried the open jumper to give Utah State a four-point lead with 23 seconds remaining.
 
After a pair of Rebel free throws, junior guard Max Shulga iced the game with a pair of FTs with eight seconds left. The Aggies made one final defensive stand to stifle UNLV's desperation attempt in the closing seconds to secure the victory.
 
Ashworth finished with 14 points and tied his career-high with nine assists. Dorius finished with 10 points, scoring in double figures in consecutive games for the first time in his career. Akin narrowly missed another double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. Bairstow and Shulga each contributed nine points. Shulga and Funk also added five assists apiece.
 
As a team, the Aggies registered 21 assists on 24 made field goals and outrebounded the Rebels, 31-23. Utah State shot over 50 percent from the field for the fifth time this season, going 24-for-47 (51.1 percent) from the field, including an 11-for-25 (44.0 percent) mark from 3-point territory. In a contest where every point mattered, USU also shot 16-for-18 (88.9 percent) from the free throw line, tying for their best performance from the line this season.
 
Up Next
Utah State (15-4, 4-2 MW) remains at home to host San José State on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. (MT). 
 
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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