Opening Tips
• Utah State leads the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.411) and is 11th in 3-pointers made per game (9.88). USU is also third in the MW and 27th in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 48.1 percent (703-of-1,463) from the field this season.
• Junior guard
Steven Ashworth is third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.470), and leads the Mountain West and ranks 11th in the nation in 3s made per game (3.35). Ashworth is the only player in the nation to make at least 85 3-pointers while shooting better than 45.0 percent from the field, 45.0 percent from deep and 80.0 percent at the free throw line.
• Utah State is one of seven teams in the nation with five players averaging double figures in Ashworth (15.9 ppg), grad forward
Taylor Funk (13.8 ppg), grad forward
Dan Akin (12.3 ppg), junior guard
Max Shulga (11.2 ppg) and senior guard
Sean Bairstow (11.0 ppg).
• Utah State has recorded all but four of its victories under head coach
Ryan Odom (33-8) when winning the battle of the boards. USU has won the rebounding battle in all but eight games this season. In total, Utah State has outrebounded opponents 911-816 on the year.
• An Aggie has logged a double-double in 11 games this season as Akin has posted six double-doubles (10p/11r vs. Bradley; 21p/15r at San Diego; 12p/10r vs. Weber State; 11p/13r vs. Fresno State; 16p/15r vs Wyoming; 15p/10r at San Diego State), Shulga has had three (10p/10r vs. Oral Roberts; 10p/10a vs. Utah Tech; 12p/10r vs Seattle U), Funk has posted three (18p/14r vs. UVU; 22p/12r vs. Santa Clara; 15p/10r at Nevada) and Bairstow has logged one (11p/10a at Colorado State). Akin leads the nation in double-doubles off the bench with six.
• Utah State has scored at least 80 points in 12 of its 26 games, including a season-high 106 points against Westminster. Utah State is 36-10 under Odom when scoring at least 70 points. The Aggies have won just one game under Odom when scoring less than 70 points (Fresno State, 67-54 - Dec. 31, 2022). USU is a perfect 24-0 under Odom when scoring at least 80 points.
• Utah State is second in the MW and 10th in the nation with 17.12 assists per game. Ashworth is fourth in the MW in assists per game (4.58), while Shulga is sixth (4.04).
• Utah State is 37th in the NCAA net rankings (as of Feb. 12) and is ranked 42nd by KenPom. Overall, USU is 0-4 in Quad 1 games, 6-1 in Quad 2, 9-0 in Quad 3 and 3-2 in Quad 4.
• Utah State has been without its starting point guard in senior Rylan Jones for 10-straight games after he left the game at Boise State on Jan. 7, due to an injury. Jones had also missed three games earlier in the season due to an injury. Despite appearing in only half of the games this season, Jones is still third on the team in assists per game (3.3) and fifth in total assists (43). He has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.69 and leads Utah State in charges drawn (14).
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