LOGAN, Utah – Graduate guard
Ian Martinez scored a game-high 17 points to lead Utah State to an 85-66 win against Weber State in a charity exhibition inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Friday night.
Four Aggies scored in double figures as junior center
Isaac Johnson had 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Graduate guard
Drake Allen, a transfer from Utah Valley, added 12 points and six assists with just one turnover, and graduate guard
Dexter Akanno, a transfer from Oregon State, had 10 points off the bench.
Weber State had two players score in double-figures as sophomore guard Viljami Vartiainen had 16 points and senior guard Blaise Threatt finished with 15 points.
Utah State shot 49.2 percent (29-of-59), including 25.0 percent (6-of-24) from 3-point range, and 80.8 percent (21-of-26) at the free throw line. Weber State shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53), including 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from behind the arc, and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) at the charity stripe.
Weber State made its first three 3-pointers and held an early 9-5 advantage. Utah State took its first lead at 12-9 following a 3-pointer from Akanno, which was part of a 14-2 run for the Aggies to push the scored to 19-11 at the 10:22 mark. The Aggies extended the lead to double digits at 24-13 following a triple from Allen. The Wildcats used a 10-0 run to get within five points at 33-28 with 3:01 to play, but USU closed the half on a 9-0 run to take a 42-28 lead into halftime.
A dunk from Martinez gave Utah State a 53-32 lead at the 16:47 mark and another basket by Martinez put the Aggies up 77-50 with 5:08 remaining. The Wildcats ended the game on a 10-2 run over the final 2:19 to make the final score 85-66.
Utah State finished the game with 19 assists to just nine turnovers, and recorded seven steals and four blocks, while Weber State had 15 assists and 15 turnovers with four steals and one blocked shot.
The Aggies also outrebounded the Wildcats 36-33.
Utah State dominated the interior as it outscored Weber State 44-24 in points in the paint and notched a 21-4 advantage in fast break points. USU also had a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers.
The Aggies reserves scored 30 points in the game as compared to 22 points from the Wildcats' bench.
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Utah State officially opens the 2024-25 season on Wednesday, Nov. 6, when it hosts Alcorn State.
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