LOGAN, Utah — No. 22 Utah State suffered its fourth loss of the season to Nevada, 77-63, on Tuesday night inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. It was the Aggies' first loss at home this season, snapping a 13-game homecourt winning streak dating back to February 2023.
Despite the defeat, USU (19-4, 7-3 MW) remains tied for first place in the Mountain West with New Mexico and Boise State.
Senior guard Ian Martinez led the Aggies in scoring with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists. Redshirt freshman guard Mason Falslev and junior wing Great Osobor joined Martinez in double-digit scoring as Falselv posted 14 points and Osobor added 11.
The bulk of Nevada's (18-5, 5-4 MW) offense came from the one-two punch of redshirt sophomore forward Nick Davidson, who put up 25 points, and graduate guard Kenan Blackshear, who tallied 18 points.
After a slow start from both teams offensively, Utah State built its largest lead of the game, 15-8, by out-scoring the Wolf Pack 13-6 over a six-minute stretch. Nevada tied the game up, 17-all, on a 9-2 run over the next five minutes. After a pair of free throws from Martinez, USU would relinquish its last lead as the Wolf Pack took control with a 9-0 surge in just over two-and-a-half minutes. Nevada took a nine-point 36-27 lead into the locker room.
The Wolf Pack maintained its lead by trading baskets with the Aggies over the first five minutes of the second half. Utah State would come as close as three points from Nevada, 50-47, midway through the half, propelled by an 8-3 surge with buckets from Osobor and Martinez. However, the Wolf Pack would pull away again at the free throw line and behind the arc. Nevada led by as many as 17 in the finals minutes as the Wolf Pack won 77-63.
Utah State shot 39.3 percent (22-of-56) from the field, 23.8 percent (5-of-21) behind the arc and 82.4 percent (14-of-17) at the free-throw line. Nevada shot 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the field, 40.0 percent (4-of-10) from 3-point range and 76.0 percent (19-of-25) at the charity stripe.
The Aggies next host Boise State on Saturday, Feb. 10, inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. and the game will be nationally broadcast on FS1. During the game Utah State will name the court inside the Spectrum in honor of former USU men's basketball coach Stew Morrill.
Season tickets for the 2023-24 men's basketball season are on sale and can be purchased by visiting www.utahstateaggies.com or by calling the Utah State ticket office at 1-888-USTATE-1.
Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).
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