LOGAN, Utah – Utah State women's basketball had four players score in double figures but the Aggies were ultimately unable to keep pace with visiting Fresno State in a 73-59 loss to the Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Sophomore guard Elise Livingston led USU with 13 points, including 11 in the opening half while hitting a pair of 3-pointers. Senior guard Karyn Sanford added 12 points alongside five rebounds, a team-high four assists, two steals and a block. Junior guard Aaliyah Gayles finished with 11 points and tied for the team-lead with eight rebounds alongside sophomore forward Macie Brown. Senior guard/forward Jamisyn Heaton also reached double figures with 1- points plus six rebounds, one block and one assist.

The Aggies burst out of the gates with eight straight points, led by Livingston who scored the opening six points on a 3-pointer and a converted and-one opportunity on a layup. FS responded with a 12-2 run of their own to take their first lead of the contest, following it up several minutes later with another 7-0 burst. USU fought back to a 19-19 with five consecutive points off another Livingston 3 plus a fastbreak layup by Brown. The Bulldogs, however, then took control with a 14-0 run interrupted only by a layup by freshman guard Aitana Rosello Lopez in the final minute to enter halftime trailing on 33-21.

Shortly into the third quarter, Utah State cut the deficit to seven points after a 7-0 burst featuring back-to-back layups by Sanford plus a Gayles 3-pointer. Fresno State managed to stave off the run with a 9-0 stretch of their own but the Aggies kept battling back. Another layup by Brown and a 3-pointer by Rosello Lopez powered a 9-2 stretch for Utah State to again cut the lead to single digits. USU came within seven points on multiple occasions in the final frame but were unable to complete the comeback in the closing minutes.

Utah State shot 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the field and 18.2 percent (4-of-22) from behind the 3-point line. The Aggies also shot 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the free throw line. The Aggie defense also held FS to 38.8 percent shooting (26-of-67) from the field and 25.0 percent (3-of-12) from behind the arc. Despite missing a pair of rotation post players, USU tied the Bulldogs in points in the paint with each time scoring 34.

Up Next
Utah State (6-18, 2-13) heads to the road for a pair of MW battles, first taking on San Jose State on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m. (MT), before heading to Phoenix to face Grand Canyon on Saturday, Feb. 21, at noon (MT).

Tickets
Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here or by visiting the USU Ticket Office.

Fans can follow USU women's basketball on Twitter, @USUWBasketball, on Instagram, @USUWBasketball, as well as on Facebook, at /USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.
 
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