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Logan • As the Aggies prepared to host Mountain West Conference leaders Nevada on Wednesday, Utah State was in a three-way tie at the bottom of the conference standings.

But after a 74-57 victory over the Wolf Pack, Utah State is in the middle of the MWC pack.

"Winning tonight shows that we can play with anybody, beat anybody, and that was huge for us," said Aggies' senior Jalen Moore, who had 13 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.

After a four-game losing streak, Utah State (10-11, 4-6) has won two consecutive games.

"We're playing well right now, so we're going to try to keep that going," Moore said.

Freshman Koby McEwen led all players with 26 points. He and Moore were instrumental in an 11-2 stretch midway through the second half that broke open the game as Utah State went up 65-49 with three minutes left.

D.J. Fenner scored 15 points to lead the Wolf Pack (18-5, 7-3), and teammates Cameron Oliver and Jordan Caroline added 14 each. The Aggies held Nevada's Marcus Marshall, who averages more than 21 points per game, to two points on 1-for-12 shooting.

Utah State coach Tim Duryea credited freshman Sam Merrill for his defense on Marshall.

"Considering the competition, considering the importance of the game in terms of our path and trying to dig ourselves out of the hole we got ourselves in, I thought it was an A-plus defensive performance," said Duryea. "The job Sam Merrill did on Marcus Marshall — I didn't think it was possible."

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half and McEwen scored for the last points before halftime tied the game at 25. In the early stages of the second half, Nevada held its last lead at 33-32 after Caroline scored with 13:38 remaining.

Merrill scored a 3-pointer to put the Aggies ahead, one of his three long-range shots. —

Storylines

• Utah State upends Mountain West Conference-leading Wolf Pack.

• Aggies hold Nevada's leading scorer Marcus Marshall to just two points.

• Freshman Koby McEwen (26), Sam Merrill (13) and Jalen Moore (13) lead Utah State.

Utah State 74, Nevada 57

NEVADA (18-5)

Oliver 5-13 2-4 14, Drew 3-11 2-3 9, Fenner 6-17 2-3 15, Marshall 1-12 0-0 2, Caroline 6-12 3-9 15, King 1-1 0-0 2, Hall 0-3 0-1 0, Ramsey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-69 9-20 57.

UTAH ST. (10-11)

Dargenton 1-3 2-2 4, Janicek 3-6 2-4 8, Moore 4-12 3-4 13, McEwen 8-12 8-10 26, Merrill 5-10 0-0 13, Taylor 1-2 0-2 2, Rector 3-6 1-2 7, Brito 0-0 0-0 0, Pearre 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 25-51 17-26 74.

Halftime—25-25. 3-Point Goals—Nevada 4-26 (Oliver 2-4, Drew 1-6, Fenner 1-6, Hall 0-1, Caroline 0-2, Marshall 0-7), Utah St. 7-19 (Merrill 3-7, McEwen 2-5, Moore 2-6, Dargenton 0-1). Fouled Out—Oliver. Rebounds—Nevada 36 (Oliver 13), Utah St. 46 (Moore 15). Assists—Nevada 11 (Fenner 3), Utah St. 15 (Moore 7). Total Fouls—Nevada 19, Utah St. 18. A—6,122 (10,270).