USUhoops: Northeastern Game Notes | The Salt Lake Tribune

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News and notes to look out for when Utah State faces Northeastern tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

• Utah State has won 16 straight home games and 68 of its last 70 overall with its only losses during that stretch coming against Saint Mary's (68-63) on Dec. 5, 2009 and against Fresno State (71-66) on March 3, 2007. Saint Mary's snapped USU's school-record 37-game home winning streak. • Utah State is 178-13 (.932) in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum under head coach Stew Morrill, which includes an 86-5 (.945) record against non-conference opponents. Overall, USU is 472-106 (.816) in this its 41st year in the building.• Utah State received votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll for the third time in as many weeks as it garnered five votes this week to rank 39th in the nation. USU received four votes in last week's poll and was tied for 39th. The Aggies did not receive any votes in this week's AP poll after getting three votes last week.• Utah State is 46-14 (.767) during the month of November under Morrill, which includes a 23-0 record at home. In fact, USU has won 26 straight home games during November and the last team to beat the Aggies at home during the 11th month was Utah, 60-41, on Nov. 26, 1996. Utah State is 114-43 (.726) in games played on Saturday under Morrill and 2-1 (.667) all-time in games played on Nov. 27.• Utah State is one of just three teams in the nation to win at least 23 games in each of the last 11 seasons along with Gonzaga and Kansas. During the last 11 years, Utah State has averaged 25.4 wins per season.• Utah State head coach Stew Morrill (297-100) is the winningest coach in school history and is first all-time in games coached (397). Morrill is also the second-longest tenured coach at Utah State (entering 13th season) behind E. Lowell Romney (1920-41).• Aggie players from the state of Utah include senior forward Nate Bendall (Salt Lake City/Skyline HS), senior guard Brian Green (Kaysville/Davis HS), senior guard Tyler Newbold (Payson/Payson HS), senior forward Tai Wesley (Provo/Provo HS), junior forward Morgan Grim (Riverton/Riverton HS), sophomore center Leland Miller (St. George/Snow Canyon HS) and freshman forward Ben Clifford (South Jordan/Bingham HS).UP NEXTUtah State (3-1) will play its first non in-state game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 27 when it hosts Northeastern (2-1) in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 7 p.m. USU's game against the Huskies will be televised live on CW30 with Mychal Clayton (play-by-play) and Brooks Hansen (color) calling the action. The game will also be aired live on KVNU 610 AM/95.9 FM in Cache Valley and 1320 AM along the Wasatch Front.

LOOKING AT UTAH STATEUtah State is 3-1 on the season following its 79-62 home win against Utah Wednesday. USU is led by senior forward Tai Wesley who is averaging 17.8 points and 7.0 rebounds and shooting 65.1 percent from the field and 54.2 percent at the free throw line. Senior guard Brian Green is averaging 13.5 points and shooting 56.7 percent from the field, 54.5 percent from three-point range and 80.0 percent at the free throw line. Junior guard Brockeith Pane is averaging 10.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists and is shooting 27.0 percent from the field and 75.9 percent at the free throw line, and junior forward Brady Jardine is averaging 10.0 points and 9.8 rebounds, while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 76.9 percent at the free throw line. As a team, Utah State is averaging 73.5 points and shooting 45.9 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from three-point range and 71.8 percent at the free throw line. Defensively, USU is allowing 64.5 points and its opponents are shooting 39.0 percent from the field, 32.9 percent from three-point range and 75.3 percent at the free throw line.RANKING UTAH STATE IN THE WACAs of Nov. 25, Utah State ranks first in the WAC in field goal percentage defense (.390), is second in scoring defense (64.5), second in three-point field goal percentage (.370), second in blocked shots (5.00), third in scoring (73.5), third in scoring margin (+9.0), third in field goal percentage (.459), and third in free throw shooting (.718). Individually, senior forward Tai Wesley ranks second in field goal shooting (.651), third in blocked shots (1.50), fourth in scoring (17.8) and eighth in rebounding (7.0). Senior guard Brian Green ranks fourth in three-point shooting (.545), seventh in field goal shooting (.567), ninth in free throw shooting (.800) and 11th in scoring (13.5). Junior forward Brady Jardine ranks third in rebounding (9.8), third in blocked shots (1.50), ninth in field goal shooting (.536) and 15th in free throw shooting (.769). Senior guard Pooh Williams ranks first in free throw shooting (.929) and 14th in three-point shooting (.400). Senior guard Tyler Newbold ranks first in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.00) and eighth in assists (3.00). Junior guard Brockeith Pane ranks seventh in assists (3.25), ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.93) and 13th in steals (1.25), and junior forward Morgan Grim ranks sixth in blocked shots (1.25).COMPUTER RANKINGAs of Thursday, Nov. 25 Utah State has an RPI of 40 and a strength of schedule of 91 according to RealTimeRPI.com.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving,

Tony Jones