USU runs past Fresno for WAC win
Williams career-high leads Ags to easy first round victory
After two close regular season games against Fresno State, 13-21 (3-13), the Aggies were expecting nothing less in their first round matchup of the WAC tournament. However, a scorching start by USU, 28-4(14-2) led to a 16-2 early lead and an 85-68 final score.
In the opening half the Aggies shot a blistering 64 percent from the field, including 69 percent from behind the arc where they started 8-of-10.
“We started the game really well, and that certainly helped,” said USU head coach Stew Morrill. “We came out very aggressive … obviously some shots fell, we shot a really high percentage and having Stavon come off the bench and light it like he did was huge.”
Despite early foul trouble on the Aggie big men, USU continued to extend the lead, pulling ahead by as much as 15.
Junior swingman Stavon Williams was a big reason the Aggie shooting percentage was so high as he connected on 3-of-4 shots 3-pointers in the first half on his way to a career high 22-points.
“When I first made my first shot I think overall that sort of helped me out a lot, because I’m a player that when I make my first shot my confidence is pretty high,” Williams said. “I just let the game come to me and I didn’t force the game at all … every shot that was open I took, I just was confident that it was going in.”
Williams finished 8-of-11 from the field, including 6-of-8 from behind the arc.
“We probably aught to try and get him a layup for the first shot hadn’t we,” joked Morrill.
Jared Quayle and Tyler Newbold were also dialed in from long range early as 3-pointer after 3-pointer helped the Ags out to an early lead.
Behind their hot shooting and rebounding advantage, the Ags headed to the locker room holding a 14-point lead, 45-31.
Despite the deficit, the Bulldogs duo of Sylvester Seay and Paul George tried pull Fresno State back into the game. The Bulldogs were twice able to trim the Aggie lead to nine – the last with just more than 10 minutes to play – but could get no closer.
Timely shooting by Williams, conference MVP Gary Wilkinson, and Quayle helped the Aggies pull away every time their lead looked in danger. Great defense in the form of Tai Wesley also sparked the Aggies, as back-to-back blocks aided a 7-0 USU run that put the Aggies up by 16 with 9:24 to play.
“(Coach) just told us to go out there and play and I think that alleviated any tension that might have existed,” Wilkinson said. “He reminded me that this is a game, we’re supposed to have fun.”
Seay had his worst game this season against the Aggies as he only totaled 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting and four rebounds.
With seven minutes to go the Aggies took their biggest lead of the game on a layup by Wilkinson. “Big Red” finished with 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting including 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. He also surpassed the 1,000-point milestone for his Aggie career.
Quayle also finished with 18 points to go along with 8 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
For Fresno State, the highlight of the game was a serious of dunks in the closing minutes, but by then the game was out of reach. The Aggies now advance to take on the Aggies of New Mexico State who upset fourth seeded Boise State earlier in the day, 80-70.
“New Mexico State’s got really good personnel and we’ve been fortunate in the two games we’ve played,” Morrill said. “We know how explosive they are, their young and they’ve gotten better and they concern you with their ability to make plays.”
That game will take place at 7 p.m. Mountain time.
t.olsen@aggiemail.usu.edu