Aggies finish with season low 50 points in loss to Houston

Utah State men’s basketball lost a tough game to No. 21 Houston 60-50 on Thursday. The Aggies finished the game with a season low in points scored.

Utah State was led with 19 points from senior Dwayne Brown Jr. in a game which Aggie leading-scorer Sam Merrill had just six points. The Aggies struggled from the floor in the game, shooting just 36.7 percent from the field. Houston was led with 15 points from junior Armoni Brooks, all of which were scored in the second half.

The Aggies led 31-21 at the half, holding Houston to 31 percent shooting in the first half. The Cougars turned it around in the second half, outscoring Utah State 39-19.

Head coach Craig Smith said he was proud of his team’s effort defensively in the first half. He said his team didn’t play with the same energy in the second half, allowing Houston to win the game.

“They ramped up their defense, pressured us a lot more and we really got stagnant,” Smith said.

Senior Quinn Taylor said the Aggie offense wasn’t flowing as well in the second half leading to the loss.

“They came out of the break and had their defensive intensity up and we knew they were going to do that,” Taylor said. “We got pretty stagnant on offense and just kind of picked up the pressure.”

Smith said the team stopped moving the ball as much on offense, leading to bad shots.

“That first half, we had seven assists and the second half, we had one assist,” Smith said. “We’re a team that averages almost 18 assists a game. They’ll do that to you, but at the same time when we get sticky with the ball and we start playing one-on-one, we’re not going to be good.”

The Aggies finished the game with season lows in points, free-throws made and free-throws attempted while also being outrebounded for the first time this season.

Smith had high praise for the Houston team and what it was able to do to the Aggies.

“Give them credit, they’re a heck of a team,” Smith said. “They’re one of nine undefeated teams in the country for a reason.”

Utah State sits at 9-3 with its next game coming against Eastern Oregon on Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.