Can USU snap a decade-long losing streak against BYU?
November 11, 2011, was an inauspicious day for many because the digits 11:11 can invoke ominous feelings for people of the superstitious type. Hollywood even capitalized on people’s fears, making a horror movie that was coined “11/11/11.” But for the Utah State basketball team, November 11, 2011, proved to be a favorable day — the Aggies defeated Brigham Young University 69-61 in front of 10,270 fans in an almost sold out Spectrum.
But as time has gone on, eeriness has set in surrounding Aggie fans’ memory of the win. Not because of the game itself, but because of what has happened afterward: A current eight-game losing streak to the Cougars that has stretched into the new decade. But Utah State has a chance to end that drought, with a duel against BYU in Logan on Saturday night.
“It’s definitely a streak that needs to be broken and we’re hoping that this year is the year,” said freshman guard Steven Ashworth. “It’s been going on for too long.”
“We haven’t won for eight or nine years against these guys. They’ve gotten us each of those years,” said junior guard Brock Miller. “Our energy level (Monday) was extremely high and intense and that’s how it’s gonna be all week in preparation for these guys.
There are several incentives — beyond snapping the streak — that are motivating the team this week. For Ashworth, a Lone Peak graduate, this game is personal.
“Coming from Utah county, BYU’s definitely the predominant team down there and there’s a lot of fans and what not and so my family is looking forward to having a chance to play BYU,” he said. “I know a lot of the kids there that are playing, I’ve worked out with them, I’ve played with some of them, and so it will be fun to see them and compete against them.”
Another reason is the postseason implications this game has, despite it being so early in the season. With an abbreviated non-conference schedule and a 1-2 record heading into the matchup, USU is desperate for quality wins.
“With COVID there’s not a ton of opportunities in the preseason to get those at-large wins,” Miller said. “Our end goal is to obviously win another championship and make a run at March Madness, so part of the reason why this game is so important is that BYU is a great team.
A final motivator to win this game is because BYU stands in front of the USU basketball program achieving another one of its major goals.
“Coach Smith talks about how we want to always be the best team in the state and to take pride in that,” said Miller.
But to run the Beehive State, you need to beat the team down south. It was never going to be an easy task, but with news breaking Wednesday afternoon that head coach Craig Smith tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be there to coach the team Saturday night, the challenge is even greater.
BYU — which is 4-1 on the season and coming off of a win over St. John’s on Dec. 2 — is in a bit of a reload year, having to replace six seniors that graduated last season. But they still have plenty of talent. Senior guard Alex Barcello leads the way for the Cougs, averaging 18 points per game and shooting 57.1 percent from the field.
A large part of the BYU offense is the three-pointer; 43.3 percent of their shots are from beyond the arch. However, their success from three has been a mixed bag thus far. They shot an effective 11-25 from downtown against UVU, then turned around and shot the three 7-30 against USC, which leaves them at a respectable 34.9 percent on the season.
So for Utah State, a key to victory is to stop the three-ball attack, something that it struggled to do in the first three games of the season. Aggie opponents are shooting 44.3 percent from behind the arc.
“We take pride in our defense, you know those first three games we weren’t on our A-game,” Ashworth said. “We’re excited for the opportunity to come out Saturday and play against some talented guards and hopefully be able to lock them up and create indecision and make it tough for them.”
The Aggies will need to continue to do what they do well, which is winning the rebounding battle and getting the ball into the interior on offense. They face a solid Cougar frontcourt that includes senior center Matt Haarms and junior Forward Kolby Lee. But the ‘Neem n’ Bean’ machine will be ready.
“We have a great chance – especially with the way (Neemias) Queta and (Justin) Bean have been playing, and to match up with their big men,” Ashworth said. “I definitely think we have a strong advantage there and hopefully, we can take advantage of that Saturday night.”
Queta will be the best player on the court and will need to have the ‘GATA’ mentality throughout the game by locking guys down defensively, fighting through the double teams, and getting his teammates involved.
Some uncertainty looms over the game, as there is a decent chance that coach Smith was not the only Aggie exposed to the virus. But here’s to hoping that the game will be played, and the 1,628 people permitted into the Spectrum will have the opportunity to see whether or not the Aggies can finally beat the Cougars once again.
@jacobnielson12
—sports@usustatesman.com