USU hoops buries Weber State with 55-point win
The Utah State University men’s basketball team did not take time to mess around during Friday night’s 89-34 win over Weber State University. By the end of the first half alone, the Aggies led Weber State 48-13. It was the fewest points Utah State has allowed in a half since Dec. 31, 2014 when it held San Jose State to 12 points.
Sophomore forward Justin Bean had even recorded more points than the Wildcats, totaling 15 at halftime.
“That is incredibly difficult to do,” head coach Craig Smith said. “But our guys were really locked in.”
Utah State also managed to share the ball significantly more than they have in recent contests. The team logged 26 assists, the most it has recorded since Jan. 30 when they had 28 against San Jose State.
“It was just a big emphasis in practice,” Porter said of ball movement. “Coach Smith always says you want the ball to have the energy and not the player and I felt like we had that tonight.”
The second half did not fare much better for the Wildcats, who only made 21.7 percent of their field goals the entire game. The Aggies were able to force Weber State into 19 turnovers and rack up another 41 points.
“Just the energy and unselfishness that we played with led to some of these baskets and that’s what got us going,” junior guard Abel Porter said. “It was really nice to see us share the ball, kind of get back to that culture we had built last year…Coach Smith says you want the ball to have the energy and not the player and I felt like we had that tonight.”
Photo by Chantelle McCall
Porter finished the game with a career high of 10 assists to go with 10 points, the first double-double of his career.
“From last year at this point to where he is now, it’s almost unheard of,” Smith said of the growth of Porter, who began his Aggie career as a walk-on, “him and (former walk-on) Justin Bean.”
Bean led the team with 18 points and had an also-team high nine rebounds. Bean also led the team in made field goals, free throw attempts (seven) and made free throws (six).
The team’s performance was drastically different compared to Tuesday night’s game against Montana State when the Aggies barely managed to fend off the Wildcats. Smith attributed it to his players’ ability to own up to mistakes.
“We have great character on our team,” he said. “Where everyone can look themselves in the mirror when you’re watching film…and say ‘I have to do better so our team can be better.”
Up next the Aggies will take on Denver on Tuesday in the Spectrum. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Twitter: @SydChap