Women’s basketball road recap, Mountain West championship preview
The shorthanded Utah State Women’s Basketball team fell to Boise State 72-59 on Tuesday.
The Aggies struggled to match the Broncos’ size, getting outperformed in every height-related statistical category.
“Their length bothered us,” head coach Wesley Brooks said. “We’re just kind of a smaller team.”
The Broncos tallied nine blocks, showcasing why they rank No. 12 in the nation in that category.
Nearly every Utah State shot attempt was met with strong contests from the Boise State defenders.
Guard Cheyenne Stubbs and forward Jamisyn Heaton led the way offensively with 17 points each, but they were a combined 13-for-36 shooting from the field.
Forward Taliyah Logwood made the most of her limited court time, recording eight points and four rebounds in just 10 minutes. Being the most athletically gifted player on the team, she would have played much more if not for fouling out in those 10 minutes.
“[Logwood’s] made a lot of good plays for us,” Brooks said. “So, you don’t want to take away her aggressiveness. You just want her to be more disciplined.”
The Aggies also missed the playmaking ability of guard Mia Tarver, who was out of the lineup after injuring her ankle in the previous game.
Without the team’s top two speedsters Logwood and Tarver to push the pace, the Aggies lacked the tempo needed to break through Boise State’s defense.
So, that’s that.
Utah State finished their regular season with a 4-26 record, but with the 2025 Mountain West Basketball Championships approaching, they’re given a clean slate.
As Stubbs said after the loss, “We’re all at 0-0 again, and we’re just going to take it one game at a time.”
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND PREVIEW
#7 Air Force vs. #10 Utah State: Sunday, March 9 at 5:30 p.m. MT
Previous matchups: Air Force beat Utah State 78-66 on Jan. 29, Air Force beat Utah State 82-77 on Feb. 19.
Aggies will win if…
They compete on the glass like they have in their first two matchups.
In the first game, both teams grabbed 40 rebounds. In the second, Utah State lost the rebound battle 42-38 but still delivered an above-average rebounding performance.
While teams like Boise State have towered over the Aggies, the Falcons don’t possess as much height in their lineup.
“We have a size advantage, so we really need to work through our post players, and I think we can run on them like we always do,” Stubbs said.
Running will be another key factor. Utah State finished the season winning two of their last three games, largely due to their run-and-gun style of play. Tarver and Logwood were the driving forces behind the team’s fast pace, and their presence will be crucial in securing a victory.
If Logwood can bring her physicality and motor without falling into foul trouble, the Aggies have a chance.
The team will have an even better chance of winning if Mia Tarver is fully healthy. Brooks expressed hope that Tarver would play on Sunday, and she was practicing without restrictions on Friday.
Aggies will lose if…
Their fast-paced style of play is stalled by the Air Force defense.
There have been two primary obstacles to Utah State’s speed and execution all season: turnovers and fouls.
Turnovers could be a particular problem for the Aggies. With 14.6 turnovers per game, they ranked third-worst in the conference, while the Falcons forced 16.9 turnovers per game, the highest in the conference.
“The number one thing is to take care of the ball against them,” Brooks said. “We take care of the ball against them, and we win the game.”
When it comes to fouls, Utah State should be in the clear as long as they remain disciplined. Air Force attempted the third-fewest free throws in conference play, with the team typically relying on finesse and skill rather than brute force.
In their previous two losses, the Aggies struggled to make strong closeouts on the Falcons’ shooters, and their physicality lacked control.
Brooks believes these shortcomings against the Falcons are now behind them.
“Even though we only played Air Force three weeks ago, we’re definitely a better team,” Brooks said. “We understand our identity. We understand our roles. We understand who we are.”
Utah State’s first-round game, along with the rest of the quarterfinals and semifinals, will be available to stream for free on the Mountain West Network. The championship game will take place on March 12 at 8:30 p.m. MT on CBS Sports.