Streaking Utah State Puts One-Loss Record On The Line Against Fresno State
Jan 2, 2025, 3:10 PM | Updated: 3:17 pm
Ian Martinez, Karson Templin, and Mason Falslev hype each other up in a Utah State win against Wyoming on December 4, 2024. (Utah State Athletics, Keffrey Stellway)
(Utah State Athletics, Keffrey Stellway)
LOGAN, Utah – Utah State, the early leader in the Mountain West basketball clubhouse, looks for its fourth-straight win when the Fresno State Bulldogs come to town.
The Bulldogs seek their first MW win against a USU team that has been firing on all cylinders early in the season.
RELATED: Utah State Defeats Nevada, Notches Third Straight Road Win
Happy New Year!
We made some resolutions for 2025. pic.twitter.com/iNr7BuITC5
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) January 1, 2025
The Aggies’ 13-1 start is the fifth-best in program history. All five have come since 2003, including 2008-09, when USU started 24-1 under Utah State Hall of Fame coach Stew Morrill. USU is 3-0 in MW play for the third time. The Aggies have a long way to go before equaling the 2020-21 season when the team won nine straight MW games to begin the year.
A tenacious full-court press combined with a frenzied half-court zone has limited opponents to 65.6 points per game on 42.4 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from deep. Utah State has held nine of its past ten opponents under 70 points, winning each game.
Four-time MW Player of the Week Mason Falslev has used his boundless energy to make his presence felt all over the floor. The former Sky View Bobcat quarterback leads Utah State in several statistical categories, including minutes played (30.8), three-point percentage (46 percent, 23-of-50), scoring (17 ppg), rebounding (6.3 rpg), assists (3.4 apg), and steals (2.6 spg).
The sophomore reached double-figures for the 14 straight game in a win over Nevada. Falslev added a career-high five steals while grabbing six rebounds and registering five helpers.
RELATED: Mason Falslev Earns Two Weekly Awards
Fresno State is 1-5 on the road, scoring 73.6 points and giving up 81.8. The Bulldogs’ -8.3 scoring margin is far and away the worst mark in the MW.
Former Salt Lake Community College guard Zaon Collins leads Fresno State with 13.4 points and dishes out a team-high four assists per night. Amar Augillard scores 13.3 points per game in just 20.3 minutes. Mykell Robinson and Elijah Price combine for 21.1 points and 14.9 boards per game.
Utah State sits just outside the AP top 25 after receiving 59 votes in the most recent poll.
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Utah State (13-1, 3-0) hosts Fresno State (4-10, 0-3) on Saturday, January 4, in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. MT. The game is broadcast locally on KMYU and streamed on the Mountain West Network.
Listen to USU basketball games on KSL Sports Zone with Scott Garrard on the call.
Find KSL Sports coverage of Utah State University Athletics here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here.
