Utah State Wins Ninth-Straight, Blows Out Utah Tech
Dec 7, 2024, 9:06 PM
Utah State guard Deyton Albury throws down a dunk in a 92-62 Aggie win over Utah Tech. (Utah State Athletics, Journee Stewart)
(Utah State Athletics, Journee Stewart)
LOGAN, Utah – The Utah State Aggies pressured, harassed, and trapped Utah Tech into a defensive-controlled 92-62 USU win. Utah State never trailed in its ninth consecutive win, a start that equals the best mark in program history.
Utah State (9-0) put its undefeated record on the line against the Utah Tech Trailblazers (2-9) on Saturday, December 7.
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This sequence 😍#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/AyN6rO3ZZz
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) December 8, 2024
Utah State employed a balanced offensive attack, with five players reaching double-digits. Oregon State transfer Dexter Akanno came off the bench with 16 points, followed by 13 from Ian Martinez and 12 from Drake Allen and Aubin Gateretse.
Justin Bieker was the only Trailblazer in double figures, finishing with 14 points and four threes. The Aggies forced 15 turnovers that led to 20 points.
First Half
In the opening minutes, Utah State’s swarming zone defense slowed the Trailblazer’s offense. Aubin Gateretse hit his first three of the year as the Aggies took a 14-11 lead into the first timeout.
Never saw him coming ⚡️@deyton242 #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/GuPV3C6GYf
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) December 8, 2024
A nearly four-minute scoring drought from Utah Tech allowed USU to expand the lead to 20-11 with 10:37 left in the half. The Aggies forced four turnovers and grabbed five offensive rebounds in the opening minutes, exerting their will on both ends.
Utah Tech’s Tennessee Rainwater finally broke through the Aggie defense for a dunk, cutting the lead to 24-15. Utah Tech missed 11-of-13 shots at one point.
Ian gets 🆙@IanJumaine #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/rLfFY005cP
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) December 8, 2024
The Trailblazers used a 9-0 run late in the half to cut the deficit to eight with four minutes left.
Ian Martinez ended the half with a three to give Utah State a 42-28 halftime lead. Gateretse’s ten points led the Aggies, followed by nine from Martinez and eight from Dexter Akanno.
Justin Bieker paced the Trailblazers with eight points.
Second Half
USU’s offense came out firing to open the half, going on a 7-2 run in 90 seconds. The lead ballooned to 21 points as Utah State made four of five shots to start the half.
What a pass, what a finish 😮@IanJumaine ➡️ Drake Allen#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/WdS8qJYLXU
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) December 8, 2024
A defense alternating between full-court presses, zones, and a touch of man pressure kept Utah Tech out of sorts on the offensive end.
A 9-0 Trailblazer run midway through the half cut the Aggie lead to 17 with 5:55 to play.
Utah State bumped the lead back to 27 with a 12-2 run.
Back-to-back dunks for KT 🔥@karsontemplin #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/GSfCfNtInw
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) December 8, 2024
Utah State pulled away for a 92-62 win.
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Utah State hosts the South Florida Bulls on Saturday, December 14. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. MT.
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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.
