Of its 45 academic all-WAC selections, Utah State had 18 student-athletes from women's indoor track honored and 15 from men's indoor track, along with five from both gymnastics and women's basketball, and two from men's basketball.
THIS SEASON:
Has been working hard to improve his strength, which is a factor at this level for him... Needs to be a knock-down shooter because he has the ability to stretch the floor as a power forward... Expected to continue to show progress and development he showed last season.
2012 SEASON (R-Fr.):
Played in 36 games, starting four, during his freshman season... Finished the season averaging 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocked shots per game, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field (58-114), 38.9 percent from three-point range (7-18) and 72.9 percent at the free throw line (35-48)... Ranked 15th in the WAC in blocked shots (0.47)... Played an average of 16.8 minutes per game... Scored in double-figures three times during the season including a career-high 12 points against Louisiana Tech (3/8) in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament as he was 5-of-5 from the field, 1-of-1 from three-point range and 1-for-2 at the free throw line... Recorded a career-high nine rebounds against Loyola Marymount (3/21) in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament... Blocked a career-high four shots against Hawai'i (1/26)... Played a career-high 37 minutes at Idaho State in his first career start as he scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds... Led the team in rebounding five times during the season and had five or more boards in 13 games on the year... Earned academic all-WAC honors.
2011 SEASON (FR.):
Redshirted during his first season at Utah State.
HIGH SCHOOL:
Earned first-team all-state honors from both the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News and was the Most Valuable Player of Region III as a prep senior as he averaged 16.6 points and approximately 8.0 rebounds per game at Bingham High School... Scored in double-figures 22 times, including a career-high 31 points against Taylorsville... Led the Miners to 21 wins during his senior campaign... Scored in double-figures 22 times as a junior as he earned first-team all-state honors from the Salt Lake Tribune and second-team all-state honors from the Deseret News... Averaged 13.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a junior, while shooting 60.1 percent from the field and 70.0 percent from the free throw line... During his junior season, he helped the Miners to a 17-7 record as they advanced to the semifinals of the state tournament.
PERSONAL:
Full name is Benjamin E. Clifford ... Born April 10, 1992 in Center Moriches, New York... One of three children of Wayne and Patty Clifford... His brother, John, played college basketball at Southern Utah and played professionally for Kyoto Hannarayz in Japan... Majoring in operations management.
