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2010 ALL-WAC CANDIDATE HONORS: Preseason All-WAC (2010); WAC All-Tournament Team (2009); National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 6 Second-Team (2009); Preseason All-WAC (2009). THIS SEASON: A skilled post player who understands how to play the game... Has a big body and is very good on the block as a scorer and passer... Is one of the best post players in the WAC and the coaching staff wants him to become the best power forward in the conference... Ranks fourth all-time at Utah State in field goal shooting at 61.1 percent (290-475) and is seventh all-time in blocks with 62... Has scored in double-figures 44 times during his Aggie career and has five 20-point games and six double-doubles... Has started 59 of USU's last 60 games. 2009 SEASON (SO.): Started all 35 games for Utah State and finished the season averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 59.2 percent from the field and 68.4 percent from three-point range... Earned NABC All-District 6 second-team honors... Ranked second in the WAC in field goal shooting and was 11th in rebounding... Scored in double-figures 26 times during the year, including two 20-point games... Had a season-high 26 points and a career-high five steals against Boise State at home as he was 9-of-12 from the field and 7-of-12 from the free throw line... Also posted four double-doubles during the season, including 14 points and a career-high tying 11 rebounds at Nevada in the championship game of the WAC Tournament... Was named to the WAC's all-tournament team as he averaged 10.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game... Was one assist shy of recording just the fourth triple-double in school history at home against Weber State as he finished the game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists... Named to the USU hosted Duel in the Desert all-tournament team as he averaged 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game... Was USU's top rebounder 14 times, its top scorer eight times and its top assist man six times during the season... Led the team for the second year in a row with 11 charges taken to go along with five dunks... Voted the Most Inspirational Player by his teammates. 2008 SEASON (R-Fr.): Started 24 games and played in all 35 in his first season of competition at Utah State... Finished the year by averaging 9.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 63.5 percent from the field and 72.2 percent from the free throw line... Played 22.7 minutes per game... Averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds as a starter... Ranked first on the team and eighth in the WAC with 0.9 blocks per game (33)... Was also first on the team and third in the WAC in field goal shooting... His 63.5 field goal shooting ranks sixth all-time at Utah State for a single-season... Scored in double-figures 18 times during the season, including three 20-point games... Scored a season-high 27 points against Hawai'i on Jan. 3 in Logan as he was 7-of-8 from the field and 13-of-16 from the free throw line... Those 27 points are the second-most ever scored by a USU freshman in a single game, trailing the 28 points scored by Jaycee Carroll against UC Santa Barbara during the 2005 season... Posted two double-doubles during the season as he had 11 points and a season-high 11 rebounds against Prairie View A&M, and 13 points and 10 rebounds at Nevada... Recorded a season-high six blocks against San Jose State in the first round of the WAC Tournament, which is tied for the third-most blocks in a single game in school history... Posted a season-high six assists against Utah Valley... Was Utah State's leading scorer three times during the year and its top rebounder five times... Played 20-plus minutes in 25 games during the season and 30 or more minutes in 10 games... Took 20 charges during the season to lead the team and was second in dunks with six. 2005 SEASON (RS): Redshirted during his first year at Utah State. HIGH SCHOOL: Named Mr. Basketball in the state of Utah by the Deseret News and the 4A Most Valuable Player by the Salt Lake Tribune as a prep senior... Averaged 16.7 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal per game during his senior season, while shooting 65 percent from the field... Led Provo High School to the state title as he was named tournament MVP after averaging 19.3 points in four games... Is the third Player of the Year from the state of Utah to play for head coach Stew Morrill, joining Tony Brown and Nate Harris... A graduate of the same high school that produced Morrill. PERSONAL: Full name is Tai William Evans Wesley... Born May 13, 1986 in Orem, Utah... One of seven children of Susan and Hiagi Wesley... Is the younger brother of former Brigham Young standout Mekeli Wesley, Russell Wesley who played at Utah Valley, and 2003 all-state selection Tika Wesley... Majoring in interdisciplinary studies... Enjoys golfing, boating and playing video games... Returned from a two-year LDS Church Mission in Oaxaca, Mexico in May, 2007... First name is pronounced Tie. DID YOU KNOW? Tai's older brother, Mekeli, was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2001 as a senior at Brigham Young University. COACH MORRILL ON WESLEY: Tai is a good basketball player and has done a great job for us in his freshman and sophomore seasons. For us to be an upper-echelon WAC team, we need Tai's game to continue to grow. More scoring, more rebounding and better defensive play are the areas that should come during his junior year. I view Tai as an all-WAC type player who worked hard in the offseason to expand his game. COACH DURYEA ON WESLEY: Tai had his best summer as far as improving his body and improving his athleticism. He is ready for a breakout year and he needs to take over the leadership void left by Gary Wilkinson. Tai's instincts for the game are as good as anybody we've had in this program. |
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