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Successful Senior Night For USU As Aggies Collar Bulldogs, 79-66, Monday
March 3, 2008
LOGAN, Utah - On Senior Night, Utah State's three seniors had memorable performances, led by All-American guard Jaycee Carroll's season-high tying 33 points in leading the Aggies to a 79-66 win over Fresno State on Monday in Western Athletic Conference men's basketball action at a sold-out Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The efforts of fellow seniors Stephen DuCharme and Kris Clark helped USU finish the regular season with a perfect 17-0 mark at home. The Aggies now have a 21-9 overall and 10-4 WAC ledger while the Bulldogs lost their second in a row in falling to 13-17 overall and 5-10 in WAC play. Utah State concludes regular-season home action as the only team in the WAC with an unblemished record in posting its fifth undefeated home season in the modern era (since 1957-58) and the first since the 2000-01 squad. The Aggies also played in front of their seventh-straight sellout Dee Glen Smith Spectrum crowd, marking the first time in the 37-year history of the arena that USU has had seven sellouts in a row. Carroll, an Evanston, Wyo., native, posted his second-straight 30-point game and third in last four games. His 33 points matches his point-output vs. Northern Arizona on Dec. 21. Carroll now has six 30-point postings this season and 10 for his career, which was celebrated along with those of his fellow seniors before the game. The victory was the Aggies' 14th Senior Night triumph in the last 15 years, avenging last season's loss to Fresno State in the home finale. USU is now 40-11 all-time on Senior Night dating back to 1957-58. Andover, Kan., native DuCharme tallied 13 points, his first double-digit outing since Jan. 24, while junior forward Gary Wilkinson (South Jordan, Utah) logged his third-straight and team-leading sixth double-double of the year with 17 points and 10 rebounds, tallying 15 points in the second half.
Carroll hit his first four three-pointers, including three of USU's first four baskets of the night, and finished 6-of-11 behind the three-point arc and was 10-of-18 from the field in addition to 7-of-7 at the free throw line. The six treys give Carroll 98 on the year, tying Reid Newey (1988-89) for the most three's made at USU's in a single-season. The Aggies shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) in the first half, opening a lead of as much as 19 at 29-10 at the 8:47 mark after a layup from freshman forward Tai Wesley as the Provo, Utah native finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. USU ended the night hitting 27-of-55 (49.1 percent) from the floor, including 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from behind the arc with Carroll making all six for the Aggies. Fresno State, which was led by Kevin Bell's 31 points, was 26-of-58 (44.8 percent) field goal shooting and hit 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from three-point range. For the third game in a row, the Aggies made more free throws than their opponent attempted, making 19-of-22 (86.4 percent) compared to 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) for the Bulldogs. USU also out-rebounded Fresno State, 36-27, including 10 offensive boards which led to a 20-6 second-chance points advantage.
By holding Fresno State to under 70, Utah State improved to 17-0 when holding the opposition to 69 points or less. A Wesley old-fashioned three-point play with five seconds left sent USU into halftime with a 40-30 lead but Fresno State closed the gap to 41-36 less than two minutes into the second stanza. The Aggies regained control with a 10-0 run capped by a three-pointer from Carroll and the Bulldogs didn't cut the gap to single-digits until 4:53 left on a Bell trey pulled them within, 66-59. A pair of Carroll free throws and a three-pointer sandwiched around a free throw by Wilkinson secured the win for Utah State. The Aggies conclude regular-season action on the road with two games, opening with a showdown at conference leader Boise State on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m. (MT) before concluding at Idaho on Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m. (MT). USU basketball games are broadcast on KVNU (610 AM) and KLZX (95.9 FM) in Logan, Utah, KFAN (1320 AM) or ESPN Radio (1230 AM) in Salt Lake City and KLZX (105.3 FM) in Montpelier, Idaho, as well as on the internet at www.UtahStateAggies.com through Yahoo! Sports. Al Lewis serves as the play-by-play announcer.
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