Utah State Men's Basketball
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UTAH STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL Post-Game Notes vs. Air Force (1/21/20) TEAM NOTES * Utah State improved to 23-2 at home under head coach Craig Smith, which includes an 11-2 Mountain West record. Overall, USU is now 43-13 under Smith which includes a 19-7 record in MW play. All- time, USU is now 59-57 in MW play. * Utah State improved to 19-7 all-time against Air Force, including a perfect 12-0 record at home. * Utah State held Air Force to a season-low 47 points, while the 25-point loss (72-47) is also the worst for the Falcons this season. In fact, the 47 points scored by Air Force is its fewest in series history. * Utah State is now 12-3 on the season and 38-5 under Smith when leading at the half as it had a 32-21 lead at the break tonight. * Utah State improved to 14-2 on the season and 41-7 under Smith when it out-rebounds its opponent as it had a 45-34 advantage on the glass tonight. In fact, it was the ninth time this year that USU has finished a game with a double-digit rebounding advantage and USU is 9-0 in those games. * Utah State’s bench had an 18-12 scoring advantage tonight and USU is now 14-1 this year when its bench out-scores its opponent’s bench. * Utah State improved to 38-5 under Smith when scoring at least 70 points and 29-3 under Smith when holding its opponents under 70 points. USU is also a perfect 18-0 under Smith when holding its opponents under 60 points. * Utah State had four players score in double-figures for the 14th time this season and USU is now 13-1 in those games. * Utah State finished the game with nine steals, its second-most in a game this season. USU also had just 10 turnovers in the game, which is tied for its fifth-fewest in a game this year. * Utah State held Air Force to 3-of-19 (.158) shooting from 3-point range and those three made treys are the fewest by an Aggie opponent this year, as is the 15.8 percent shooting from behind the arc. INDIVIDUAL NOTES * Senior guard Sam Merrill scored in double-figures for the 18th time this year and 95th time in his career with his 15 points. His 95 double-figure scoring games are the fourth-most in school history. * With his 15 points tonight, Merrill has now scored 1,901 points and moved ahead of Cornell Green (1,890) and Brian Jackson (1,900) and into fourth place on the all-time scoring list in school history. Overall, Merrill is just the fifth player in school history to score 1,900 points in a career joining Jaycee Carroll (2,522), Greg Grant (2,127), Wayne Estes (2,001) and Brian Jackson (1,900). * Merrill played in his 118th career game tonight, which is tied with Jeff O. Anderson (1985-88) for the 10th most games played in school history. Merrill also started his 106th career game tonight, which is the seventh-most in school history. * Sophomore center Neemias Queta scored in double-figures for the sixth time this year and 30th time in his career with his 14 points. * Sophomore forward Justin Bean notched his 12th double-double of the season and the 13th of his career with his 16 points and 13 rebounds. Overall, it was his 15th double-figure scoring game this year and 19th of his career, and his 15th double-digit rebound game this year and the 16th of his career. Bean also led the team with five assists, marking the third time this year and in his career that he has had at least five assists in a game. * Senior forward Diogo Brito scored in double-figures for the 11th time this year and 30th time in his career with his 10 points. Brito also played in his 107th career game tonight, which is tied with Preston Medlin (2010, ’12-14) for the 23rd most games played in school history. * Freshman guard Sean Bairstow tied his season-high with six rebounds. .