Utah State 77, Louisiana Tech 63
LOGAN, Utah -(USU Media Relations) Sophomore guard Preston Medlin and junior forward Kyisean Reed combined for 42 points to lead the Aggies of Utah State to a 77-63 caging of the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech Thursday night in Western Athletic Conference men's basketball action at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
USU opened up its season-long five-game homestand with a win, halting a two-game losing skid to improve to 13-12 overall and even its WAC ledger at 5-5. LA Tech lost its third in a row in falling to 11-13 overall and 3-6 in league play. With the win, the Aggies swept the season series with the Bulldogs, remaining perfect at home at 7-0 and improving to 14-2 overall, winning the last six meetings. Thursday was USU's 21st-straight home victory in the month of February, improving to 70-27 overall in the month under head coach Stew Morrill, including 44-4 at home.
Medlin was balanced with his scoring, netting 11 in each half to finish with his eighth-straight double-digit scoring outing and his seventh 20-point game this year. The sophomore guard drained four three-pointers, as USU was 6-of-13 from three-point range.
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San Jose State 79, Fresno State 71
San Jose, Calif.--(SJSU Media Relations) Keith Shamburger scored 13 of his 21 points in the two overtime periods leading San Jose State to a 79-71 victory over Fresno State in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game.
The Spartans (8-16, 1-8 WAC) ended a three-game losing streak and picked up their first conference win of the season.
San Jose State forward Wil Carter led all players in scoring with a career-high 23 and notched his second double-double in as many games with 12 rebounds.
“It was our fourth overtime game this year and it was really good to have one go our way,” said San Jose State head coach George Nessman, whose team won its first overtime contest in 2011-12.
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Idaho 59, New Mexico State 58
MOSCOW, Idaho –(UI Media Relations) Another big deficit, another dramatic home victory for the University of Idaho men’s basketball team on Thursday.
Idaho overcame a nine-point first-half hole and eliminated an eight-point New Mexico State lead with 5:58 to go in a 59-58 win over the Aggies at the Cowan Spectrum.
The Aggies have the Western Athletic Conference’s most imposing front line, but it was two Vandal posts who combined for the game’s biggest play. With Idaho trailing, 58-57, and less than 10 seconds left in the game, junior Kyle Barone took an inbound pass at the top of the key, drove his defender down the lane, then dished at the last second to senior forward Djim Bandoumel for the open finish with 5.4 ticks left.
“I felt like I could get by my guy,” Barone said of the play. “I saw Djim’s guy help and there was no one guarding him to help on help, so I just dished it off and he finished it.”
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Nevada 88, Hawai‘i 79
HONOLULU -(AP) Deonte Burton scored 20 points to lead Nevada to an 88-79 victory over Hawaii Thursday night.
Burton was one of five players that scored in double figures for the WAC-leading Wolf Pack (20-4, 9-1). Malik Story had 19 points, Olek Czyz and Dario Hunt scored 15 apiece and Jerry Evans Jr. had 11 points for Nevada. Hunt also had 17 rebounds.
Joston Thomas led Hawaii (13-10, 5-4) with 18 points. Hauns Brereton added 17 points, Jeremiah Ostrowski 15 and Vander Joaquim 14 for the Rainbow Warriors, who dropped to fourth in the WAC.
Hawaii led 39-36 at halftime, but Nevada's 15-4 run early in the second half gave the Wolf Pack a 53-48 lead. The Rainbow Warriors got as close as 71-67 before Nevada scored the next eight points to take control.
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