This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah State received perhaps its best bit of news of the season on Saturday night, and it was Nate Bendall all the way.
It wasn't Bendall's career-high 16 rebounds. It wasn't his 12 points. It wasn't his activity on both ends of the floor.
No, it was the number 36. That's how many minutes Bendall played against Fresno State. A career-high, it holds special significance because it means that Bendall's as healthy as he's been all season. His chronically bad feet had limited him to about 15-20 minutes a night.
But a healthy Bendall is huge for Utah State. Going forward, Bendall is the biggest body the Aggies have, at 6-9 245 pounds. He's the guy who will protect Tai Wesley, keep him out of foul trouble, allow him to do what he does best. He's the guy who guards the best low post scorer on the opposing team.
Having him healthy, no matter the statistical production, means more than points or rebounds.
It means that the Aggies are a more dangerous team.
Tony Jones