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Logan • With its offensive struggles of late November/early December, Utah State looked like a team in desperate need of a leader to take control, score points and give it a top option.
That role was supposed to go to Brady Jardine. But the senior is out for the season with a foot injury. Brockeith Pane was also a candidate. But the senior point guard has inexplicably been in a season-long funk.
In USU's 73-69 win on Tuesday night over Texas Arlington at the Spectrum, Preston Medlin looked like that player, the offensive weapon who could put points on the board and set others up with easy shots.
During the first game of Utah State's annual Gossner Classic, Medlin scored a career-high 27 points, handed out eight assists, grabbed four rebounds and turned the ball over just once in 33 tantalizing minutes.
It was one of USU's best performances by a guard since the graduation of Jaycee Carroll. Medlin hit six 3-pointers, drove the lane, and pretty much did what he wanted offensively.
"It was a pretty good show that he put on," Aggies coach Stew Morrill said. "He had a huge night. He's playing awfully well right now. He was shooting it, he was passing it, he did it all."
The game was much more lopsided than the score indicated. Utah State led 70-52 with 3:32 remaining, thanks to Medlin and Kyisean Reed, who scored all 13 of his points in the second half.
But the Mavericks, aided by a suffocating press and lethargic USU turnovers, rallied by scoring 11 points in the final minute. The margin ended up closer than it should've been, but this was one of the more impressive victories of the year for the Aggies.
"It was definitely a game that wasn't as close as the score turned out to be," UT Arlington coach Scott Cross said. "You have to give Utah State a lot of credit. They do a heck of a job. They are unbelievably well coached. No matter what defense we were in, they got a good shot. Preston Medlin has skills. We tried everything we could do to stop him and it didn't work."
Danny Berger scored 12 points, handed out four assists and grabbed three rebounds for the Aggies. Utah State plays St. Peter's on Wednesday night, followed by Kent State on Thursday.
Twitter: @tonyaggieville —
Highlights
R Preston Medlin scores a career-high 27 points for the Aggies.
• Kyisean Reed scores all 13 of his points in the second half.
• The Aggies move to 6-5 on the season.