This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Logan • Three weeks ago, Utah State looked downright disjointed.
There was no chemistry. The offense looked forced, the defense was just as bad and the days of the Aggies becoming just another mediocre college basketball team seemed imminent.
As it turns out, USU's predicted demise may have been a little off. In Utah State's annual Gossner Tournament, the Aggies have looked like a team that can challenge for the Western Athletic Conference title for the fifth straight season.
For the second consecutive night, USU blew out an opponent. Unlike Tuesday, however, when the Aggies allowed a last-minute rally, Utah State started fast and ran right by St. Peters, 72-47, at the Spectrum.
"Last month, we were still learning each other's names," senior forward Morgan Grim said. "We were really feeling each other out. Guys were trying to figure out where to go and what to do on offense. It was tough because we had so many new people. But I think we're starting to gain some confidence now and starting to know each other a little better."
In winning this game, the Aggies, for perhaps the first time this season, looked completely dominant from start to finish.
It's clear that extended practice time in December has been good to Utah State.
The Aggies, against the Peacocks, ran a crisp offense that yielded good looks on the majority of their possessions. Utah State's defense stymied St. Peters, and the game was never in doubt.
Utah State started with a 20-4 run, and from there the lead grew to as many as 28 points. More importantly, the Aggies are finding different ways to win. On Tuesday night, against Texas-Arlington, USU received 27 points from Preston Medlin.
With the sophomore guard the target of St. Peter's defense on Wednesday night, Medlin passed off for six assists. Grim scored 17 points and added 10 rebounds. Senior point guard Brockeith Pane scored 12.
In all, nine of the 11 USU players who saw action scored. E.J Farris came off the bench for five assists and the Aggies went 18-23 from the free-throw line.
"We told Preston that we needed him to make some plays for other people," Utah State head coach Stew Morrill said. "It was good to have a little balance here. We went deep into the bench, and we're starting to figure out what some of our rotation is starting to look like. I thought we played well, but we're going to need to play much better tomorrow night against Kent State."
Utah State is currently on a three-game winning streak, its longest of the season.
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Highlights
R Utah State opens the game on a 20-4 run.
• Nine Aggies score as Morgan Grim notches a double-double.
• The Aggies now have won three consecutive games.