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Logan • Utah State coach Tim Duryea used his same starting lineup for the fifth straight game Saturday night, when the Aggies played San Jose State at the Spectrum.
Three weeks ago, the Aggies snapped a five-game losing streak when Duryea decided to start freshman Quinn Taylor at center and junior Lew Evans at power forward.
The decision enabled Jalen Moore to slide to small forward and Chris Smith to move to shooting guard — their most natural positions. Senior Darius Perkins continues to start at point guard.
"When we do that and aren't in foul trouble, it gives us our best chance of being as good as we can be defensively and on the boards," Duryea said.
"… That lineup gives us the best chance. We haven't sacrificed a lot offensively by doing that and it gives us the flexibility, if we are struggling offensively, to go back to being smaller."
Spartans improving
San Jose State was 8-19 overall and 3-12 in the Mountain West Conference prior to facing Utah State.
Still, the Spartans might be one of the league's most improved teams.
Last year, San Jose State finished 0-18 in the Mountain West. It won only twice in 30 games all season and did not beat a Division I opponent.
Coach Dave Wojcik seems to have San Jose on the right track, however.
The Spartans started three freshman against the Aggies, including forward Ryan Welage, forward Cody Schwartz and guard Jaycee Hillsman.
In all, freshmen account for 44.5 percent of San Jose State's scoring this season. Of all the teams in the country, only Kentucky has gotten a bigger percentage of its points from true freshmen than the Spartans.
"Some of the young guys have really emerged," Duryea said.
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