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The sort of half Koby McEwen had in Saturday night's win over UNLV, Utah State coach Tim Duryea recalled, is one that's tough to top. It was a "career-type" half of basketball, he said, one that was "amazing to watch."
Thing is, the true freshman guard just keeps one-upping himself.
"He has so much confidence and so much will that he believes the ball should be in his hands, that he is going to make every shot and that the other team can't guard him," Duryea said Monday. "He gives you a little bit of swag that rubs off on people."
Prior to scoring 24 second-half points in the win over the Runnin' Rebels in Logan, he had 16 second-half points in the win over New Mexico three days before. Even in USU's first two Mountain West Conference losses, McEwen exploded for 17 second-half points against both Boise State and Air Force.
The Wasatch Academy graduate leads all MWC freshmen this season in points per game (15.1), assists (3.2) as well as assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5). But it's his rise in the second halves of games that's turning the 6-foot-4 guard into the Aggies' closer.
McEwen is shooting 63 percent from the floor (21 of 33) and an astonishing 70 percent from behind the arc (14 of 20) in the final 20 minutes of USU's four MWC games this season.
"I'm happy about it, but not too happy about it, because in the first half I always play like crap, and I don't like it," he said after scoring a career-high 28 points against UNLV. "I need to come out and just play like how I play in the second half in the first. We'll see what happens. I'm happy that I stay with it. If I have a bad first half, I don't get down on myself. It's whatever. Just play."
USU suddenly is being paced by its two true freshmen guards in McEwen and Sam Merrill, who have thrived playing alongside one another since Duryea inserted the former Bountiful High star in the starting lineup last week.
Including senior Jalen Moore, the Aggies have the only trio in the conference with three players ranked in the top 10 in 3-point field-goal percentage.
"You have three 40-percent-plus 3-point shooters on the floor, and it makes you a little harder to zone," Duryea said. "Sam is more of a ball mover — and the ball is in his hands less — has really helped Koby and Jalen. It has been two home games, so the sample size is small, but so far I have liked the move."
McEwen's second-half sizzle certainly isn't waning. Which USU hopes carries into Wednesday's game at Wyoming, where the Aggies haven't won in nearly 55 years. The last time USU topped the Cowboys in Laramie? Feb. 16, 1962.
His 28 points against UNLV tied a USU single-game scoring record by a true freshman. Should he continue his scoring average, McEwen would be the highest scoring freshman in the MWC since UNLV's Anthony Bennett — a fellow Toronto native — who went on to become the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
"When you get in that mode, you just try not to force things because it can make you look pretty stupid sometimes," he said. "So you just go with the flow."
Lately, the flow's gone whichever way McEwen demands.
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
Utah State at Wyoming
P At the Arena Auditorium, Laramie, Wyo.
Tipoff • 7 p.m.
TV • ROOT
Radio • 610 AM, 1280 AM, 102.1 FM
Records • Utah State 8-7, 2-2; Wyoming 11-5, 1-2
Series history • Wyoming leads 48-26
Last meeting • USU won 88-70 (March 9, 2016 in Las Vegas)
About the Aggies • USU is looking for its first win in Laramie since Feb. 16, 1962. … The history between the two programs is the seventh-longest rivalry in USU basketball history. … The Aggies are second in the MWC in 3-pointers per game at 10.5 per outing. … Senior Jalen Moore has scored in double figures in 28 straight games. … Moore needs 19 points to move to No. 15 on USU's all-time scoring list.
About the Cowboys • Riding a two-game MWC skid after losses at UNLV (81-75) and Fresno State (85-70). … Cowboys have four players averaging in double digits in Justin James, Jason McManamen, Hayden Dalton and Alan Herndon. … Wyoming has beat USU six out of the past seven times in Laramie.