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After winning 3 straight games on the road, Utah State returns home this week to face 2 of the 3 top teams in the WAC, starting with Denver on Thursday night and finishing with New Mexico State on Saturday. The last time the Pioneers and the Aggies met, Denver beat the Aggies 68-57 shooting lights out from beyond the arc; 10-19 to be exact
The Aggies had just lost Preston Medlin and Kyisean Reed to injury and were coming off a demoralizing loss to New Mexico State; junior forward Spencer Butterfield says he's been looking forward to this week.
"I've waited the last couple weeks to play these guys, they put us in a rut for a little while and I'm ready for revenge," he said. Butterfield struggled in their last meeting scoring only 9 points in 34 minutes. Things are a bit different this time around for him; he's coming off his 5th straight double-double after dropping 22 points (1 point shy of his career high) and 10 rebounds on San Jose State.
"The team is hungry for it and I think we're a lot better now and more prepared for them," Butterfield said.
Coach Stew Morrill has also seen a change in his team from 4 weeks ago.
They put us in a rut for a little while and I'm ready for revenge.
–Spencer Butterfield
"We're excited about playing. Our guys are playing hard," he said. You can see those results on the defensive end. They held San Jose State to a season low 36 points on Friday and have held their last 3 opponents to a combined 37 percent from the field.
"There is more team defense going on," Butterfield said. "When someone is getting beat, we're doing a better job of helping."
Junior guard TeNale Roland attributes much of the Aggies improvement to consistency in the lineup. "Mainly the chemistry and playing together; we've been working harder in practice and been playing harder; harder on our defense and our offense is coming along."
"They're enjoying playing basketball," Morrill said. "They're enjoying each other, which is what it's supposed to be all about."
