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LOGAN (AP) — Justin Bean had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Sam Merrill added 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists as No. 17 Utah State beat rival Weber State 89-34 on Friday night.
Abel Porter added 10 points and 10 assists for his first career double-double. Diogo Brito scored 12 points. The Aggies (2-0) beat the Wildcats for the second straight season.
Weber State (0-1) scored the fewest points by an opponent in Logan since 2013. Donatas Kupsas scored 10 points to lead the Wildcats.
Each team played without its top player. Utah State center Neemia Queta was sidelined for a second straight game while continuing to rehab a knee injury. Weber State guard Jerrick Harding, the team's leading scorer a season ago, sat out with a foot injury.
Things spiraled out control for Weber State a few minutes into the game.
After taking a 6-4 lead on a 3-pointer by Israel Barnes, the Wildcats went 11½ minutes without making a basket. Weber State missed 10 straight shots and turned the ball over seven times in that stretch.
That allowed Utah State to pull away, and the Aggies did it in commanding fashion.
The Aggies used a 20-2 run — capped by a second-chance dunk by Kuba Karwowski — to race to a 24-8 lead. After Kupsas hit a 3-pointer to break Weber State's lengthy shooting drought, Utah State mounted another overwhelming run before halftime.
Merrill drained a 3-pointer and Bean converted traditional three-point plays over three straight possessions to spark a 27-2 run by the Aggies. Merrill capped the run with another 3-pointer on Utah State's first possession of the second half, giving the Aggies a 51-13 lead.
BIG PICTURE
Weber State: Without their leading scorer, the Wildcats were rudderless on offense. They shot just 10 of 46 from the field and endured a flurry of turnovers that contributed to the blowout.
Utah State: Relentless defensive pressure and crashing the boards helped the Aggies run away from the Wildcats before halftime. Utah State ultimately finished with a 44-27 advantage on rebounds and forced 19 turnovers. The Aggies outscored Weber State 48-8 in the paint, 19-4 in second-chance points, and 23-1 in points off turnovers.
UP NEXT
Weber State: Hosts San Diego on Thursday.
Utah State: Hosts Denver on Tuesday.
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