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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- Austin Ainge came off the bench to score nine points during a 20-6 first half run that propelled Brigham Young to a 75-62 win over Utah State on Saturday.
Utah State (8-2) had won eight straight after dropping its season opener, but BYU (6-4) has been undefeated at home since dropping its first game of last season. The Cougars' home winning streak improved to 19 games with the win.
The Cougar defense held the Aggies to a season-low 36 percent including 0-7 from beyond the 3-point line. BYU also held the Aggies' leading scorer, Jacee Carroll, to 16 points, well below his 22.7 season average.
BYU led by 14 several times during the first half, but the Aggies held BYU without a field goal for the last 3:37 of the half to close that lead to eight at 36-28.
Utah State had an opportunity to cut the lead to six inside of one minute left in the half, but failed to convert. Instead, Ainge was fouled on a 3-point shot with .3 seconds in the half and made 2-of-3 to give the Cougars a 38-28 halftime lead.
The Aggies were never closer as the Cougars stretched the lead to as much as 20 points at 71-51 on a basket by Trent Plaisted with 5:15 remaining.
Plaisted had a game-high 18 points for the Cougars, 12 in the second half, while Keena Young added 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Cougars shot 51 percent for the game.
Carroll's 16 points led the Aggies.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-12-16-06 1845MST
