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LOGAN -- Another exhibition game, another blowout win for Utah State Saturday night at the Spectrum. Jared Quayle led USU with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting - including five 3-pointers - as the Aggies ran over their Canadian competition, Trinity Western, 65-40.
Similar to USU's first exhibition game, the Aggies started hot, scoring the first 15 points of the game. USU connected on seven of its first eight field goal attempts, while forcing Trinity Western to miss its first seven attempts. Guard Calvin Westbrook finally put the Spartans on the board when he connected on a two-point jumper more than five minutes into the game.
"That part's really positive," said USU head coach Stew Morrill of the Aggies fast start. "We're ready to go when the game starts, making shots, making plays, playing good defense and not letting them score. It was a great way to start the game; hopefully we can keep that up."
And at least through the first half, keep it up is exactly what the Aggies did. Behind some hot shooting and aggressive defense, USU continued to build on its lead. Leading 24-9 with six minutes remaining in the opening period, Quayle connected and three straight 3-pointers and assisted guard Brian Green on another whipping the Spectrum crowd into a frenzy.
"I've got to give credit to my teammates setting good screens, and just running the offense and throwing back and getting me the ball and I was wide open," said the senior sharpshooter. "I was hitting the shots, but they were doing all the work."
Quayle hit all five of his field goals in the opening period, including a scorching 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Junior forward Tai Wesley was also perfect from the floor, going 3-of-3 from the field while connecting on 5-of-6 free throws.
After 20 minutes of play Quayle was tied with the Spartans, and the Aggies headed to the locker room up 44-14.
"(Setting the tone) is key. We want to try and do that every game, that's important for us. If we come out sluggish and not on it, we're going to get beat," Quayle said. "Our coach emphasizes that we need to come out and be on top of it and get into them defensively early, and that sets the tone and we can have a good first half and carry on into the second half."
That early tone, however, did not carry over into the second half. Trinity Western threw a defense twist at the Aggies in the second half - a 1-3-1 extended zone - and the Aggie offense sputtered.
After shooting over 60 percent in the first half, including 75 percent from the 3-point line, the Aggies dropped off dramatically. USU connected on only 6-of-22 shots in the second half (27 percent), and was even worse from long range, only knocking down 2-of-12 3-pointers (16.7 percent).
The Spartans - who had beaten Utah Valley earlier in the week - held the Aggies to 21 second half points, while outscoring them by five over the final 20 minutes.
"I think the first half we played well, defensively we were on it," said junior forward Matt Formisano. "The second half I think they beat us by five, and we kind of had a letdown. That's something we need to work on, being more consistent playing both halves well."
Playing consistently is something Morrill said his team needs to work on and improve at. The Aggies will need to learn quickly as they start a three-game road trip to open the season Friday at Weber State.
"We've got to continue to play as hard as we're playing. We've got to not get too wrapped up in the fact that it's the road," Morrill said. "Through the years we've been pretty good on the road. We've got to get excited, get ready and go play."
The coach, though, is wary of the Wildcats who are led by Morrill's former assistant Randy Rahe.
"It's their official opener on their home court," he said. "We went down there a couple years ago and didn't fare too well. That will probably be brought up."
