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(AP file photo)LOGAN -- The Utah State Aggies (9-4) end a much needed six-day break, and will get an opportunity Tuesday to make some tune-ups before heading into WAC play as they take on the Division II Western Oregon Wolves (6-2) at the Spectrum.
The Aggies concluded a strenuous five games in eight nights stretch by sweeping the Basketball Travelers Invitational hosted at the Spectrum from Dec. 21-23.
There is a lot of roller coaster; a lot of dips. You just gotta keep fighting and trying to make it an upward progression instead of a downward.
–USU Head Coach Stew Morrill
The Aggies looked like two or three different teams during that five game stretch and that roller coaster theme has dominated the Aggies pre-WAC play. The Aggies defeated the lowly, but athletic Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners 68-51 at Bakersfield, Calif. Wednesday, Dec.16, but then the Long Beach State 49ers dominated the Aggies 75-62 Dec. 18. Aggie Head Coach Stew Morrill called the loss "embarrassing" and challenged his team, especially the veterans, to step up and play the way he knows they can play.
The Aggies have had some set-backs but the good news for the Aggies is that they arguably played their best basketball of the season during the Basketball Travelers Invitational.
Utah State defeated Morehead State (79-72), a team that is picked to win their conference, and cruised to an easy win over Cal State Fullerton (83-60). The Aggies conclude the tournament with a win over the Weber State Wildcats 85-73 and claimed both the tournament championship and the Old Oquirrh Bucket which is given to the team with the best record against in-state opponents.
The Aggies received career nights from sophomore center Modou Niang who finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, and sophomore Brady Jardine scored eight points and pulled down six rebounds. The two big men filled the shoes of junior forward Nate Bendall who did not play after undergoing a heart procedure earlier that day.
"I guess there's an outside chance we could have him (Nate Bendall) for Western Oregon, but that's probably an outside chance," said Morrill.
Western Oregon sophomore guard Blair Wheadon scored 21 points to lead the Wolves to a 71-66 victory over the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers Saturday, Dec. 19 at the New PE Building in Monmouth, Ore. The Wolves found a way to win in a game where they allowed the Orediggers to shoot 44.4 percent from the field while shooting only 40 percent on the night.
Wolves senior forward Matt Schmidt added 15 points and sophomore guard Kyle Long chipped in 12 points. Senior forward Rico Myles had a monster night on the glass grabbing 12 rebounds.
Four of the five Wolves' starters are averaging double-digits in the high-powered offense.
Schmidt leads the team with 15.4 points per game. Wheadon is averaging 13 points, Long 12.6, and Myles is 10.2 points per game. Freshman forward Terrance Glynn is averaging 9.9 points per game for the Wolves who are averaging 78.2 points per game and are shooting 47.3 percent from the field.
The Aggies have never faced the Western Oregon Wolves, but shouldn't have a problem cruising to an easy victory over a defense that allows their opponents to shoot 48 percent from the field and score 71 points per game.
Tip-off is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Spectrum.
