| Aggies
never trail in win over Nevada 
GOTTA GET IT: Jaycee
Carroll stumbles for the ball as it bounces between
two Wolfpack players. / Photo by Tyler Larson
|
By C. Jake Williams
February 3, 2008 | Gary Wilkinson's career night
and a solid performance by Jaycee Carroll helped
Utah State top Nevada, 77-63, in the Spectrum
Saturday night. Utah State now leads the WAC with
a 6-1 conference record and is 16-6 overall.
Wilkinson scored a career-high 23 points on
9 of 11 shooting, including a rare three-point
bucket that made the score 34-20. He added a team-high
10 rebounds to earn his third double-double of
the season.
"Gary might have had his best game as an Aggie,"
said coach Stew Morrill.
The Aggies controlled the game from the tipoff
and never trailed Nevada. An 11-0 run made the
score 13-2 four minutes into the game and Carroll's
three-pointer with 14:02 left in the first half
made the score 20-6.
|
ROAR! Gary Wilkinson
yells at the crowd after an offensive rebound
and putback. / Photo by Tyler Larson |
Both Carroll and Wilkinson had outscored Nevada with
eight points at that time, and finished the first half
with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Nevada scored 36
in the first half to USU's 47.
Nevada cut the lead to single digits when freshman
guard Armon Johnson's layup made the score 54-45 with
12:45 left in the game. Carroll then hit two free throws
and USU lead by double digits the rest of the way. Even
with that cushion, the Aggies played hard until the
final buzzer.
"I was never comfortable," said Morrill. "My assistants
were telling me to get (bench) guys in with a minute
and a half to go. I wasn't sure I wanted to."
The biggest difference in the game was shooting proficiency.
Led by Wilkinson, who was a perfect 6-6 from the floor
at halftime, the Aggies shot 54 percent from the field
for the game compared to Nevada's 39 percent. USU also
shot better percentages than Nevada from the arc and
charity stripe.
Nevada guard Marcelus Kemp scored a team-high 16 points
and forward JaVale McGee led the team with 12 rebounds,
nine of which came on the offensive glass. "McGee, he's
a monster in there," said Carroll.
Utah State next plays Fresno State in California on
Thursday before returning Saturday to host San Jose
State at 7:05 p.m. in the Spectrum.
Notes
Utah State's opponent for Feb. 23 will be announced
Monday. The game, part of the ESPN BracketBuster program,
will be played in the Spectrum.
The home crowd erupted in disbelief after Nevada coach
Mark Fox grabbed Kris Clark during one of Clark's many
steal attempts. The officials ruled the ball was already
dead when the contact occurred in front of the Nevada
bench, but the Spectrum crowd ruled to the contrary.
"The ball was already out of bounds," said Fox.
USU's 6-foot-2 senior guard Kris Clark can palm a
basketball. After stepping out of bounds on an attempted
steal during the second half, Clark dribbled the ball
in frustration all the way to the opposite basket. Clark
then turned and carried the ball one-handed back to
officials.
Instead of silence or cheering during Tai Wesley's
second free throw with 2:01 left in the game, the Spectrum
crowd loudly shushed itself. Wesley missed the attempt
before JaVale McGee was called for goaltending on the
rebound. Here's a thought: This tactic, shushing, would
perhaps be better utilized during free-throw attempts
by the visiting team.
After the game coach Morrill said USU freshman Tyler
Newbold is "about as stable a freshman as you can find."
Newbold scored six points on twin straight-away treys
in the second half but before those attempts Newbold
hesitated to take even rhythm jumpers. The freshman
shot 2 for 3 for the game and averages just over four
points per contest.
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