BLOOMINGTON, IN – MARCH 19: Steven Ashworth #3 of the Utah State Aggies reacts during the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament against Texas Tech Red Raiders held at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on March 19, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men’s basketball will open its Mountain West slate at Air Force on Tuesday, Dec. 28, as the league announced the 2021-22 conference schedule on Friday.
The conference opener will be a throwback for the Aggies as Utah State faced the Falcons in its 2013-14 season opener during its inaugural year in the Mountain West. USU will then host San José State on New Year’s Day, marking the fifth time the Aggies have played host to the Spartans in their home debut in league play, the most against any foe in the MW.
Utah State remains at home for its next game against Boise State on Tuesday, Jan. 4, before heading back on the road for a pair of games at New Mexico on Saturday, Jan. 8, and Colorado State on Tuesday, Jan. 11. The Aggies host Wyoming on Saturday, Jan. 15, and then return to the road against Fresno State on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Utah State then has its first bye of the season before hosting San Diego State on Tuesday, Jan. 25, following a week off.
The Aggies close the month of January at Nevada on Saturday, Jan. 29, and then ring in the month of February by facing Air Force for the second time, hosting the Falcons in Logan on Tuesday, Feb. 1. Utah State remains at home on Saturday, Feb. 5, playing UNLV, and then takes to the road to face Wyoming in Laramie on Tuesday, Feb. 8. The Aggies host Nevada on Saturday, Feb. 12, before spending Valentine’s Day in San Diego, facing the Aztecs of San Diego State on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
Utah State wraps up the month of February with a game at Boise State on Saturday, Feb. 19, and then back-to-back home games against New Mexico on Tuesday, Feb. 22, and Colorado State on Saturday, Feb. 26. The Aggies then have their second bye of the year before playing at San José State on Saturday, March 5, in the regular season conference finale.
The MW Men’s Basketball Championships will be held March 9-12, inside the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 2021-22 MW schedule represents the first phase in the 2021-22 men’s basketball schedule process. Mountain West national television partners CBS Sports and FOX Sports will now initiate a selection procedure, which will include the shifting of several games from their current Saturday and Tuesday dates.
Utah State will be under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Odom, who joined the Aggies after a five-year stint as head coach at Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Odom led the Retrievers to a 97-60 (.573) record, including a 50-29 mark in the America East Conference. In the 2018 NCAA Tournament, UMBC became the first-ever 16-seed to win a first-round game as it posted a 74-54 win against top overall seed Virginia.
Utah State returns seven letterwinners from a season ago, including a pair of starters in senior forward Justin Bean and senior guard Brock Miller. Bean is a two-time all-MW selection, including second-team honors during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign, and the top returning scorer (11.4 ppg) and rebounder (7.7 rpg) for the Aggies this season.
Utah State then welcomes eight newcomers to the fold, including senior guard RJ Eytle-Rock and senior forward Brandon Horvath, who each played under Odom at UMBC. Eytle-Rock and Horvath were the top two scorers for the Retrievers, averaging 14.3 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. The Aggies will also be bolstered by Utah transfer Rylan Jones, who appeared in 45 games with the Utes over the last two years. Jones prepped locally at Logan High School before finishing his high school career at Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah.
Utah State men’s basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men’s basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).
Utah State Men’s Basketball 2021-22 MW Schedule
Tuesday, Dec. 28 – at Air Force
Saturday, Jan. 1 – San José State
Tuesday, Jan. 4 – Boise State
Saturday, Jan. 8 – at New Mexico
Tuesday, Jan. 11 – at Colorado State
Saturday, Jan. 15 – Wyoming
Tuesday, Jan. 18 – at Fresno State
Tuesday, Jan. 25 – San Diego State
Saturday, Jan. 29 – at Nevada
Tuesday, Feb. 1 – Air Force
Saturday, Feb. 5 – UNLV
Tuesday, Feb. 8 – at Wyoming
Saturday, Feb. 12 – Nevada
Tuesday, Feb. 15 – at San Diego State
Saturday, Feb. 19 – at Boise State
Tuesday, Feb. 22 – New Mexico
Saturday, Feb. 26 – Colorado State
Saturday, March 5 – at San José State
March 9-12 – MW Men’s Basketball Championships
