How to watch, projected starters, injuries – Cache Valley Daily


LOGAN – This Saturday evening matchup will be a massive one for Utah State. Not only is it the night in which its all-time leading scorer, Jaycee Carroll, is having his jersey retired, but what little hopes the Aggies have of rising in the standings begin — though don’t necessarily end — must be fueled by a win over Nevada.

How to watch

  • Tip-off: 6 p.m. MT



  • Location: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum | Logan, UT



  • TV Broadcast: CBS Sports Network



  • Aggie GameDay Coverage on KVNU (102.1 FM/610 AM & KVNU mobile app): 5 p.m. MT



  • KVNU Aggie Call (102.1 FM/610 AM, KVNU mobile app): Immediately after game ends

Injuries

Utah State

G – Rylan Jones (Undisclosed) – OUT

Jones has missed the last 11 games with an undisclosed upper-body injury. No timetable has been provided for a return.

Nevada

G – Hunter McIntosh (Knee) – OUT

F – KJ Hymes (Back) – OUT

C – Michael Folarin (Knee) – OUT

Projected Starters

Utah State (20-7, 9-5, 4th in MW)

  • G – Steven Ashworth (6-1, Jr.) – 15.6 points | 3.3 rebounds | 4.5 assists



  • G – Max Shulga (6-4, Jr.) – 11.9 points | 4.3 rebounds | 4.0 assists



  • G/F – Sean Bairstow (6-8, Sr.) – 11.0 points | 4.7 rebounds | 2.7 assists



  • F – Taylor Funk (6-9, Gr.) – 13.5 points | 5.4 rebounds | 1.8 assists



  • C – Trevin Dorius (7-0, Sr.) – 6.2 points | 3.8 rebounds | 0.2 assists



  • 6th Man – Dan Akin (6-9, Gr.) – 12.1 points | 7.1 rebounds | 0.8 assists

Nevada (20-6, 10-3, 2nd in MW)

  • G – Jarod Lucas (6-3, Sr.) – 17.7 points | 2.5 rebounds | 1.3 assists



  • G – Kenan Blackshear (6-6, Sr.) – 14.8 points | 4.0 rebounds | 4.7 assists



  • F – Darrion Williams (6-6, Fr.) – 7.2 points | 7.1 rebounds | 2.9 assists



  • F – Tre Coleman (6-7, Jr.) – 5.7 points | 3.3 rebounds | 2.5 assists



  • F – Will Baker (6-11, Jr.) – 13.6 points | 5.2 rebounds | 0.8 assists

Team Statistical Ranks

Stats and ratings are from Basketball Reference (except the NET ranking). All ranks are out of 363 Division I teams.

Utah State

  • Pace – 69.0 (150th)



  • Offensive Rating – 114.0 (14th)



  • Defensive Rating – 102.0 (215th)



  • Field Goal % – 48.1 (28th)



  • 3-point % – 41.1 (1st)



  • Rebounding % – 53.0 (55th)



  • NET Rank – 37th

Nevada

  • Pace – 66.8 (263rd)



  • Offensive Rating – 108.9 (74th)



  • Defensive Rating – 98.1 (106th)



  • Field Goal % – 45.1 (158th)



  • 3-point % – 34.9 (158th)



  • Rebounding % – 50.6 (187th)



  • NET Rank – 32nd

Summary

Last time these two teams played, back on Jan. 13 in Reno, the Aggies held a 51-44 lead early in the second half, only to allow a 10-0 run. Undeterred, USU re-took a 64-62 lead later in the half. Nevada responded to that with a 19-0 run starting at the 9:28 mark of the second half, completely taking over the game to eventually win by 15 points.

USU head coach Ryan Odom said those runs were partly because of Nevada’s ability but some of the blame still lay on the Aggies.

“It was a lot of them, but some us. On offense we took some hard shots during that stretch and they made us pay quickly,” Odom said, noting that the runs were compounded because “it put a little bit more pressure on offense and we rushed some things.”

Nevada’s ability to make those kinds of runs and difficult shots was not a one-time thing. Utah State will have to contend with it again tonight.

“They’re good, they’re gonna make some hard shots at times and we can’t let that discourage us when they make some of those because they have the ability to do that and to run them off in bunches,” Odom said. “We’ve got to keep playing the game and keep contesting the right way.”

The Wolf Pack have numerous players capable of making tough shots, a big reason why they’re second in the Mountain West standings at the moment. Leading scorer Jarod Lucas is a player Odom called a “sniper” and one who “can really just score the ball.”

“He can score it off the catch, he can score it off the bounce. He, too, can get fouled. And he has a motor. He’s constantly going,” Odom said. “He challenges your fitness level and we’re gonna have to be ready to match that. It’s not going to be one guy that’s going to be able to match that.”

Not far behind at all in impact for Nevada are Kenan Blackshear and Will Baker. Odom praised Blackshear for the senior’s development over his two seasons at Nevada. Now Blackshear is an all-around 6-foot-6 walking mismatch.

“He’s got the size, he’s got the vision, he’s got the game to score at the rim on you. He’s got the game to get to the free-throw line,” Odom said.

Baker was an especially difficult matchup for the Aggies last time out as the junior center scored 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting.

“Baker up front provides a stiff challenge,” Odom said. “When he has big games it makes them that much better and that much harder to guard. He can not only score inside and be physical in there, makes his free throws when you foul him — as do they all — and he shoots threes.”

It’s a tall task for the Aggies to deal with, but it’s one the team has spent most of the week preparing for.

“We understand we’ve got a stiff challenge but it’s one that our team feels we’re up for,” Odom said.







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