Former USU basketball guards Shulga and Bairstow commit to VCU – Cache Valley Daily

LEFT – Former USU guard Max Shulga dribbles the ball during the Aggies’ game against Fresno State on Dec. 31, 2022; RIGHT – Former USU wing Sean Bairstow drives toward the basket against a UNLV defender on Jan. 17, 2023

Almost three weeks to the day that Sean Bairstow and Max Shulga each announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, the now-former Utah State basketball guards jointly announced their commitments to Virginia Commonwealth University.

Former USU guards Max Shulga and Sean Bairstow posted this image on their respective Instagram pages, announcing they’ll follow Ryan Odom to VCU. pic.twitter.com/yZESzXPoTM

— Jason Walker (@jwalker_sports) April 23, 2023

The two guards simultaneously posted an image on their respective Instagram pages which showed them in VCU jerseys standing alongside former USU head coach Ryan Odom, who left his job with the Aggies on March 29 to coach VCU. Shulga and Bairstow entered the transfer portal on April 3, five days after Odom departed Logan.

Both Shulga and Bairstow had spent their entire collegiate careers at Utah State, Shulga playing three seasons and Bairstow four. Shulga and Bairstow were crucial in the Aggies earning an at-large bid as they each started all 35 games USU played this season and were fourth and fifth on the team in scoring, respectively.

Shulga had made a large jump this past season, going from 13.7 minutes per game last year to 30.9 this year. As such he set career-highs in all five statistical categories. Shulga is one of three Aggies to tally at least 400 points, 155 rebounds and 140 assists in a single season since 1992-93, joining Spencer Nelson (2004-05) and Jared Quayle (2009-10). Bairstow didn’t see as big a jump in minutes per game but likewise increased his production, setting career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and 3-point percentage.