LOGAN – The first glimpse of Utah State women’s basketball under new head coach Wes Brooks — a 94-70 win over Westminster in a Friday exhibition game — showcased the rough edges of his team in year one.
It also displayed how the Aggies could find ways to thrive in games that can look ugly on a stat sheet.
Utah State and Westminster combined to shoot 36.4 percent from the field, the Aggies making just 18.2 percent of their 3-point attempts and the visiting Griffins making a mere 33.3 percent overall. There were also 41 fouls committed (19 by Westminster, 22 by USU).
But where there were self-inflicted problems, the Aggies created problems for their opponent. Most notable the 35 turnovers committed by Westminster, with 18 of those being directly converted to steals by Utah State. That resulted in 40 points off turnovers for the Aggies and 22 fast break points.
“I told the girls just now, we play defense, we force (35) turnovers. If we’re gonna do that, it doesn’t matter,” Brooks said. “So we’ll continue to get better. When those threes fall we should get 120 [points].”
It took a bit for Utah State to find its groove. Westminster led at the end of the first quarter, 21-20, the Aggies having made just 6 of 21 shot attempts and the Griffins in the opening minutes.
Then, in the second quarter, USU completely changed the dynamic of the game by holding the Griffins scoreless for nearly nine minutes of that quarter. That paved the way for a 15-0 run by the Aggies as they completely took over and gave them a 39-30 lead at halftime.
Over the course of the second half, the Aggies kept the pressure on and gradually built the lead higher and higher into the teens and eventually 20s (the 24-point margin at the end was a game high). Shooting 48 percent from the field in the second half certainly helped in that regard along with the continued forcing of turnovers.
All-in-all, it’s a performance Utah State is happy about but not sitting on as an example of who they want to be. The 35 turnovers forced, only 10 turnovers committed, 94 total points, five players scoring in double figures, and seven blocked shots were all great signs for the Aggies.
On the other hand, they also had the 22 fouls, poor 3-point shooting, and were out-rebounded 61-39.
It’s a work in progress for the young team.
Going on an individual basis, Cheyenne Stubbs showed off her skill, leading all scorers with 21 points and also adding four assists, three steals and three rebounds. The balance of playmaking, scoring and defense made her by far the best player on the court that evening.
“She’s a really good point guard and I love playing off of her because she’ll find the open person. She’s a good teammate and makes sure she gets everyone involved and also is a really good playmaker.”
Other standouts included two freshmen in double figures, Livingston had 13 points alongside fellow freshman Denae Skelton who had 14. Junior wings Jamisyn Heaton and Mia Tarver rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 and 14 respectively. Heaton also had a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore center Gracie Johnson came off the bench and blocked five shots, had two steals and four rebounds. Her efforts down low were crucial for an Aggie squad missing three frontcourt players due to injury.
“Gracie was great tonight. We really challenged her the last couple weeks and she responded. She was the ‘Dub Chain’ winner — we always give the Dub Chain to the person that we think impact the game. It’s not just about scoring. But I think had an impact on the game. We put her at the front of the press. She caused some turnovers, caused havoc with her length and size. We were very excited with what she was able to bring to the game tonight.”
Utah State will begin the season in earnest on Nov. 4 when it welcomes Kansas City to the Spectrum.