LOGAN, Utah, Nov. 19 - Jackson Stevenett scored 19
points and Matt Massey added 16, 14 in the second half, but Southern Utah's bid
for its first win over Utah State came up just short as Wade Collie's 3-point
attempt at the buzzer was off the mark and the Aggies held on for a 65-62 come-from-behind
win.
USU held an early lead but Collie sparked the Thunderbirds
with 10 points off the bench in the first half. He hit a 3-pointer to pull the
Thunderbirds within 13-9 with 13:56 to play in the period and another a minute
later to cut the SUU deficit to 15-13. Then, with 11:55 to play Jordan Johnson
stripped Preston Medlin at the top of the key and got the ball to Collie on a
fast break to tie it at 15-15.
Jackson Stevenett gave SUU its first lead with 11:20 to play
when he scored inside to stake SUU to a 17-15 lead and SUU went on to hold a
28-25 advantage at the break.
The Thunderbirds pushed their advantage to 37-30 on a pair
of free throws by Massey with 15:16 to play, but the Aggies went on an 8-1 run
to tie it at 38-38 at the 13:38 mark on a layup by Jordan Stone.
Massey hit a jumper to give the lead back to SUU, but Steven
Thornton followed a Preston Medlin miss with a thunderous dunk to tie it at
40-40 with 11:45 to go, sparking the Aggies. USU slowly pulled away, building a
53-45 advantage on a Brockeith Pane layup at the 5:14 mark.
Stevenett hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 57-51, but
the Aggies got back-to-back baskets to push the advantage to 57-48. Stevenett
again got free from long-range, hitting another three from the left wing, then
after another Pane jumper Massey scored to bring SUU within 59-53.
Collie then corralled a Pane miss and Steven Thornton fouled
Stevenett on a drive to the basket. Stevenett hit both free throws to cut the
deficit to four with 50 seconds to play. Kyisean Reed scored to push the Aggie
advantage back to four, but after a time out Ray Jones, Jr. drilled a 3-pointer
from the top of the key to make it a one-point game.
On the ensuing SUU possession Massey was called for an intentional
foul, as the Thunderbirds were pressing full court and Morgan Grim broke away
to the basket. Grim hit both free throws and the Aggies got the ball back but
weren't able to get anything more than a free throw from Reed, which gave the
Aggies a 64-60 lead with 21 seconds to play.
Jones then missed a 3-point attempt but Damon Heuir grabbed
the rebound and was fouled. He hit two free throws to cut the deficit to two
with six seconds to play. The Thunderbirds quickly fouled Pane, who hit one of
two free throws with 4.8 seconds to play. SUU got the ball up court quickly to
Collie, but his attempt at the buzzer was just short.
