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Show * • - • Ladies off to best start since 1981 By PAULKELLEY assistant sports editor The Utah State women's basketball team went 3-4 over the holiday break, and four Aggies had career nights. Junior center Lydia Whitehead scored a careerhigh 21 points against Eastern Washington on Dec. 6, while sophomore guard Alice Coddington had career-high eight assists in the same game. Senior guard Danyelle Snelgro scored a career-high 19 points in a win over Weber State on Dec. 22, and had six assists and five steals - both career highs - against Southern Utah on Dec.20. Ana Pares also scored a career-high 25 points against Utah Valley on Jan. 3, and Nicole Johnson had a career-high 11 rebounds against Weber State. The Aggies will now enter WAC play with a 6-7 record. Utah State started the break with a thrilling overtime win against Eastern Washington. There were eight lead changes in the first half and the Aggies scored 16 of their 28 first half points from inside the paint. USU s win over Eastern Washington on Dec. 6 moved the Aggies record to 4-3, which was their best start since the 1980-81 season. Whitehead scored the game-tying basket with nine seconds left to send the game to overtime. The Aggies outscored the Eagles 12-6 in the extra period to make it a 71-65 win. Utah State then traveled to BYU where they lost a double overtime heartbreaker 6160. The Aggies played one of their best defensive games by holding the Cougars to 28.2 percent shooting. However it was strong rebounding by the Cougars in the first half that kept them in the game. BYU outrebounded Utah State 20-11 in the first half. The Aggies took a six-point lead with 5:23 remaining in the second half, however, BYU then went on a 12-6 run to tie the game at 42-42. The first overtime stayed close with neither team taking more than a three-point lead. In the second overtime Pares hit a three with seven seconds remaining to bring the Aggies within one, but that is where the game ended. The Aggies lost their next game 67-57 to Portland State in the Dee Glen Smith sports editor USU vs. BYU @ Energy Solutions Arena-Dec. 6, 2008 The self named "Spectrum on Wheels" was in fine form at the Energy Solutions arena where the Aggies faced their toughest test of the season - a showdown against unbeaten instate foe Brigham Young. USU easily won the battle of the fans, but it wasn't enough to prevent the Ags from falling to the Cougars, 68-63. Senior Gary Wilkinson led USU with 22 points and nine rebounds, but the Aggies struggled with the Cougars pressure defense turning the ball over 17 times. Unable to get into an offensive rhythm, the Ags shot a season-low 40.4 percent from the floor, including a woeful 22.7 percent (5-22) from beyond the arc. Despite the offensive struggles, the Aggie's played tough defense holding BYU well under its scoring average for the season keeping the game close. USU pulled within two on a Wilkinson layup with just over a minute left in the game, but were unable to complete the comeback. Sirju leaves men's team call a pass to Wesley would stand, and the Aggies would pick up their sixth straight home win over the Utes. JARED QUAYLE'S play has really improved. CAMERON PETERSON photo ball in play. CAMERON PETERSON photo STAVON WILLIAMS has become a key threat. CAMERON PETERSON photo USU vs. Utah - Dec. 22,2008 Nothing like a little Spectrum magic when the Aggies take on Utah. The Ags led by as many as 11 points in the second half, but needed a putback by Wesley with 0.1 seconds left to escape with a 66-64 victory and stay unbeaten at home. Wesley led USU with 18 points, including 11 in a row in the second half, while Quayle and Wilkinson chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively. The Aggies never trailed in the game, but couldn't put away the pesky Utes - mostly because of the size of 7 foot 2 inch Luke Neville who finished with a game high 25 points. After Utah tied the game with 29 seconds to play the Aggies called a timeout to set up their final play. With about seven seconds left, Quayle found himself open and pulled up for a jumper. The shot was off the mark, but bounced out of bounds off of Neville with 2.4 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play, Newbold caught and let go of a jumper. Neville altered the shot and the game was destined to go into overtime until Wesley flew out a nowhere to catch the ball and lay it off the glass. Despite a shot clock malfunction, the play which Newbold would later season. CAMERON PETERSON photo USU @ UVU - Dec. 13,2008 After suffering their first loss of the season, the Aggies had no hangover when they returned to action on the road against another instate rival, beating Utah Valley 69-50. Wilkinson scored a career high 29 points against the Wolverines as USU jumped out early and never looked back. The Aggies never trailed, and used a 16-1 run to close the first half and head into the locker room up 32-18. USU extended the lead to 19 early in the second half before Utah Valley pulled within 10. UVU could get no closer, however, and the Aggies pulled away for the win. Along with Wilkinson's career high, sophomore's Tai Wesley and Tyler Newbold added 11 and 10 points for the Aggies, respectively. Ags win five in a row during break GUARD JARED QUAYLE keeps a T A I WESLEY is shooting 71.3 this FRESHMAN DEREMY GEIGER has seen his minutes steadily increase in recent games. PATRICK ODEN photo USU @ Idaho State - Dec. 20,2008 Taking a break from a slough of instate opponents the Aggies spread the scoring around en route to a 67- r 10-3 7-7 7-7 7-7 12-1 8-5 6-5 7-7 7-8 La. Tech 66.SJSU 61 NMSU 79 fresno 66 Boise 70, Hawaii 58 Idaho 78, Nevada 73 57 victory over Idaho State. Quayle, Newbold and junior Stavon Williams led USU with 11 points each while Wesley chipped in 10 points and five rebounds. For the game USU was held below its season average, shooting only 43.6 percent from the field. The Aggies did make nine 3-pointers matching their season high, but it was defense that won the game as USU held the Bengals to mere 37.7 percent from the floor. For the third straight game the Aggies led from start to finish. USU @ Southern Utah - Dec. 17, 2008 The Aggies stayed on the road for a third consecutive instate game as they traveled to Cedar City to take on Southern Utah. USU led from start to finish, but the Ags had to withstand a late rally by the home team as the Aggies won 72-65. Foul trouble plagued USU, especially late in the game as three Aggie big men, Wesley, Matt Formisano and Modou Niang, fouled out. Aggie fans that made the trip, however, were given a glimpse of things to come as junior Jared Quayle pumped in a season-high 23 points. Quayle scored 11 of the Aggies final 16 points and went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe during the final minutes to seal the win for the Aggies. l-o 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-1 RECENT GAMES: USU to a 3-4 record during the holiday break. PATRICK ODEN photo USU also returned to form as a team, finishing the game shooting a blistering 55.8 percent from the floor. ^Standings Boise State Idaho La. Tech NMSU U t a h State Hawaii SJSI Nevada Fresno State nmng ways: ByTIMOLSEN l\ Basketball SENIOR GUARD DANYELLE SNELGRO, 4, helped lead U See BEST, page 9 TbudtBase USU vs. Howard - Dec. 29,2008 This year the Aggies holiday tournament had a new name, The Duel in the Desert, but USU opened play with the same old result blowing out Howard, 85-45. USU's offense went through the post early and often as Wesley and Wilkinson helped the Aggies doubleup the Bills, 16-8, midway through the first half. The onslaught continued as the Ags closed the half on a 16-5 run that was highlighted by a "Sportscenter" worthy Quayle dunk. In the second half, the Ags didn't let off the gas as the used a 16-6 run to expand the lead further. Due to the big lead, USU head coach Stew Morrill was able to get everyone playing time. However, the Aggies did suffer a loss in the game as fan favorite reserve center Modou Niang broke his hand. Morrill said he is unsure of a timetable for Niang's return. T A I WESLEY has been tough to stop inside. PATRICK ODEN photo USU vs. Houston Baptism - Dec. 30/2008 Facing a winless team in the Spectrum during the second round of \1 See RECAP, page 10 BY USU ATHLETICS Utah State men's basketball coach Stew Morrill announced that Richard Sirju has left the team due to personal reasons and will not rejoin the Aggies. "Richie wants to be closer to home with a better opportunity for playing time", said Morrill. "He is a quality young man and we wish him all the best." Sirju, a junior guard from Sunrise, Fla. (Piper HS) has played in three games this year for Utah State and had five points and three rebounds in 23 total minutes. Sirju transferred to Utah State this past fall from Daytona Beach (Fla.) Community College where he earned second all-conference honors as both a freshman and sophomore. During his sophomore season, he averaged 19.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Smith wins AP C-O-Y honors NEW YORK (AP)-Mike Smith and Tony Sparano performed so brilliantly as rookie head coaches it was almost impossible to separate them. Atlanta's Smith edged Miami's Sparano by one vote Sunday for The Associated Press 2008 NFL Coach of the Year award. Both coaches oversaw sensational turnarounds, leading their teams from last-place finishes in 2007 to playoff berths this year. Their achievements were reflected by the closeness of the balloting, with Smith getting 230 votes and Sparano 22D from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. After improving from 4-12 to 11-5 and making the NFC playoffs as a wild card, the Falcons fell 30-24 at Arizona on Saturday night. That should not detract from a memorable season that bodes well for the football future in Atlanta. "I'm honored individually, but more so for our coaching staffand our players," Smith said. "I think we have tried to establish that we'd be very systematic in how we did things, that we were going to have a plan. "We laid that plan out from the very beginning how we were going to practice, how we were going to travel, how we were going to meet, how we were going to communicate, and I think the guys really appreciated definitely how we presented the plan in the framework for us to start the season." |