Utah State defeats San José St 96-78

Utah State Edges San José St in Thrilling Conference Matchup

The Dee Glen Smith Spectrum was electric on Sunday evening as Utah State (HOME) hosted San José St (AWAY) in a crucial conference matchup. The Aggies ultimately emerged victorious, 96-78, behind a stunning comeback in the second half that saw them erase a three-point deficit at halftime.

The first half was a closely contested affair, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm on offense. San José St came into the game looking to extend its winning ways, but Utah State's stingy defense held the Spartans to just 27 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Aggies, meanwhile, trailed by one point at halftime before pouring it on in the second half.

The turning point of the game came midway through the fourth quarter when Elijah Perryman drained a three-pointer to give Utah State a 10-point lead. From there, the Aggies' bench and reserves took over, outscoring San José St's starters by a margin of 10 points down the stretch.

MJ Collins Jr. led all scorers with 23 points on 4-7 three-point shooting, while Karson Templin added 13 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Utah State's Elijah Perryman chipped in with 10 assists, and Elijah also contributed 13 points.

For San José St, Jermaine Washington paced the Spartans' attack with 18 points on 3-4 three-point shooting. Melvin Bell Jr. added 13 points and 5 rebounds, but the Spartans struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 10 of 20 attempts for 50% efficiency.

Utah State's 63.0% field goal percentage was the highest in the game, while San José St's 45.0% clip was significantly lower. The Aggies also outrebounded their opponents by a margin of 4 rebounds per 40 minutes.

The win improves Utah State's chances in the conference standings and sets up an intriguing matchup next week against a ranked opponent. Meanwhile, San José St looks to bounce back from its first loss in four games.