There was little evidence that Utah State could win a game like this at Nevada, which was going for a school-record 12th straight win in the Lawlor Center Monday night.
USU was down as much as 12 early in the second half and made several little runs, tying at 69 with 1:55 left on a Justin Jones 15-footer, but hey, the Aggies have been here before.They lost in 2OT to Wichita State, lost in OT to Weber, wilted in the final minutes Thursday at UNLV. All three starting Aggie big men had four fouls going to OT. And history was on the Wolf Pack's side. USU coaches Larry Eustachy and Kermit Davis were 0-8 here; USU lost its last two here. Eustachy prowled the sideline muttering, "It's our turn. We deserve to win one of these."
"The ball's been bouncing the other way," admitted guard Duane Rogers.
This time, USU steeled itself.
"We wanted it more, and we went out and took the game," said Rogers after USU forced OT with a strong defensive stand that lasted 11/2 minutes at the end of regulation to hold the tie.
USU scored the last six OT points for its first Big West win, 75-71. The Ags are 7-6, 1-1; Nevada is 7-5, 0-2.
"It came down to a five-minute overtime, and I thought we were the tougher team," said Eustachy.
"We've been in that situation too many times to lose another," Rogers said.
Said Jones (22 points), "We came together at the end. We stuck together. We wanted it more."
Rogers contributed nine points, nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals - one of which might have been the most-important play as he stripped Damien Edwards on a putback attempt that could have put Nevada up 73-72.
Rogers' steal began a break with 24 seconds left, Eric Franson at his side.
"What a game by Eric (19 points, six rebounds)," said Rogers.
"I looked up, I stole the ball in the overtime, and here he's filling the lane like a little guard. The center. Can't nobody do that but Olajuwon," Rogers said, relishing Franson's layin to put USU up 74-71.
That left it to Antwan Smith, who started for slumping Silas Mills. Mills got 11 minutes, two points, one rebound. Smith had 16 points and a game-high 11 boards, four in OT. Smith, who'd made one of two free throws with 44 seconds left in OT for a 72-71 lead, was at the line for two with :05 left. A make meant a hard-to-beat, four-point lead. He missed the first. USU called time. "I made up my mind to make the second," he said. "Coach told me I was to make it."
USU had gone scoreless in OT till 1:44 left. Jon Wickizer rebounded twice and was fouled for two free throws to tie at 71-71. When Nevada's David Morgan cast a wild 18-foot shot, Wickizer rebounded at 1:16, buying more time.
"We were tough when it counted at the end," said Eustachy. "We got the big rebounds, we hit some big free throws, we defended them really well."