STOCKTON, Calif. — If Utah State's Spencer Nelson was hitting clean-up in a baseball game, he would have single-handedly beaten the University of the Pacific Thursday night.
But the Aggies were painfully reminded that basketball is a team game in the 73-66 Big West Conference double overtime loss to the Tigers.
Nelson scored 13 of the Aggies' 21 second-half points (Jaycee Carroll had the other eight), and hit a pair of foul shots with 7.5 seconds left to force the first overtime.
By the time Nelson got some help from his teammates, it was all but too late.
Nate Harris, who had just two points at the end of regulation, scored five straight to send the game into double overtime.
Pacific junior forward Christian Maraker scored five of his team-high 19 points in the second OT to hold off the Aggies.
Carroll gave the Aggies the lead with two foul shots to open the second extra-session, however, the Tigers took the lead for good with a 3-pointer by Mike Webb with 3:23 left.
Utah State pulled within two on a 3-pointer by Harris with 1:26 left, but that was as close as they would get.
The Aggies went 0-for-8 from the field after Harris' 3-ball, and 1-for-2 from the foul line in losing by seven points.
The Tigers ended the game on a 6-1 run.
With the loss the Aggies fall 11-4 overall and 2-2 in league play, while the Tigers remain unbeaten in league play (11-2, 6-0).
The Aggies play at Northridge Saturday at 3 p.m. (MST).
E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com