Utah State men’s basketball has climbed to the top of the Mountain West conference, leading the league behind the 3-point line with a shooting average of 39.3 percent (126-of-321). The Aggies are also among the nation’s best in defensive 3-point field goal percentage and in taking care of the ball.
Utah State has been protective of the basketball in 2014-15 and ranks No. 13 in turnovers per game (10.4) and No. 15 in fewest total turnovers on the year (176). The Aggies also remained in the top 20 this week in defensive 3-point field goal percentage, holding opponents to a 28.6 percent (99-of-346) clip from deep to rank No. 19 in the nation. The defensive prowess extends to the entire floor where Utah State ranks No. 35 in the nation in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to just 38.6 percent (376-of-975) from the floor.
Utah State is just outside the top 25 of the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, sitting at No. 26 with its 39.3 percent shooting.
Individually, redshirt freshman forward David Collette is among the top 50 in field goal percentage, shooting 55.0 percent (88-of-160), which puts him No. 35 nationally.
In addition to leading the league behind the arc, Utah State is also in the top five of the Mountain West in nine statistics, including assist/turnover ratio (1.3, second), defensive field goal percentage (.386, third), defensive 3-point field goal percentage (.286, third), 3-point field goals made (7.4, third), assists (13.9, fourth), defensive rebounds (24.9, fourth), turnover margin (+1.1, fifth), blocks (4.7, fifth) and scoring defensive (62.8, fifth).
Individually, sophomore wing Jalen Moore is one of only two players in the Mountain West in the top five of scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.6 points per game (fifth) and 7.1 rebounds per game (fourth). Moore is also in the top five of the league in defensive rebounds per game (5.8, third) and minutes per game (34.1, third), as well as in the top 10 in 3-point field goal percentage (.404, ninth) and blocks per game (1.0, ninth).
Colette is No. 5 in field goal percentage (.550), No. 5 in blocks per game (1.8) and No. 11 in the Mountain West in points per game (6). Junior guards Darius Perkins and Chris Smith are currently fifth and seventh, respectively, in assists per game, averaging 3.5 and 3.1. Smith is also among the conference leaders in free throw percentage (.772, eighth), 3-point field goal percentage (.459, fourth), 3-point field goals made (2.0, fourth) and assist/turnover ratio (2.4, third). Perkins’ name is also sprinkled among the best in the Mountain West in 3-point field goals made (1.8, seventh) and assist/turnover ratio (1.5, eighth).
Utah State opens a two-game road swing when the Aggies play at Nevada on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. MT, and then at UNLV on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m.
Kyle Cottam is the Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations at Utah State University.