It’s been an offseason of attrition for the Utah State men’s basketball team following a year that ended in the NCAA Tournament, and the Aggies were dealt another big blow on Thursday.

Utah State’s leading scorer, guard Steven Ashworth, announced via social media that he is entering the NCAA transfer portal, joining fellow starters Sean Bairstow and Max Shulga from this year’s team that went 26-9.

This comes after head coach Ryan Odom left for the same position at Virginia Commonwealth last week.

“Experiencing three coaching changes since I committed has helped me realize it is time to explore all options for myself, to ultimately find the best fit for my wife and I,” Ashworth wrote.

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Utah college basketball transfer portal tracker
2 Utah State basketball starters are entering the transfer portal

It’s important to note that entering the transfer portal doesn’t ensure that a player will end up at another school. Shulga entered the portal in 2021 before withdrawing his name a short time later and returning to Utah State.

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Ashworth, a Lone Peak High product who signed to USU’s 2018 class and served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before playing in college, has been an instrumental part of the Aggies’ success in recent years.

The 6-foot-1 junior guard has started 42 games since arriving in Logan, and he is coming off his best season as an Aggie. He averaged a team-high 16.2 points and 4.5 assists per game, while adding 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals while earning first-team All-Mountain West honors. 

Ashworth shot a team-high 43.4% from 3-point range, making 111 3-pointers on the season, and shot 45.8% from the field and 87.8% from the free-throw line. 

All totaled, there are five Utah State players exploring their options through the transfer portal, including center Szymon Zapala and forward Cade Potter.

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