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Key Takeaways
- No. 23 Utah State will face Nevada in a Mountain West conference matchup on Wednesday night
- The Aggies are currently undefeated in conference play with a 5-0 record
- Utah State has been dominant in conference action, with a 25-point margin of victory over Boise State in their previous game
- Nevada had its seven-game winning streak snapped last week but bounced back with a 92-83 win over Wyoming on Saturday
- The Wolf Pack’s Corey Camper Jr. led the team with 31 points and seven rebounds in their win over Wyoming
Introduction to the Matchup
The No. 23 Utah State Aggies will put their undefeated Mountain West record on the line when they face the Nevada Wolf Pack on Wednesday night in Logan, Utah. The Aggies, ranked for a school-record third season in a row, join No. 9 Gonzaga as one of two teams from mid-major conferences in the Top 25. As Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun said, "It was a complete team effort" in their previous game, a 93-68 win over Boise State. The 25-point margin of victory was the Aggies’ biggest-ever against the Broncos.
Utah State’s Dominant Conference Play
Utah State has been dominant in conference action, with double-digit victories over Air Force, San Jose State, and Colorado State, along with a nine-point road win against Fresno State. The Aggies enter this matchup on a seven-game winning streak, with their only loss of the season coming at South Florida, 74-61, on Dec. 4. As Calhoun noted, "I thought a lot of guys played great" in their win over Boise State, which included a 10-0 start to the game and a 25-point performance from MJ Collins Jr.
Nevada’s Recent Performance
Nevada had its own seven-game winning streak snapped last week after falling at home to San Diego State 73-68 last Tuesday. However, the Wolf Pack bounced back with a 92-83 win over Wyoming on Saturday, with Corey Camper Jr. leading the way with 31 points and seven rebounds. As Nevada coach Steve Alford said, "I’m just really proud of them with all of the injuries and guys missing games. We’ve really gone through a stretch here of winning a lot of games." The Wolf Pack’s Elijah Price was named Mountain West Player of the Week after averaging 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds last week.
The Importance of the Matchup
The matchup between Utah State and Nevada is crucial for both teams, as they look to maintain their strong starts in conference play. Utah State won both meetings last season, but the Wolf Pack had won their only matchup in the 2023-24 campaign. As Alford noted, "We have a big week ahead of us. I’m really pleased with the start of the conference season and the midpoint of the season – to be at 12 wins." The Aggies follow up Wednesday’s game with a tilt Saturday at Grand Canyon, while Nevada wraps up a two-game road trip Saturday at Air Force.
The Road Ahead
The Aggies and Wolf Pack will look to build on their strong starts in conference play as they move forward in the season. With Utah State’s dominant performance in conference action and Nevada’s resilience in the face of injuries, this matchup is sure to be an exciting one. As Calhoun said, "Drake is a warrior. I should have (known) he would play. I’m really proud of him" after Drake Allen’s season-best 14 points and eight assists despite nearly missing the game due to an illness. The Aggies will look to continue their winning streak, while the Wolf Pack will aim to hand them their first conference loss.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/no-23-utah-state-nevada-clash-amid-strong-mwc-starts/