Utah State Stalls In Second Half, Falls To VCU In Season-Opener

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah State Aggies struggled to see the ball fall through the net late in the second half and fell to the VCU Rams in their season-opener.

The Aggies and Rams played one another in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Wednesday, November 25.

Utah State suffered an 85-69 loss after holding a 41-38 advantage at halftime.

The Aggies drop their season-opener in Souix Falls.

Final@USUBasketball 69@VCU_Hoops 85#AggiesAllTheWay

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 26, 2020

After a dunk by Justin Bean with 14:22 left in the game, Utah State owned a 55-45 lead.

With 9:03 remaining, VCU’s Mikeal Brown-Jones sank a free throw to knot the game up at 63 apiece.

Over the next 4:26 of game time, the Aggies were held scoreless and the Rams took and an 11-point lead before center Neemias Center went to the charity stripe and made a pair of shots to stop USU’s drought.

Oh no.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no. pic.twitter.com/290XCJekfd

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) November 26, 2020

VCU once again halted Utah State’s and added another 11 points to its own tally for a 16-point victory.

Queta led the Aggies with 17 points on 5-12 shooting.

Bean added 13 points on 5-8 from the field.

AIR BEAN … Clear for take off‼️@justinbean34#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/uPYnjG80AZ

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) November 26, 2020

Overall, Utah State shot 42.9 percent from the field compared to VCU’s 52.8 percent. The Aggies were also outshot from distance, 23.5 percent compared to 41.7 percent by the Rams.