Aggies look to extend home streak

Since the inception of the Gossner Foods Classic in 1994, the Utah State Aggies are 18-0. They hope their dominance in the yearly basketball classic continues as they host San Francisco tonight.

Utah State enters the Classic on a high note. The Aggies (6-1) are coming off a 76-74 victory over in-state rival BYU two days before Christmas, on a last-second shot by Spencer Nelson, while the Dons (8-5) are coming off a 52-43 loss to Fresno State on Saturday night.

The Dons, along with New Mexico State and Texas-San Antonio are making their first appearances in the Classic.

NMSU and UTSA open the Classic at 5:30 tonight, while Utah State and USF follow in the nightcap.

Under head coach Stew Morrill, the Aggies are 73-7 in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. In all, the Aggies have won 101 of their last 110 games played at home. Against non-Big West Conference teams the Aggies have won 22 straight games and are 35-2 under Morrill. The Aggies' last nonconference home loss was to BYU in January 2000.

NEW MEXICO STATE (5-4) vs. TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO (5-6): The Lou Henson-led Aggies won their first four games before losing four of their next five — to UTEP twice, Tulsa and New Mexico.

The New Mexico State Aggies' last win came Dec. 20, when they beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 89-60.

John Duane leads the Aggies at 19.7 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per contest. He is shooting 50 percent from behind the three-point line. James Moore averages 17.3 points on 60 percent shooting from the field; he also averages 7.2 rebounds per game.

The Roadrunners have won three of their past four games. LeRoy Hurd paces UTSA at 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while Rapheal Posey averaged 10.4 and 4.4.

SAN FRANCISCO (8-5) vs. UTAH STATE (6-1): The Dons had won their previous five before falling to Fresno State two days ago. Included in that streak were wins over Montana, Ohio and Pacific.

James Bayless and John Cox are the only two Dons who score in double figures. with 13.4 and 10 points, respectively.

Cox leads the team with eight rebounds per game.

In its latest victory, Utah State led by 26 points over BYU on Tuesday and held on to win by two. The Aggies scored just three field goals in the final 10 minutes, while in the second half the Cougars shot an astounding 77.8 percent to get back into the game.

Utah State's Cardell Butler led the team or tied for the lead in scoring with games of 27, 19 and 19 points against Idaho State, Jackson State and BYU. He leads the team in scoring at 14.7 ppg, while Nelson averages 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Gossner Foods Classic

At Dee Glen Smith Spectrum

Tonight's games

UT-San Antonio vs. N.M. State, 5:30 p.m.

San Francisco vs. Utah State, 8 p.m.

Winners play Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Losers play at 5:30 p.m.

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E-MAIL: jhinton@desnews.com