BYU, Utah, Weber on Aggies' schedule

LOGAN — Home games against Brigham Young, Utah, Weber State and Pacific, along with road games at BYU and UOP and a trip to the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, highlight Utah State University's 2004-05 men's basketball schedule that was announced on Friday by head coach Stew Morrill.

For the first time since the 1991-92 season, Utah State will host all three of its in-state rivals, as well as playing a home and home series with BYU. Over the past four seasons, the Aggies have a combined 8-4 (.667) record versus the state of Utah.

"Certainly having three in-state games at home is great for our fans and is something very unique," Morrill said. "Playing BYU twice in one year is a throwback situation and gives us a fourth very challenging in-state contest."

Utah State will play a total of 31 games in the season, which includes two exhibition games, 11 non-conference tilts and 18 league encounters. The Aggies will have 17 home games at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, a venue where USU has gone 109-8 (.932) over the past eight seasons.

"Everytime I look at the schedule it presents a lot of exciting challenges," added Morrill. "Returning to the Top of the World Classic will hopefully be as positive as it was in 2000, plus the Gossner Foods Classic is always a fun event, and we have a very solid field again this year."

After 26 years of competition in the Big West Conference, Utah State will be playing its final season in the league before moving to the Western Athletic Conference. Utah State will play a total of 18 conference games for the year in a round-robin format, with each school playing each other member institution both home and away.

"As for the Big West season, it will be sentimental for a lot of Aggies because it represents our last year of competition in a league that has provided us with many positive memories," said Morrill. "The conference continues to grow, and as always we will be hard pressed to finish in the upper echelon."

Utah State will begin the year against Portland in the Top of the World Classic on Nov. 19. Joining the Aggies and Pilots in the field will be 2004 NCAA Tournament teams Central Florida and Western Michigan, along with future WAC foe New Mexico State, Georgia Southern, Winthrop and host Alaska-Fairbanks.