Fresh off its heartbreaking loss to BYU last Saturday night, the Utah State men’s basketball team got back on track.
It just took the Aggies a little longer than expected.
Junior forward Justin Bean had 21 points and seven rebounds, and freshman guard Steven Ashworth scored in double figures for the first time in his career with 15 points, as Utah State pulled away for a 90-64 victory over the College of Idaho on Tuesday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan.
“I definitely think this was the battle that we were expecting,” said Ashworth, who also dished out a game- and career-high seven assists. “They might not be a Division I team, but they were a team that was ready.”
The Aggies improved to 67-0 all-time against non-Division I opponents, including 30-0 against NAIA teams.
Ricardo Time led the College of Idaho (1-2), which captured the NAIA Division II national championship a year ago, with 16 points, while Jalen Galloway added 13 and Charles Elzie III chipped in 12.
The Aggies (2-3) used a 30-5 spurt to take a 74-50 lead with 8:22 remaining in the nonconference contest.
Sophomore guard Sean Bairstow and freshman guard Rollie Worster joined Bean and Ashworth in double-figure scoring for the Aggies with 11 points apiece.
Weber State 85, Westminster 73 • In Ogden, Isiah Brown scored a career-high 29 points as the Wildcats defeated the Griffins.
Cody Carlson had 16 points for Weber State (2-0), Zahir Porter added 13 and Michal Kozak had seven points, seven rebounds and five blocks.
Reme Torbert had 23 points and seven rebounds for the Griffins. Isaiah Banks added 13 points. Joey Andrews had six rebounds.