Aggie Men Ranked 29th in Latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

Utah State University's men's basketball team continued its climb up the national polls this week and is now ranked 29th in the nation in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll released Monday [Jan. 19, 2009]. The Aggies are also ranked tied for 36th in the latest Associated Press poll along with Washington.

Utah State (17-1, 5-0) has won 12 straight games and currently owns the third-longest active winning streak in the nation behind Wake Forest (16) and Saint Mary's (14). The Aggies are also tied with Oklahoma (17-1), Saint Mary's (17-1) and Syracuse (17-2) for the most wins in the country, and its winning percentage of 94.4 ranks tied for second in the nation behind Wake Forest who is the only undefeated team in major college basketball.

 

Utah State also continues to lead the nation in field goal shooting at 51.6 percent and has shot over 50 percent from the field 12 times this year. USU finished the 2007-08 season as just the fourth team in NCAA history to lead the nation in both field goal (.514) and free throw (.792) shooting.

 

Utah State is 17-1 on the season and 5-0 in the Western Athletic Conference following a pair of home wins against Fresno State (65-61) and Boise State (79-65) last weekend [Jan. 17]. USU, who has won 28 straight home games, has also won nine straight WAC games dating back to last season and is off to its second-best start to a season in school history.

 

Individually, senior forward Gary Wilkinson is averaging 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 61.4 percent from the field and 83.8 percent from the free throw line. He currently ranks first in the WAC in free throw shooting, and is third in scoring, rebounding and field goal shooting.

 

Utah State returns to action Thursday, Jan. 22, when it plays at San Jose State (8-8, 2-3) at 8 p.m. (MT). USU will then play at Hawai'i (9-8, 1-4) Saturday, Jan. 24, at 10 p.m. (MT) in a game that will be televised live on KJZZ-TV. Utah State owns the best road record in the nation this season at 6-0 and has won eight straight regular season road games dating back to last year.