Aggies Become 4th Team to Lead Nation in Field Goal, Free Throw Shooting

Utah State University's men's basketball team accomplished a rare feat during the 2007-08 season, becoming just the fourth team in NCAA history to lead the nation in both field goal and free throw shooting, as the NCAA released its season-ending statistics on Wednesday [April 9].

For the year, Utah State shot 51.4 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the free throw line. It is the second time in the last four years that USU has led the nation in field goal shooting as it shot 52.5 percent in 2005 to rank first overall. Utah State also finished the 2007 season second in the nation in free throw shooting at 78.0, which was a school record.

 

The last time a Division I team finished the season leading the nation in two of the three statistical shooting categories was 1999 when Northern Arizona was first in both field goal shooting (.523) and three-point shooting (.445). The last time a team led the nation in field goal and free throw shooting was 1986 when Michigan State shot 56.1 percent from the field and 79.9 percent from the free throw line.

 

Overall, there have been only four teams in the history of the NCAA (Auburn, 1960; Ohio State, 1970; Michigan State, 1986; and Utah State, 2008) to lead the nation in both field goal and free throw shooting, and only one team to lead the nation in both field goal and three-point shooting (Northern Arizona, 1999). No team has ever led the nation in all three categories.

 

Utah State also finished the 2007-08 season ranking eighth in the nation with 17.7 assists per game, ninth in three-point shooting at 40.1 percent, and 22nd with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.26-to-1.00.

 

Individually, All-American guard Jaycee Carroll (Evanston, Wyo.) finished his senior season leading the nation in three-point shooting at 49.8 percent. He was also second in the nation in free throw shooting at 91.9 percent and 13th in scoring with 22.4 points per game. Fellow senior guard Kris Clark (Wilmington, N.C.) ended the year ranking ninth in the nation with 6.40 assists per game and 26th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.38).

 

Utah State concluded the 2007-08 campaign by recording its ninth-straight 20 win season and ninth straight postseason appearance, both of which are school records, as USU finished the year with a 24-11 record and an appearance in the MasterCard NIT. The Aggies also won a share of its first-ever WAC regular season championship as it finished league play with a 12-4 record.