Men's Basketball Leading the Country in Field Goal Percentage

Feb. 16, 2005

 

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State University's men's basketball team is leading the nation in field goal percentage according to the latest NCAA statistics released on Tuesday [Feb. 15]. Utah State is shooting 53.6 percent from the field this year, while Utah is second in the nation at 52.6 percent. During the 2003-04 season, Utah State finished third in the country in field goal percentage at 50.9 percent.

 

As a team, Utah State also ranks second in personal fouls committed per game (14.0), eighth in scoring defense (58.2), ninth in scoring margin (+15.1), 13th in rebounding margin (+7.2), 14th in three-point field goal percentage (40.0), 21st in assists per game (16.8), and 21st in field goal percentage defense (39.5).

 

Individually, junior forward Nate Harris (Smithfield, Utah) leads the country in field goal percentage at 65.5 percent, while senior forward Spencer Nelson (Pocatello, Idaho) ranks 10th at 61.8 percent, and freshman guard Jaycee Carroll (Evanston, Wyo.) ranks 49th at 54.6 percent. Carroll also ranks third in the country in three-point field goal percentage at 50.0 percent, while Nelson ranks 46th in the country in assists with an average of 5.17 per game.

 

Nelson, who leads the team in scoring (15.8), rebounding (8.2), assists (5.17) and steals (1.13), is the only player in the country to average at least 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

 

Utah State, currently 18-6 on the season and 9-4 in the Big West Conference, travels to UC Riverside (8-14, 3-9) on Thur., Feb. 17 at 8:05 p.m. (MST) and to Cal State Fullerton (13-8, 7-5) on Sat., Feb. 19 at 3:05 p.m. (MST).

 

For more Aggie athletic news, see the Utah State Athletics Web site.