Aggie Men Are 2011 WAC Champions with 77-69 Win Over Boise State

For the second time in the last three years, Utah State [University] is the Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Champion after the No. 17/23 Aggies beat the Broncos of Boise State, 77-69, Saturday night [March 12] in the championship game at the Orleans Arena.

It was USU's second WAC Tournament title after winning the 2009 crown and eighth tournament championship overall, winning six postseason titles in 27 years in the Big West Conference.

Utah State won its eighth-straight game in improving to 30-3 overall, tying a school record for most wins, matching the 2008-09 squad (30-5) and earned the WAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. It is the Aggies' eighth NCAA Tournament berth in the last 12 years under head coach Stew Morrill, ninth in the last 14 years and 20th time in school history. The only other time in school history that USU has gone to the NCAA Tournament in three-straight years was 1962, ‘63 and ‘64.

Boise State had its eight-game win streak snapped in sliding to 20-12 on the year. Saturday was USU's sixth-consecutive win over BSU, and the Aggies now own a 28-8 all-time record against the Broncos. In postseason play, USU is now 3-1 against BSU, as Saturday was the first-ever meeting between the two teams in a tournament championship game.

Junior guard Brockeith Pane was named the Tournament MVP after a 19-point, four-assist effort in the championship game. Pane was joined on the All-Tournament team by senior forward teammates Tai Wesley and Nate Bendall, who posting 19 and 16 points, respectively, a new season-high for Bendall. Wesley pulled down a game-high nine rebounds while Bendall snared six boards. Pane scored a baker's dozen in the first half, while Wesley netted 15 of his points after halftime.

With the 19 points, Wesley tallied his 100th career double-digit game, on the way to being named to the all-tournament team for the third-straight year.

Senior guard Brian Green added 12 points off the bench, hitting two of USU's three three-pointers on the night. Wesley hit the Aggies' other trey, just his fifth of the season and is now 7-of-12 from behind the arc for his career.

Boise State was led by La'Shard Anderson's 18 points, while Daequon Montreal and Jeff Elorriaga added 10 points apiece. Elorriaga led the Broncos with five rebounds.

USU shot 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from the field, its 12th time this season, including fifth in the last seven games. The Aggies have now won 53-straight games when making at least half of its shots. Utah State was also 3-of-8 (37.5 percent) from three-point range but were 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from the free throw line, its ninth game this season shooting 80 percent or better from the free pitch stripe.

Boise State was 23-of-58 (39.7 percent) from the field, the Aggie defense's 19th time this year holding the opponent under 40 percent. The Broncos were 6-of-26 (23.1 percent) from behind the arc and were 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) at the free throw line.

USU pulled away from an 8-all tie with a 5-0 spurt, capped by a Green three-pointer from the right wing for a 13-8 lead at the 13:23 mark. Bendall later hit a layup for a 24-12 Aggie advantage with 9:07 on the clock, capping an 11-2 streak. Boise State battled back with a 10-2 run to take a 33-30 lead with 2:16 to go, as Andersen scored seven unanswered. Yet the Aggies regained the lead with five straight points, as Pane hit a layup with three seconds left and was fouled, hitting the free throw to send USU into halftime with a 35-33 lead.

The Aggies are 25-0 on the year and have won 49-straight games when leading at intermission.

Utah State's scoring streak picked up right where it left off to start the second half, as Bendall hit a baseline jumper and Wesley drained his three-pointer from the top of the arc at the 17:10 mark to cap USU's 12-0 second half streak and 16-0 run overlapping halftime, with a 47-33 lead. BSU pecked away at the deficit, closing to 56-54 after a pair of Elorriaga free throws with 6:04 to go.

That would be the closest BSU would get, as Wesley righted the ship with a three-point play, getting fouled while hitting a baseline layup. That was part of the WAC's regular-season MVP scoring streak, as he later hit a pair of free throws, capping a spurt of scoring USU's last nine points and giving the Aggies a 63-58 lead. Utah State hit all six of its free throws in the final 31 seconds and junior forward Morgan Grim put the exclamation point on the scoring and sparking the celebration with a jam in the waning seconds.

Utah State will find out its NCAA Tournament seeding and location in the Selection Show airing on CBS (Comcast Ch. 2 in Cache Valley) on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. (MT). Fans should stay tuned to www.UtahStateAggies.com for complete NCAA Tournament information, including game announcement and ticket information.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.