Utah State loses 83-59 to South Dakota State in Sioux Falls, S.D.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Utah State encountered just its second back-to-back loss under head coach Craig Smith as the Aggies lost 83-59 against South Dakota State on Day 2 of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic on Thanksgiving Day.

Junior center Neemias Queta led the Aggies with 12 points, connecting on 6-of-8 from the floor, and added eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. He was joined in double figures by redshirt junior guard Marco Anthony with 10 points.

Utah State put the first points on the board as freshman guard Rollie Worster hit a pullup jumper on the Aggies’ opening possession. However, South Dakota State knocked down each of their first five shots and shot a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the arc to take a 16-8 lead into the first media timeout of the opening half. Utah State came back to within four points, 27-23, following a 3-point bucket by Anthony, but the Jackrabbits finished the half on a 17-6 run to take a 44-29 lead into the half.

The double-digit margin held over the final 20 minutes as all 14 players that dressed for the Aggies saw action in the game.

Utah State finished the game shooting 36.8 percent (21-of-57) from the floor, 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from behind the 3-point line and 83.3 percent (10-of-12) at the free throw line. SDSU shot 56.1 percent (32-of-57) from the floor, 55.6 percent (15-of-27) from behind the 3-point line and 80.0 percent (4-of-5) at the charity stripe.

SDSU was led in scoring by Baylor Scheierman with a career-high 23 points, followed by four other Jackrabbits in double figures.

The 0-2 start is the first time the Aggies haven’t started a season with back-to-back losses since the 1993-94 campaign.

Utah State returns to the court on Friday, Nov. 27, at 2 p.m. (MT), facing Northern Iowa (0-2) in the final game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic for both teams.

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