Utah State Aims for Revenge Against UNLV in Mountain West Showdown

LOGAN, Utah — The Utah State Aggies (18-2, 8-1 Mountain West) will host the UNLV Rebels (11-9, 5-4) on Wednesday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, seeking redemption after a narrow 65-62 loss to the Rebels two weeks ago. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. MT, with the game airing on FS1.

Utah State, ranked among the top teams in the Mountain West Conference, is coming off dominant wins over Nevada and Air Force, where they showcased their offensive firepower and defensive resilience. The Aggies have been nearly unbeatable at home this season, boasting a 10-1 record in Logan.

UNLV, meanwhile, arrives in Utah on a two-game losing streak, having fallen to Wyoming and New Mexico in close contests. Despite their recent struggles, the Rebels handed Utah State its only conference loss this season, rallying from a seven-point deficit in the final minutes to secure the victory.

“We know we need to get back to some things we weren’t doing,” said Utah State forward Karson Templin, who battled illness during the first matchup. “We’ve watched a lot of film and corrected some stuff. After the UNLV loss, we’ve had some really good practices, which has set us up for success.”

UNLV’s success hinges on the performance of point guard Dedan Thomas Jr., who leads the team with 16.0 points and 4.6 assists per game. In their recent loss to New Mexico, Thomas scored a team-high 18 points. The Rebels also rely on guards Jaden Henley (11.6 ppg) and Jailen Bedford (10.0 ppg) for scoring, while Jeremiah Cherry anchors the defense with 5.5 rebounds per game.

Utah State, on the other hand, boasts a balanced attack led by guards Ian Martinez (17.0 ppg) and Mason Falslev (15.4 ppg). Templin, who averages 9.0 points and 5.4 rebounds off the bench, is fully recovered from his illness and ready to contribute. The Aggies have been efficient on both ends of the court, averaging 20 assists per game and shooting 47% from beyond the arc in recent contests.

“This is a very dangerous team,” Utah State head coach Jerrod Calhoun said of UNLV. “They have two guys who can get hot quick. They spread you out and present different challenges. We’ve got to be ready to go and really focused.”

The Aggies are determined to avenge their earlier loss and maintain their position atop the Mountain West standings. With both teams familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses, Wednesday’s rematch promises to be a hard-fought battle.