The BYU Cougars (5-2) can extend a five-game home winning streak when they meet the Utah State Aggies (5-1). The game starts at 9:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
The Cougars come into this game hoping to repeat their last performance, beating Weber State 73-68 on Saturday. Chase Fischer was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting. The Aggies, meanwhile, are coming off a 69-68 win over Missouri State on Tuesday. Shane Rector had a good game for Utah State, accounting for 12 points, six assists, and three rebounds.
BYU, an eight-point favorite, will look to capitalize at home against Utah State. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is set at 153 points. The Cougars come into this game 5-2 Straight Up (SU) and 2-1-1 Against The Spread (ATS). BYU has an edge in the rebounding department for this game, where it racks up an average of 45.3 rebounds per game. BYU’s defense can be considered one of the best in the country. The Cougars allow a .378 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the country.
As for their opponent, Utah State has a SU record of 5-1 and an ATS record of 1-2. Utah State’s three-point defense is one of the top in the country, with opponents making only 6.0 shots from the three-point line per game.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between these two. Their previous game was a Cougars victory, bumping their SU record to 6-4 over Utah State. The Aggies hold the advantage ATS with a record of 7-3.
Predictions: SU Winner – BYU, ATS Winner – BYU, O/U – Over
Notes
BYU is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
BYU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home.
BYU is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Utah State.
BYU is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah State.
In its last game, Utah State won by a margin of one point. BYU is 0-1 in games decided by a margin of three points or less. Utah State has a 2-0 record in close games.
The BYU Cougars have a defensive rating of 90.5 (ranked 29th), while the Utah State Aggies have an offensive rating of 104.3 (ranked 197th).
Utah State has an average field goal percentage of 45.6%. BYU is undefeated (2-0) when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The BYU Cougars and the Utah State Aggies both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. BYU is 72nd and 59th in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Utah State ranks 136th and 115th in these categories.
BYU ranks 46th in assists, registering 16.7 per game. Utah State performs worse at 113th with 14.7 assists per game.
BYU ranks 86th in offensive rebounding. Utah State ranks 155th in defensive rebounding.
The BYU Cougars make an average of 6.3 steals per game. When the Utah State Aggies allow 6 or more steals, they are a winning 3-1.
