Senior guard Darius Brown II sank a career-high seven 3-pointers while recording 21 points and nine assists, leading No. 22 Utah State to a 90-70 victory over host San Jose State on Wednesday night.
Mason Falslev added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting for the Aggies (25-5, 13-4 Mountain West), who clinched at least a share of the conference’s regular-season crown. Great Osobor had 16 points and eight rebounds and sophomore Javon Jackson established career bests of 15 points and five 3-pointers for Utah State.
The Aggies, who have won four straight games, can win the title outright when they host New Mexico on Saturday.
Myron Amey Jr. had 20 points and seven rebounds and Alvaro Cardenas added 18 points and matched his career best of 10 assists for San Jose State (9-22, 2-16). Trey Anderson and Tibet Gorener added 11 points apiece for the Spartans, who ended their regular season with six straight losses and 13 defeats in their final 14 games.
Utah State was a stellar 16 of 27 (59.3 percent) from 3-point range and shot 53.4 percent overall from the field.
San Jose State made 49.1 percent of its shots, including 7 of 20 (35 percent) from 3-point range.
Utah State pushed its lead to 20 for the first time when Falslev’s dunk made it 60-40 with 17:56 left in the game.
Brown’s 3-pointer a short time later gave the Aggies a 63-42 lead.
San Jose State moved within 74-61 with 6:24 left after a steal and layup by Latrell Davis and a basket by Anderson.
But once Jackson drained his fifth trey to make it 86-68 with 2:49 left, the outcome was not in doubt.
Falslev had 13 points and Brown had 12 points and eight assists as Utah State led 53-37 at the break. Amey scored 15 in the half for the Spartans.
San Jose State trailed 27-26 after a basket by Anderson with 7:40 left in the half before the Aggies began separating.
Brown drained a 3-pointer to give Utah State a 35-28 edge with 5:09 left. Three-plus minutes later, Osobor hit two free throws to give the Aggies a 44-33 lead.
Amey drilled a 3-pointer to pull the Spartans within 10 with 1:09 left before Brown and Falslev each connected on treys heading into the break.
–Field Level Media