Behind a season-high 25 points from graduate guard Darius Brown II and 17 points from junior wing Great Osobor, Utah State defeated No. 19 San Diego State 68-63 on Tuesday night inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
With the win, USU has recorded multiple wins over AP Top 25 ranked teams in one season for the third time in school history and the first time since the 2006-07 season.
Brown drained five 3-pointers, including four off assists from Osobor, and finished with four rebounds and two assists. Osobor dealt seven assists and grabbed seven boards in the winning effort. Redshirt freshman guard Mason Falslev logged 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.
The Aggies (22-5, 10-4 MW) started hot with a 6-0 run behind a layup from senior guard Ian Martinez and two scores from Falslev. After four points from the Aztecs (20-7, 9-5 MW), Osobor got on the board matching their four with four of his own seven minutes into the contest to give USU a 10-4 lead. SDSU took its first lead of the game midway through the half on a 7-0 run. Both sides traded baskets over the next six minutes until USU reclaimed the lead on an 8-1 run to end the half. The Aggies entered the locker room up 31-26 at the break.
Brown and redshirt sophomore center Isaac Johnson combined for five points out of the break to give Utah State a 10-point advantage, 36-26, for its largest lead of the game. The Aztecs responded with a 7-0 run to cut the USU lead to 36-33 four minutes into the second half. Osobor retaliated with a 5-0 surge himself to keep San Deigo State at arm's length, 41-33. After four-straight made free throws from SDSU, USU would rebuild its 10-point lead, 49-39, on back-to-back triples from Falslev and Brown eight minutes into the second half.
Over the closing 11 minutes, San Diego State fought back into the contest, slashing the USU lead to one point, 59-58, with five minutes remaining off of a 7-0 run. The Aggies would take control in the next two minutes as Johnson and Brown combined for another 5-0 surge to boost Utah State to a 64-58 lead with two minutes remaining. Falslev and Brown sunk two free throws each in the final 30 seconds to give the Aggies a 68-63 victory, snapping a four-game losing streak to the Aztecs.
Utah State shot 49.0 percent (25-of-51) from the field, 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from downtown and 73.3 percent (11-of-15) at the free-throw line.
Senior forward Jaedon LeDee paced the Aztecs with 23 points and six rebounds. San Diego State shot 42.9 percent (24-of-56) from the field, 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from the perimeter and 80.0 percent (12-of-15) at the charity stripe.
Utah State next visits Fresno State on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. (MT) The game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.