WBB Recap: Utah State Falls In Opener Against Utah

In Utah State's 2025-26 season debut, the Aggies hosted in-state rival Utah. The Utes came out strong, made adjustments, and spoiled the premiere of a newly revamped Utah State team, 90-53.

The Aggies have now lost three season openers in a row and six matchups in a row to Utah. Head coach of the Aggies, Wes Brooks, is well acquainted with both programs and knows that his former team has certain advantages over his current one. 

"They’re a little bit… they’re way ahead of us. But we’ll get there," Brooks said. 

Even though Utah State hasn’t caught up to Utah yet, Brooks is already seeing progress with his new squad.

"We have to be better," Brooks said. "We will be better. I think we are better. It just didn’t go our way tonight.

"I thought we could have done some things, but we didn’t execute the game plan. They're all disappointed. They wanted to show well. We want to send a message. We want people to support our program. And everybody here knows the history of the program."

Brooks laid out some keys to the game and how the Aggies came up short, saying, "The first thing I thought we needed to do was finish at the rim better. We did not do that. We did not protect the ball. We had 19 turnovers, even though we forced 20. The other thing I thought we needed to do was hold them to seven or fewer threes or 30 percent… that’s when they lost games last year, and we did not do that."

Still, there is room for optimism, even for the disappointed head coach of the now 0-1 team.

"I like where we are. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but we’ll be alright," Brooks said. 

There were a few things that looked better for the Aggies, the score being the most obvious and the most important. Last year, Utah State trailed by 30 at halftime and ultimately fell 87-34. The Aggies used a massive second quarter to showcase their improvements this time. Utah State’s response after a 25-8 opening frame took the Utes by surprise.

"I think the physicality kind of took us by surprise. And I also think they thought we were going to go away. They thought we were just going to lay down and we didn’t," said Brooks. 

Things got started when Karyn Sanford dished to Aaliyah Gayles who knocked down a three. Gayles added another point when she drew a foul and hit a free throw. Marina Asensio kept Utah State’s clean sheet going with a block and Rachel Wilson hit a layup off another assist from Sanford to give the Aggies a 6-0 run almost entirely facilitated by Sanford.

"I think they were just a little bit shocked that we punched back after they had hit us so hard in the first quarter. And so, they were a little bit rattled, and that helps when they're rattled, they're going to make mistakes that they don't usually make," Sanford said of Utah State’s second quarter.

The Utes responded with four points of their own, but Asensio held them off with a triple. Another Ute bucket was met with Utah State scoring on back-to-back turnovers. Rachel Wilson hit a layup off a loose ball, then picked up a steal and an assist when Jamisyn Heaton hit a layup to get within 10, 31-21.

Over the next stretch, the Utes added one more point to their lead but then Sanford, who catalyzed the offense at the quarter’s start without having to score, took on a different role at the quarter’s end. She connected on a three-pointer and a jumper to slash Utah’s lead from 11 to six. Utah hit a layup before the half ended and the Aggies, having trailed by 17 at the start of the frame, took a 39-31 game into the half.

Lots of progress was hidden in the second quarter. Four quarters like the second would result in the Aggies racking up 92 points, 16 rebounds, 24 assists and eight blocks. It would also result in a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio (on eight turnovers), and a 67 percent assisted shot rate.

"We lost by 50 last year… We won a quarter (this year)," Brooks said. "We would never have won a quarter last year. So there are some signs of life. We beat Utah in a quarter. Now we have to sustain that effort. So, we'll build on the second quarter. I still think this team has a high ceiling,

"Of course, we're always going to focus on the negative stuff when you come out of a loss like this," Sanford added. "But when we're going to look at the second quarter, that's where we want to be at all times. And if we just attempt to be there, that's going to put us in a really good position."

Brooks, who was on Utah’s staff with now-head coach Gavin Petersen, knew Utah would adjust at halftime. But as the half ticked by with no sign of the Utes, Brooks recognized the signs.

"I told the team, when we got it to 39-31 at the half, we have to survive the first five minutes of the third because I knew that when they didn’t come out (of the tunnel) until the last minute, that Gavin (Petersen) was chewing them out."

Whatever Petersen said was well worth the extra time in the locker room. Utah blitzed Utah State out of the half. In the first five minutes, the Utes went on a 10-0 run, keeping the Aggies off the board until Sophie Sene hit a free throw at the 4:31 mark. That, and a jumper from Gayles, were the only things interrupting a 15-3 Utah run to take a 20-point lead. Brooks noted Utah’s adjustments and how they dictated the flow of the game.

"I think the physicality took us by surprise, but we settled in and responded, and then they got even more physical."

By the end of the quarter, the Utes led by 22, 59-37. By the end of the contest, despite an uptick in USU’s scoring in the final frame, Utah led by 37.

Utah State’s 53 points came on 21-of-64 shooting with a 5 of 24 performance from deep. The Aggies were outrebounded 43 to 29 and had seven assists, four steals, 20 forced turnovers and 19 turnovers of their own. They also had four blocks.

Three newcomers led the way for the Aggies. Asensio had 12 points, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. She and Gayles led the team on 2-of-5 shooting from deep each. Gayles ended up with 11 points and one rebound. Sanford also had 11 points with three assists, two rebounds, a steal and a block. She spent more time than anyone on the court and played 30 minutes. 

"She's very mature, knows the game and has a high IQ. I trust her. Honestly, you see it by the minutes that I trust her," said Brooks.

Rachel Wilson came off the bench and scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds, dished three assists and snagged a steal. 

"I know people want to see proof here at this point in year two," Brooks said. "But we’re better and we’ll prove it here throughout the season."