WBB Round-Up: Aggies Fall To LMU Before Quick Trip To USC

Utah State took a step in the wrong direction in game two of the season, and a disjointed effort resulted in a 70-45 loss to LMU. The Aggies hold a 1-1 record ahead of a monstrous matchup against the No. 3 team in the nation, USC, on Sunday evening.

The Aggies fell behind early and entered the second frame down 20-12, and after back-to-back layups from LMU’s Shawnee Nordstrom, LMU had doubled Utah State and led 24-12. The Aggies fought back to within eight, but the Lions responded with seven unanswered points and were barreling towards the halftime break. Kylani Rookstool slowed them down with a timely three, her only one of the game, which provided the halftime score of 33-21.

LMU used three straight scores out of the break to approach the 20-point lead mark, but stalled at 19 when Rookstool countered a Danae Powell three-pointer with a layup to bring the Aggies within 17. Utah State continued to etch away at the Lion advantage when Nicole Ogun hit a layup to make it an 11-point game, but LMU called a timeout and drew up a 10-0 run.

LMU’s lead briefly entered 20-point territory before Sami Mancini reeled it to 19 before the end of the third quarter. The start of the fourth quarter saw a back-and-forth battle fought over that 20-point threshold, with the Lions taking three separate 21-point leads and five 19-point leads. The Aggies brought the Lion lead down to 17 about halfway through the quarter before LMU raced to a 27-point advantage, the largest of the game, just 1:27 before landing on a final deficit of 25. 

"Obviously it's not the result we wanted," head coach Wes Brooks said. "We did not play to our identity. We cannot give up 17 offensive boards and turn the ball over 31 times and expect to win a basketball game.

"I have to find out how to connect my team better. I have to find out how to get them motivated so that we can play to a level that we're capable of playing. We're not playing good basketball right now, and I have to figure out why. It's disappointing. Utah State deserves better. I told our girls, 'We gotta play better, and we gotta be better.' "

Among the problems facing Utah State, some are symptoms of a brand new team playing a brand new season. Some are more concerning. Rookstool’s one hit from deep against LMU, for example, was her second on eight attempts this season. She was a 40.1 percent shooter from range last season. She is getting open looks and, in a small sample size of hits, has already shown a propensity for finding them in big moments. Her only three against Westminster came off the back of a Macie Brown layup to help turn a seven-point lead into a 12-point lead late in the fourth, and was part of a 9-0 run to put the Griffins away. She’s shooting 40 percent from the field, and her 25 percent hit rate from deep is a problem that will likely solve itself. 

The other problems for Utah State aren’t as easily fixed. Rebounding in particular is presenting an unexpected issue for Brooks and Co. Utah State won the rebounding battle 39-33, but gave up 17 offensive rebounds, which were accompanied by 13 second-chance points for the Lions.

"Very weird," Brooks said. "I'll have to go watch the film. This is the first time that we won the rebounding battle while giving up that many offensive rebounds. I think that's part of the reason that we were able to stay in the game a little bit longer than we probably should have when we had 31 turnovers. But you can't give up 17 offensive rebounds.

"We have to figure that out… But it's so weird, you rarely give up 17 offensive rebounds and win the rebounding battle."

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Outside the perplexing rebounding battle, the Aggies held their own in the paint, and the teams were even at 38 points in the paint. However, as they did last year against the Lions, turnovers plagued the Aggies. A devastating 31 giveaways led to 20 points off turnovers for LMU. Giving up 13 second-chance points and 20 points off turnovers, for a combined 33 points in a game decided by 25 points, is clearly detrimental.

As Brooks said, it's not something a team can do and expect to win games. It also didn't help that the Aggies were also going against Powell, and whatever it is that she has against Utah State. She came off the bench for the Lions and had 18 points, two rebounds and two steals. She was 6 of 8 from the field, 3 of 5 from deep and 3 of 3 from the stripe.

"She is an Aggie killer. It's so crazy, isn't it? It's three years in a row she's destroyed us. I've never seen anything like it," Brooks said. "I warned the staff. I warned everybody… She's a good player, and she has a thing for playing well against the Aggies."

Her 18-point performance brought her career average to 9.2 points per game. Her average when she takes the court against Utah State is 16.2. Shawnee Nordstrom also notched double digits with 14 points, two rebounds and an assist. Kayla Jones led the team and tied Mancini’s game high of nine rebounds and added six points, an assist and two steals. Maya Hernandez registered a game-high five assists along with seven points, two rebounds and four steals.

After an inaugural game that showcased some stellar individual performances, including two debut double-doubles, the Aggies didn’t have anyone in double figures in either scoring or rebounding. For the Aggies, Rookstool led the way with nine points, adding three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Mancini and Ogun both came down off their high-flying double-double debuts. Mancini had eight points, nine rebounds, an assist and two steals; Ogun had eight points, eight rebounds, a steal and a block. Aaliyah Gayles, who wasn't expected to play, was not herself.

"(We need) to get her back to where she can go… She's been in and out of the lineup throughout the preseason. But we have to get her back to where she can really be a solid contributor to our team," Brooks said. "Six turnovers in seven minutes, that's not very AG-like. So we’ve got to help her out with that."

Brooks also talked about the upcoming game, which will be her return to USC.

"I have to save her from herself sometimes. She's very hard on herself as a player… The other thing is, I have to get her ready for Sunday. That's a big deal for her, going back to SC.

"When we first scheduled this game, Lindsay (Gottlieb) said, 'Wes, you know how AG is, is she going to be alright with this? Are you going to be able to calm her down?' I said, 'I'll get it.' That will be a big deal for her. I'm happy for her… people will be excited to see her."

The Aggies are on a short turnaround before a top-five matchup on the road. It's USC's home opener, and while the result seems to be all but predetermined, it's a highly anticipated game for the Aggies because of what it means for Gayles. In the transfer portal era, players facing former teams is commonplace, but AG's return to USC is a return unlike any other.

USC is where Gayles dreamed of playing ever since she was a kid, and it's where she made her miraculous return to basketball after the sport was very nearly taken from her. Gayles had already committed, then after a coaching change, recommitted to USC. She was a week away from signing with the Trojans when she suffered several gunshot wounds that almost led to her left leg being amputated and had doctors wondering if she would even be able to walk again. She did. And she ran. And she jumped. And eventually she played basketball, just like she dreamed about, for the USC Trojans.

In her return to the Galen Center, she will also be reunited with coach Gottlieb, who was determined to get Gayles to USC, even if she couldn’t play basketball again. She sat at Gayles' side in the hospital during her recovery. AG is a walking (and hooping) miracle, and without her courageous journey to and through USC, Utah State would be without its star.