LOGAN, Utah (Interstat) — In a hard-fought in-state battle, the Utah State Aggies used a dominant performance inside and a disruptive defense to pull away from the Weber State Wildcats for an 83-73 victory before a crowd of 9,124 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Wednesday night.

Despite an uncharacteristically cold shooting night from beyond the arc, the Aggies improved to 3-0 by relentlessly attacking the basket, scoring 46 points in the paint and converting 18 Weber State turnovers into 18 points. The Wildcats, who fell to 1-2, kept the game close for much of the first half but ultimately could not overcome a stagnant offense that managed only four assists against 12 turnovers.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair that featured eight ties and ended deadlocked at 41. Weber State’s Trevor Hennig, a 6-foot-4 guard from North Bend, Washington, led all first-half scorers with 12 points, while Utah State’s Garry Clark, a 6-foot-9 forward from St. Louis, Missouri, came off the bench to provide a crucial spark with nine points.

The Aggies seized control immediately after halftime, opening the second period on a 12-2 run. The surge was fueled by defensive pressure, as steals by Mason Falslev and Elijah Perryman led to easy transition baskets, including a dunk by Tucker Anderson that forced a Weber State timeout just over two minutes into the half.

Weber State struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Utah State’s swarming defense. The Wildcats’ offensive rating of 101.0 on 72 possessions paled in comparison to the Aggies’ mark of 112.5. Utah State also recorded 10 steals and four blocks, consistently disrupting Weber State’s sets.

Kolby King, a 6-foot-1 guard from Pompano Beach, Florida, was instrumental in the Aggies’ second-half surge. He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and two assists, repeatedly driving into the lane for key buckets. His backcourt mate, Elijah Perryman, also from San Francisco, contributed six points, three assists and three steals, providing relentless defensive energy.

While Utah State’s three-point shooting was a paltry 3 of 23, they more than compensated by making 29 of their 64 two-point attempts. Karson Templin, a 6-foot-8 forward from Fairview, Texas, was a model of efficiency inside, scoring a team-high 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Clark finished with 13 points and five rebounds, and Anderson added nine points, five rebounds and two blocks.

For Weber State, Hennig led all scorers with 19 points and added six rebounds. Nigel Burris, a 6-foot-7 forward from San Francisco, recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Jace Whiting chipped in 10 points, and David Hansen also scored 10 off the bench.

The Wildcats shot just 38.6 percent from the field and were hampered by their inability to take care of the ball. Their four total assists highlighted the offensive struggles against a disciplined Utah State defense.

The Aggies gradually extended their lead throughout the second half, building it to as many as 14 points. Every time Weber State showed signs of a rally, Utah State answered with a bucket in the paint or a trip to the free-throw line, where they went 22 for 29.

The victory extends Utah State’s perfect start to the season, while Weber State looks to regroup on the road. The Aggies’ next contest is at home against UTEP on Saturday. Weber State travels to face UC Irvine, also on Saturday.