LOGAN, Utah – Utah State women’s basketball recorded a massive win in the team’s final nonconference game of 2025-26, defeating Idaho, 80-73, on Saturday afternoon at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
Senior center Sophie Sene scored 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a career-high five made 3-pointers, becoming the first player 6-foot-3 or taller in the Mountain West to hit five threes since Boise State’s Mallory McGwire did so twice during the 2020-21 season. Junior guard Aaliyah Gayles led the Aggies with 18 points while Gayles and Sene also led USU in rebounding with nine and eight boards, respectively.
Senior guard/forward Jamisyn Heaton added 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, also adding five rebounds while senior guard Marina Asensio finished with 11 points plus a team-high four assists. Heaton and Asensio also tied for the team lead with three steals apiece.
The game was tight throughout as the contest featured 17 lead changes and 10 ties. Sene hit the first two of her 3-pointers in the opening quarter for the Aggies, the latter of which sparked a 9-3 run to end the frame to give USU a 20-14 lead with Gayles, Asensio, senior guard Karyn Sanford and freshman guard Aitana Rosello Lopez all contributing buckets during the stretch as well.
The Vandals answered with a 7-0 run to begin the second quarter. Utah State later countered with a 9-0 burst, scoring on four-straight possessions and being capped off by another 3-pointer by Sene to put the Aggies ahead, 32-26. Idaho again returned the favor with six unanswered points to close the half and carry a 40-38 lead into the locker rooms.
Out of halftime, the Aggies scored the first six points as Heaton hit a pair of layups to regain the lead for USU. The Vandals hit a 3-pointer on their next possession, beginning a stretch of over nearly 10 minutes where neither side led by more than three points. A 6-0 run keyed by a pair of field goals by Asensio broke the gridlock and gave the Aggies a 65-61 lead with six-and-a-half minutes remaining. Sene hit her fifth 3-pointer of the game to preserve USU’s advantage before Gayles then helped close the door on the Vandals, scoring six of the Aggies’ ensuing eight points, including going 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
USU held Idaho to only two made field goals over a stretch of nearly six minutes during crunch time, helping the Aggies extend their lead. A pair of FTs by Heaton pushed USU’s advantage to double digits with just over a minute remaining, allowing the Aggies to hold on for the 80-73 victory.
Utah State shot a season-high 48.3 percent (29-of-60), including 40.0 percent (8-of-20) from 3-point range, and shot 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the FT line. The Aggies held Idaho to 37.7 percent from the field (29-of-77) and 25.0 percent (9-of-36) from behind the arc. USU forced 15 turnovers while surrendering possession only 12 times, leading to a 22-6 edge in points off turnovers.
At 4-5 entering MW play, USU has already equaled its win total from last season with over 20 games remaining. The Aggies’ 4-5 showing in nonconference play is also the program’s best record by winning percentage versus nonconference foes since going 5-5 during the nonconference slate in 2021-22.
Up Next
The Aggies (4-5, 0-0 MW) begin Mountain West play next week, first hosting Air Force at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. (MT), before heading to the road to face Colorado State on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m. (MT).
Tickets
Season tickets, mini-plans and single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here or by visiting the USU Ticket Office.
Fans can follow USU women’s basketball on Twitter, @USUWBasketball, on Instagram, @USUWBasketball, as well as on Facebook, at /USUWBB. Aggie fans can also follow Utah State Athletics on Twitter, @USUAthletics, on Instagram, @USUAthletics and on Facebook at /USUAthletics.
– USU –
