Nate Harris is second in the country in field goal percentage at 65.6 percent.

Feb. 8, 2005

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's men's basketball team is leading the nation in field goal percentage according to the latest NCAA statistics released on Tuesday. USU is shooting 54.0 percent from the field this year, while Utah is second in the nation at 53.3 percent. During the 2003-04 season, Utah State finished third in the country in field goal percentage at 50.9 percent.

As a team, Utah State also ranks fifth in the country in three-point field goal percentage (42.0) and fewest personal fouls committed per game (14.1), eight in scoring defense (58.0), 10th in scoring margin (+15.6), 15th in rebounding margin (+7.0), 16th in assists per game (17.0), 22nd in field goal percentage defense (39.3), 24th in won-lost percentage (77.3), and 30th in fewest turnovers committed per game (12.8).

Individually, junior forward Nate Harris (Smithfield, Utah) ranks second in the country in field goal percentage at 65.6 percent, while senior forward Spencer Nelson (Pocatello, Idaho) ranks 14th at 61.3 percent, and freshman guard Jaycee Carroll (Evanston, Wyo.) ranks 48th at 54.9 percent. Nelson also ranks 43rd in the country in assists with an average of 5.33 per game. Carroll is shooting 51.4 percent from three-point range on the year, which would rank second in the country, but he is one made three-point field goal shy of qualifying for the NCAA stats in that category.

Utah State, who is currently 17-5 on the season and 8-3 in the Big West Conference, will host Cal State Northridge (12-9, 9-3) on Thur., Feb. 10 at 7:05 p.m., and 24th-ranked Pacific (18-2, 12-0) on Sat., Feb. 12 at 8:35 p.m. The game against the Tigers will be televised live by College Sports TV.