LOGAN, Utah -A night after combining with Troy to score the most points in tournament history (201), Western Michigan battled Utah State step for step during the first half and went to the break trailing 34-30. It would be the closest the Broncos would get as the Aggies defeated WMU, 78-57, to extend their home win streak to 21 games in front of a crowd of 7,975 fans at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
The Broncos were plagued by foul trouble throughout on Wednesday night with starters Flenard Whitfield and Matt Stainbrook each taking three personal fouls to the locker room with them at halftime, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Hutcheson, who led Western Michigan with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, hit three-point field goals on back-to-back possessions in a span of 38 seconds to account for half his points during the game. His last pulled WMU to within four at 32-28 with 1:29 before the break. The Broncos took its one and only lead at the 5:52 mark of the first half when David Brown made good on a layup to put his team up 20-19.
Utah State's largest lead of the first half was just seven points, at 29-22, on a pair of Tai Wesley free throws at the 2:56 mark. Aggie free throws were the theme of the first half as the home team went to the line 15 times, making 11, with Western Michigan not stepping to the free throw line until the 13:28 mark of the second half. Utah State was 25-for-33 from the charity stripe and the Broncos went 11-for-14, all coming in the second half.
The Aggies claimed a double-digit lead for the first time in the game on Brian Green's layup and made free throw, 50-40, with 12:17 remaining in the game. Utah State went up by double digits for good on Nate Bendall's layup with 9:09 remaining, 57-47. The Aggies had four players score in double figures led by Pooh Williams' 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Brockeith Pane followed with 14 points with Wesley (13) and Tyler Newbold (12) close behind.
Western Michigan did have a pair of players finish in double figures with Stainbrook joining Hutcheson finishing with 10 points in just 13 minutes on the floor. Whitfield and Demetrius Ward each finished with nine points, stopping the Broncos' streak of 10 games with at least three players in double figures to open the season.
The Broncos will conclude its time in Utah with their game against Idaho State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can listen to the action on the Bronco Radio Network, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
