LOGAN, Utah (AP) -- Spencer Nelson scored 20 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to lead Utah State University past South Carolina State 82-60 in the first round of the Gossner Foods Holiday Classic Wednesday night.
Jaycee Carroll also scored 20, with 4-of-8 from the 3-point line, for the Aggies (8-3). Nate Harris added 13 and David Pak had 10 points for Utah State.
The Bulldogs (7-4) were led in scoring by Brandon Trapp with 13 and Demeco Heath with 12. Thurman Zimmerman, who entered the game as the Bulldogs' leading scorer averaging 19.2 points, was held scoreless in the second half and scored eight points in the game.
Utah State used a 13-3 run to begin the second half to pull away from South Carolina State after a 34-31 halftime edge.
The Bulldogs closed to 56-49 with 10:50 before five consecutive points and a steal by Pak pushed the Aggies back to a double-digit lead that it never relinquished.
The Bulldogs' starting point guard Derrick Davis left the game due to an injury with 4:36 left in the first half and never returned. Davis dislocated his left shoulder on a scramble for a rebound.
Utah State will play Loyola Marymount, who beat Northern Arizona 69-64 earlier in the evening, in the championship game Thursday night.
