LOGAN, Utah — The Mountain West Conference announced the full slate of women’s basketball league games for the 2020-21 season on Friday. The schedule will utilize an 18-game format which includes nine home and nine road games for each team, and first-year head coach Kayla Ard’s squad will begin its MW schedule in early January.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to compete in such a competitive conference,” Ard said. “Our staff, team and community are grateful for all the efforts our administration and the Mountain West have put forward in making sure that we have a conference season this year.”
Utah State will face each team in the conference twice, with the exception of UNLV and San Diego State. For those contests, the Aggies will host the Lady Rebels inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on Wednesday, Jan 6, and will travel to Viejas Arena to face the Aztecs on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
After having an opening week bye on Thursday, Dec. 31, Utah State will begin its league slate on Saturday, Jan. 2 at Fresno State, before the Aggies return to Logan for their home opener against UNLV on Wednesday, Jan. 6.
Utah State will then host Wyoming on Saturday, Jan. 9, followed by a game at New Mexico on Wednesday, Jan. 13.
Back-to-back home games follow for the Aggies as they host San José State and Fresno State on Saturday, Jan. 16, and Monday, Jan. 18, respectively. After a homestand of two games in three days, Utah State will have a similar stretch on the road as they travel to Nevada on Thursday, Jan. 21, and San Jose State on Saturday, Jan. 23.
The Aggies then return home to take on New Mexico on Wednesday, Jan. 27, before wrapping up the month of January in Colorado playing at Air Force on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Utah State will get a break from travel and spend more than two weeks at home to begin the month of February, as it hosts three-straight games heading into a bye. The Aggies will take on reigning MW champion Boise State on Wednesday, Feb. 3, before hosting Colorado State on Saturday, Feb. 6, and Nevada on Thursday, Feb. 11. The second and final bye of the season for USU will be on Saturday, Feb. 13.
The Aggies then head on the road for three-straight contests as they play at San Diego State in their lone contest with the Aztecs on Wednesday, February 17, then travel to Colorado State on Saturday, February 20, and Wyoming on Wednesday, Feb. 24.
The home finale for Utah State will be on Saturday, Feb. 27 as it takes on Air Force on Senior Day. The Aggies will then wrap up the regular season at Boise State on Tuesday, March 2.
The 2020-21 Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championships will be held March 7-10, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
All Mountain West Conference games are subject to state, county and local approval.
Utah State returns six letterwinners and one starter, and will add five freshmen, three junior college transfers and a graduate transfer for the 2020-21 campaign. Additionally, Ard brings in an entirely new coaching staff in her first season at the helm of Utah State women’s basketball. Last season, the Aggies posted an 8-23 overall record, while going 2-16 in conference play.
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.
2020-21 Utah State Women’s Basketball MW Schedule
December 31 (Thur.) BYE
January 2 (Sat.) at Fresno State
January 6 (Wed.) UNLV
January 9 (Sat.) Wyoming
January 13 (Wed.) at New Mexico
January 16 (Sat.) San Jose State
January 18 (Mon.) Fresno State
January 21 (Thur.) at Nevada
January 23 (Sat.) at San Jose State
January 27 (Wed.) New Mexico
January 30 (Sat.) at Air Force
February 3 (Wed.) Boise State
February 6 (Sat.) Colorado State
February 11 (Thur.) Nevada
February 13 (Sat.) BYE
February 17 (Wed.) at San Diego State
February 20 (Sat.) at Colorado State
February 24 (Wed.) at Wyoming
February 27 (Sat.) Air Force
March 2 (Tues.) at Boise State
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