Grand Canyon Defeats Utah State in Mountain West Tournament Opener

LAS VEGAS – The Utah State Aggies women’s basketball team saw its season come to an end with a 75-58 loss to the sixth-seeded Grand Canyon Lopes in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 7, 2026.

Heaton Leads Aggies in Scoring

Senior guard/forward Jamisyn Heaton led Utah State with 17 points, shooting 6-of-14 from the field, and added three rebounds. Heaton, a key player for the Aggies, averaged 8.9 points and a team-high 5.4 rebounds during the 2024-25 season.

Livingston Contributes with 16 Points

Sophomore guard Elise Livingston contributed 16 points, going 4-of-8 from three-point range, and led the team with three steals.

Game Recap

The Aggies started strong, going on a 13-2 run in the first quarter to grab a 17-8 lead. Layups and free throws from Aaliyah Gayles and Heaton, along with a three-pointer from Livingston, fueled the early surge. Grand Canyon responded to close the first quarter, but Utah State regained momentum in the second.

Utah State extended its lead to 33-20 with a 14-5 run, highlighted by three field goals, including a pair of three-pointers, from Livingston. However, Grand Canyon closed the second quarter with 11 unanswered points, narrowing the Aggies’ lead to 33-31 at halftime.

The third quarter saw a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading baskets. Grand Canyon ultimately wrestled momentum away from Utah State with a 17-4 burst, securing a comfortable lead and ultimately clinching a spot in the quarterfinal round.

Free Throw Perfection

Utah State finished the game shooting a perfect 14-of-14 from the free throw line, marking only the 10th time in program history the Aggies have achieved such accuracy with at least 10 attempts.

Team Statistics

Utah State shot 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the field and 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from three-point range. Grand Canyon recorded marks of 46.7 percent (28-of-60) 28.6 percent (4-of-14) from behind the arc, and 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the free throw line.

Looking Ahead

With the conclusion of the Mountain West Tournament, the Utah State Aggies women’s basketball team’s season has ended. Fans can continue to follow the team on Twitter @USUWBasketball, Instagram @USUWBasketball, and Facebook /USUWBB.