Danny Sprinkle Named to Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List

LOGAN, Utah — Utah State head men’s basketball coach Danny Sprinkle was named to the 2024 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Watch List, presented by AXIA Time, on Friday.

Sprinkle is one of 15 head coaches on the list, including one of two from the state of Utah (BYU’s Mark Pope) and one of two from the Mountain West (New Mexico’s Richard Pitino).

Sprinkle, in his first year at the helm of the Aggie program, has led USU to a 22-5 mark, including 10-4 in the Mountain West play. Utah State logged its 33rd 20-win season in program history and are off to their third-best start in MW play its 11 years in the conference.

Utah State entered the 2023-24 season as one of just three teams in the nation returning zero points to its roster. The Aggies also had the second-fewest returning rebounds (0.004 percent) and tied for the second-fewest returning assists (0.003 percent).

Utah State ranks third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.277), 13th in field goal percentage (.494), 24th in assists per game (16.8), 34th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.48), 34th in scoring margin (+10.4) and 40th in effective field goal percentage (.546).

Graduate senior guard Darius Brown II ranks seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.56) and 13th in assists per game (6.3).

Junior wing Great Osobor ranks 19th in the nation in double-doubles (12), 31st in field goal percentage (.584), 43rd in defensive rebounds per game (6.41) and 44th in rebounds per game (9.1).

Utah State next visits Fresno State on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. (MT) The game will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.

Season tickets for the 2023-24 men’s basketball season are on sale and can be purchased by visiting www.utahstateaggies.com or by calling the Utah State ticket office at 1-888-USTATE-1.

Utah State men’s basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men’s basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics). Aggie fans can follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter (@usuathletics), on Facebook (facebook.com/usuathletics) or on Instagram (@usuathletics).