Aztecs fall in Mountain West title game on Merrill 3-pointer in final seconds

Head coach Brian Dutcher looks down in disappointment during the Aztecs’ 59-56 loss against Utah State at Thomas and Mack Center on March 7.

LAS VEGAS — With 26 seconds left and the score tied at 56, Utah State senior guard Sam Merrill secured a rebound off a miss by San Diego State junior guard Malachi Flynn.

Merrill took it upon himself to bring the ball up the court and win it for the Aggies.

He did so by hitting a contested 3-pointer in the face of Aztecs senior guard KJ Feagin with 2.6 seconds left. Those three points were the most significant of Merrill’s game-high 27, along with playing all 40 minutes.

Though the Aztecs were up as much as 16, the final score would be 59-56 Utah State…