LOGAN, Utah — Based on the numbers last night, Matt Lojeski deserves some consideration when it comes time to vote for the All-Western Athletic Conference team.

Lojeski scored only 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting, and his University of Hawai'i basketball team lost at Utah State, 58-50.

But it was his defense that kept the Rainbow Warriors close throughout the game.

Lojeski, a 6-foot-6 senior, helped limit Utah State's Jaycee Carroll to a season-low 11 points. Carroll, a 6-2 junior, entered the game as the WAC's leading scorer at 21.3 points per game.

"I usually do a good job on him," Lojeski said. "I think my length maybe bothers him. We were just staying focused on trying to let somebody else beat us and it kind of happened tonight."

In two games against Hawai'i this season, Carroll has 24 points on 9-of-24 shooting. In a 69-61 loss at Hawai'i last month, he scored 13.

In a game against New Mexico State last week, Carroll scored 44 points.

Hawai'i head coach Riley Wallace said of Lojeski's effort: "He takes the challenge to want to stop (Carroll) because he knows he's one of the best players in the league, and in the West, and in the country. He's a rhythm shooter and Lojeski keeps him out of rhythm."

Carroll's final basket of the game came on a breakaway layup with 3:59 remaining. If not for that, he would have been held to single-digit points for the first time all season.

"They do a great job on Jaycee," Utah State head coach Stew Morrill said of Hawai'i's defense. "Whenever he has the ball, they're all aware of it, and they do a great job collapsing. I thought he tried to take it inside by driving a little too much, and he had (four) turnovers."

Carroll did grab nine rebounds, helping the Aggies to a 42-27 advantage on the boards. He also had three steals while playing all 40 minutes.

"Give him credit, he works his butt off and he gets a lot of rebounds," Lojeski said. "He's a great player."

MORRILL SHOWS ALOHA

Utah State head coach Stew Morrill wore a green aloha shirt last night in honor of Riley Wallace, whose resignation as Hawai'i head coach will go into effect at the end of this season.

"The kids were worried about superstition, and I told them the shirt has nothing to do with the game," Morrill said. "But I did cover it up with a navy blue sport coat just to make sure."

Prior to the game, Morrill presented Wallace a gift certificate for a stay at a vacation lodge. Wallace received a standing ovation from the crowd of 7,810 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

"Great coach, great guy, I love him to death," Morrill said.

Wallace said in return: "There's different kind of people who come into the game today, but Stew's one of the really good ones that's been in it for a while."

In addition to coaching against each other for 20 years, Wallace and Morrill are golfing buddies during the off-season.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.