Arizona State 's Romello White, right, blocks a shot by Utah State's John Knight III during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Utah State junior guard Sam Merrill scored 27 points, pacing four Aggies in double figures, but it wasn’t enough in an 87-82 loss to Arizona State in the championship game of the MGM Main Event on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Lugentz Dort poured in a game-high 33 points to help the Sun Devils (5-0) hold off the Aggies (5-1) for the Heavyweight Bracket title.

Utah State sophomore guard John Knight III finished with 13 points and gave Utah State a 47-44 lead with 15:53 remaining in the game when he scored on a layup. However, Arizona State moved back in front for good on a 3-pointer by Taeshon Cherry less than a minute later.

The Sun Devils, who shot 26-of-52 from the field (50.0 percent), including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc (7-of-14), grew their lead to as many as nine down the stretch.

Joining Merrill and Knight III in double-figure scoring for Utah State was senior forward Dwayne Brown Jr. (14) and redshirt freshman guard Brock Miller (10). The Aggies shot 25-for-56 from the field (44.6 percent), including 7-of-23 from 3-point range (30.4 percent), and 25-of-33 from the free throw line (75.8 percent).

For the sixth time this season, though, Utah State outrebounded its opponent as the Aggies grabbed five more boards (34-29) than the Sun Devils, led by freshman center Neemias Queta’s career-high-tying nine.

The Aggies scored the first six points of the game on back-to-back 3-pointers by sophomore guard Crew Ainge and Miller. Utah State opened up its largest lead of the game when Merrill drained his first 3-pointer of the night to make it 16-9 with 14:03 left in the first half.

Consecutive baskets by Brown within a 54-second span gave the Aggies their final lead of the half, 28-26, before Dort took over and scored the next six points for the Sun Devils, who led 37-35 at intermission.

Utah State will return home on Wednesday, Nov. 28, when the Aggies welcome Northern Iowa to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, at 7 p.m. The game is part of the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge.

Fans can purchase season tickets, or on a game-by-game basis. Fans can purchase tickets at the Utah State ticket office, located on the first floor of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tickets are also available online at utahstateaggies.com/tickets, or by calling the ticket office at (435) 797-0305 or (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).