Utah State Aggies are gearing up to face the UNLV Rebels in the Mountain West tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at 1 p.m. MT. The matchup presents a notable challenge as UNLV is the only team to sweep Utah State this season.
Utah State secured the No. 1 seed after winning the outright conference title, finishing with an overall record of 25-6. Meanwhile, UNLV, seeded eighth, narrowly defeated Wyoming 73-70 in their opening tournament game. The Rebels’ victory was significant, marking their first Mountain West tournament win against a non-Air Force team in over a decade.
Season Series and Key Challenges
UNLV holds a psychological edge after handing Utah State a severe 92-65 defeat at the Thomas & Mack Center last week. The Rebels also captured an 86-76 road win at Utah State’s Spectrum arena earlier this season, making them the only visiting team to triumph there. Head coach Jerrod Calhoun of Utah State emphasized the importance of defensive improvements to counter UNLV’s physical style. He noted, “We have to keep guys in front and out of the paint against their big, long, and athletic squad that switches ball screens.”
UNLV head coach Josh Pastner praised Calhoun’s coaching and the Aggies’ quality, stating, “They’re a high-level group. We’ll have to play our best game if we want a chance to win.”
Player Accolades and Team Momentum
Utah State will lean on its star players, including junior guard Mason Falslev, named Mountain West Player of the Year. Falslev leads the Aggies with 15.9 points per game and tops the team in rebounds and minutes played. Senior guard MJ Collins Jr., the team’s leading scorer with 17.6 points per game, needs to improve after struggling in previous games against the Rebels. Calhoun highlighted Collins’s critical role, saying, “His defensive activity and ability to get to the free-throw line will be vital.”
Junior forward Karson Templin was honored as Sixth Man of the Year, while senior guard MJ Collins Jr. and graduate guard Drake Allen also received postseason awards.
Preparation and Strategy
After clinching the regular-season championship with a 94-90 victory over New Mexico, Utah State took two days off and returned to low-intensity practices focusing on recovery and strategy. Calhoun remarked on the team’s solid preparation, “We had very good practices with limited contact to keep players fresh.”
Defensively, the Aggies aim to limit UNLV’s scoring runs, particularly from senior forward Kimani Hamilton, who scored 24 points in their last meeting. Calhoun instructed his team to play more physical and deny Hamilton from getting the ball in the low post, where he has been especially effective.
Tournament Outlook
The winner on Thursday will advance to face the victor of the Grand Canyon versus Nevada quarterfinal game Friday. Nevada convincingly defeated Air Force 80-45, extending Air Force’s losing streak to 25 games.
Utah State’s strong NET ranking at 29 and KenPom rating at 36 make the team a near certainty for the NCAA tournament irrespective of the outcome. However, the Aggies are motivated to improve their postseason seed and erase recent losses to UNLV on the Rebels’ home court.
This quarterfinal showdown will be a critical test of Utah State’s resilience and championship-caliber defense as they pursue another Mountain West tournament title.