By Robert Lastlla
A clear statement was made with Utah State’s opening performance with its win over Tulane in Game One of the Shriners Children’s Classic in Charleston on Friday.
In a back-and-forth affair between the Aggies and Green Wave early on, the two teams went into the locker room tied at 40, as a barrage of triples from Tulane counteracted a strong half in the paint from Utah State.
The second half was an entirely different story, as the Aggies outscored Tulane 56-35 behind 68% from the field and 71% shooting from three. On the defensive end, Utah State forced 13 Tulane turnovers, which they converted into 24 points off turnovers. The Aggies also finished with 22 fast-break points, turning defensive stops into points on the other end quickly, which Tulane had no answer for at times.
While as a team the Aggies overcame their first half shooting struggles from beyond the arc, amped up the defensive pressure, and got out in transition, the personal efforts of Mason Falslev and MJ Collins were the difference makers.
The duo combined to shoot 72% from the field, with Falslev finishing with a game-high 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals, while Collins added 21 points and 5 assists. The Aggies have yet to have a game where both Falslev and Collins were performing at this high a level, and the second half was a glimpse of what they are capable of when both are in rhythm.
It was a valiant effort for Tulane in the first half, but their overreliance on triples and lack of consistent defense came back to bite them in the second half. Rowan Brumbaugh finished with 19 points and Asher Woods notched 16 as the Green Wave’s top two scorers, but as a whole, the offense lacked rhythm at times.
Below are three takeaways from game one of the Lowcountry Bracket.
Mason Falslev Breaks out of Slump
Mason Falslev came into Friday afternoon’s game shooting 35% from the field over his last two games, but he broke out of that in a big way against Tulane.
Last season, Falslev had only two games where he shot better than 70% from the field on 10 or more attempts. Friday’s game saw him achieve that feat just 5 games into the season, which could serve as a confidence booster as the Aggies look to build on a 5-0 start.
Falslev’s offensive output was impressive, but his defensive effort of 7 rebounds and 4 steals had a major impact as well.
According to Collins, it was a major point of emphasis coming out of the locker room to force Tulane to turn the ball over, and Falslev was a big part of it.
“It's a huge advantage for us, because we are much more athletic than we were last year. So we try to, basically, you know, that's our calling card, turning the other team over, you know, getting out running and, of course, like getting easy buckets off of that. So, you know, that was our focal point coming out of the half,” Collins said.
Collins was excelling just as much as Falslev was; however, this wasn’t the first game this season where he dominated, but for Falslev, it was. This is Falslev’s third year in the program, and he is a player that the Aggies needed to get going, as Collins believes he and Falslev can be the best one-two punch in the nation.
“I feel like we have the best one-two punch in the nation. You know, I'm happy for him (Falslev). I'm glad he got it going. You know, he's been struggling a little bit. So, you know, I love that he found it going tonight, and hopefully he can lead it to Saturday, I mean, Sunday, and the rest of our season,” Collins said.
Jerrod Calhoun knows his team doesn’t have the budget of some of the top-tier programs in the country, but they were able to fundraise well and bring back Falslev for his junior season. With Utah State paying Falslev like a top player in the Mountain West Conference, the Aggies needed him to perform as such, and Friday, he answered the call.
There was no concern on Calhoun’s end that Falslev wouldn’t eventually break out of his mini-slump, and what he showed on Friday is exactly why Utah State paid him as they did.
“There's a reason our fan base stepped up and kept him in the Cash Valley, hopefully for, you know, the remainder of his career. I never lost faith in him. I mean, it's an early season, if you'll remember, last year he did the same thing. He came out of the gate, struggled, and then he went to the MTE and put on a show. So he's off to a good start, and so are some of his teammates, but, yeah. I mean, we fully expect him to fill up the stat sheet every night,” Calhoun said.
Aggies show they can adjust on the Fly
Early on in this game, things were not going the way of the Aggies. At the half, Utah State was just two of nine from beyond the arc with 8 turnovers, while on the defensive end, they were allowing Tulane to shoot 41% from beyond the arc.
That began to turn towards the end of the first half, as the Aggies were able to hold Tulane without a point over the final 3:06, closing the half on a 6-0 run.
They were able to keep that going through halftime, as within the first 10 minutes of the second half, Utah State held Tulane without a point for over a minute three separate times. The inconsistency of Tulane’s offense not only fired up Utah State defensively, but they were able to use that to find their footing offensively as well.
Utah State’s Drake Allen did not miss a shot, had eight assists, and three steals vs. Tulane. The seemingly perfect floor general for this USU roster.
After streaky shooting from Utah State kept Tulane in the game in the first half, the Aggies found their shot and their defensive intensity, and the Green Wave had no answer.
Utah State adjusted on the fly, and it led to a dominant second half, and according to Calhoun, that is the biggest key to college basketball.
“I mean, I think that's the biggest key to college basketball, right? Some teams have paid these kids millions and millions of dollars, right? And it doesn't matter how much money you have, you've got to go through it to build a team. That's what we're doing right now. We're building a team.”
“We're understanding how to win with each other, how to play with each other, on both sides of the ball, right? We're trusting each other more. Identities, you know, are starting to show a little bit here. Another game where we out-rebound the team by 15, we're getting those freshmen in Adlan and Elija Perryman are getting some really meaningful minutes. And I think we're just scratching the surface,” Calhoun said.
Aggies building a resume
We are just five games into Utah State’s season; however, they are building a resume that, if things continue to go their way, could prove beneficial come the end of the season.
In the Aggies’ second game of the season, they knocked off A-10 preseason favorites VCU 80-77, and since then, they have knocked off every opponent by double figures.
They have now picked up wins over two of the top Mid-Major conferences in the American and A-10, and they will have two more opportunities against the AC, with USF and Charlotte still on the non-conference slate.
Every coach will take their season one game at a time; however, one can’t help but notice that between advanced metrics and multiple non-conference wins over respectable opponents, the Aggies are building a solid resume.
According to Calhoun, his team is in a good position at this point in the early season, but they will continue to put value into each possession as they look to improve as the season moves on.
"I think it's an interesting time to be in college basketball. Our numbers are great. It's early in the season. You know, hopefully by the time we leave this tournament, we're a top 40 team, top 30-something team. I really talk to our guys about how every possession is measured. You have to play well on both sides. That's why we were a little upset with those two threes at the end.”
“But, yeah, I think you're spot on, right? I mean, the reality of it is, it's getting harder and harder for everybody to make the NCAA Tournament, especially a team like us that spent probably a
third of what most of these teams have spent. So we want to be the most disciplined, the most connected, and we're starting to get there," Calhoun said.