From the Other Side: Utah State Breaks Down Villanova Matchup

Utah State’s players and coaches previewed their Round of 64 matchup with Villanova in a Thursday, March 19 media appearance, expressing their confidence in a battle between two small-ball teams. After learning the Aggies’ tournament spot during the March 15 selection show, head coach Jerrod Calhoun said he felt their No. 9 seed was a slight for a team that won the Mountain West Championship.

The Aggies retain that chip on their shoulder, and lead scorer MJ Collins Jr. gave a hint to their game plan as they prepare for Villanova.

“I think it’s a blessing for us, considering the fact that we’re a guard-heavy team as well. But we have some areas in the game plan where we’re going to go at their guards in different ways,” Collins said. “And I feel like they can’t do that in certain areas based off of our defense and how we kind of game plan for certain teams. So I think everything should fall in our favor.”

Collins, a senior, averages 17.6 points per game; Mason Falslev, a junior, finishes right behind him with 16.1 PPG. The Aggies’ 82.5 points per game puts them in the top 50 nationally; Villanova checks in with 77.2, placing them in the middle of the pack, but head coach Kevin Willard plays at an intentionally slower pace in order to help his young team, and the Aggies only hold a 12 spot advantage in KenPom’s offensive efficiency rankings.

Defense Wins Championships

Despite their scoring prowess, Collins said the Aggies’ success will hinge on their ability to force turnovers; their 14.1 forced per game ranks No. 22 in the nation.

“I feel like we just gotta be ourselves. Just, like, I said follow the scout. The coaches do a good job at it giving us a game plan. So it’s just up to us sticking to it,” Collin said. “And our defense is based on forcing turnovers. So I think [if] we pressure the ball, get into the other team and rebound, I think everything can take care of itself… if we can get 20 of those off of turnovers, then the game will pretty much take care of itself.”

Falslev added that after the grind of a five month season, giving extra effort on the defensive side of the ball can prove the difference, sparking their offense with transition plays.

Grinding the Tape

Villanova and Utah State last played in 1960. Calhoun said that having to grind film of a team he has almost no experience with exemplifies what he loves about coaching.

“I mean, I think it’s exciting learning a new system. To me as a coach, there’s nothing better than game prep. How are you going to use 45 minutes, an hour, whatever our length of practices are? What’s our film sessions going to look like?” Calhoun said. 

“I’ve learned in the Big East it’s a very physical conference. Villanova’s guards are very physical. They try to bully the ball, they get in the gaps, they play very green. They go for steals. So just continue to learn about them much, implement our system, the game plan. That’s what makes March Madness so fun. There’s not a lot of sleep for the coaches. There’s a lot of coffee intake. I may challenge Coach Willard to a coffee, see who can drink the most. I saw something, he said he’s about 13 cups a day. I’m not quite to that level, but probably half of that.”

Click here to read the Villanova perspective on their matchup against the Aggies.