LEXINGTON, KY — Advancing to the NCAA Tournament was the high point of a very successful season for Utah State.
Unfortunately for the Aggies, Thursday’s performance in their first-round game against UCLA included a whole lot of season-lows.
“I’ve got to give UCLA a lot of credit. But I also want to credit our guys,” first-year USU head coach Jerrod Calhoun said following USU’s 72-47 disappointing defeat in front of 16,258 March Madness at Rupp Arena. “Putting together a group of nine or 10 new players on a roster, winning 26 games, going to the NCAA Tournament. But most seasons never end the way you want them to, right?
“But let’s just call it like it is. We certainly didn’t want to get beat the way we did.”
Utah State’s 47 points were easily a season-worst for the Aggies (26-8), whose previous low of 61 points came against North Texas on Nov. 29. Utah State also finished the game with season-lows in field-goal percentage (30%) and 3-point field goal percentage (12.9%, 4 for 31), while the USU bench contributed a season-worst nine points.
“I think they did a good job of pressuring us,” USU guard Mason Falslev said of his team’s perimeter-shooting woes. “It’s hard to make 3s when you’re rushed, and they just didn’t fall.”
Falslev was one of the few bright spots for the 10th-seeded Aggies, wrapping up his sophomore season by scoring a game-high 17 points and coming down with a game-best 10 rebounds. But even Falslev, who had 13 points and nine rebounds at halftime, ended up going just 6-for-17 from the field and 1-for-6 from 3-point range while playing 37 minutes.
Senior guard Deyton Albury (12 points) was the only other Aggie to score in double figures, while USU’s leading scorer Ian Martinez had his toughest offensive outing of the season. The graduate guard, who came into the game averaging 16.8 points per night, totaled just two points while going 1-for-11 from field and 0-for-7 from 3-point range after scoring in double figures every game this year.
“We talked about it the last three days; they’re an elite defensive team,” Calhoun said of the Bruins. “But I thought in the first half they made shots. So much this time of year is about shot making. When you don’t make shots it affects your defense.”
The win vaulted UCLA (23-10) into a second-round matchup with Tennessee (28-7) on Saturday. The No. 2 Volunteers beat No. 15 Wofford, 77-62, earlier on Thursday.
Utah State’s Mason Falslev (12) shoots while guarded by UCLA’s Kobe Johnson (0) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
Utah State’s Dexter Akanno (7) looks for an opening against UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr., left, during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
Utah State’s Deyton Albury (13) shoots between UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau, left, and Eric Dailey Jr. (3) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
UCLA guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) chases a loose ball with Utah State guard Jordy Barnes (5) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau (34) pulls down a rebound near Utah State’s Isaac Johnson (20) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
UCLA’s Skyy Clark (55) passes the ball away from Utah State’s Mason Falslev (12) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
Utah State’s Jordy Barnes, right, looks to pass the ball around Dylan Andrews (2) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
Utah State’s Deyton Albury (13) drives between UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau, left, and Skyy Clark (55) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
Utah State’s Deyton Albury, top, shoots while pressured by UCLA’s Dylan Andrews (2) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
UCLA center Aday Mara (15) shoots against Utah State forward Karson Templin (22) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
Utah State’s Mason Falslev (12) shoots near UCLA’s Kobe Johnson (0) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/James Crisp) | AP
UCLA guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) shoots over Utah State center Aubin Gateretse (21) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
UCLA guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) moves against Utah State guard Deyton Albury (13) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
The UCLA bench cheers play against Utah State during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
UCLA guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) moves on the court during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Utah State, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
UCLA teammates huddle during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Utah State, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
UCLA guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) reacts to play against Utah State during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
The UCLA bench cheers in the closing moments of the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Utah State, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
UCLA guard Dylan Andrews (2) leaves the court after the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Utah State, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) | AP
The Bruins, who ended the 2023-24 season with a losing record, shot 48.1% against the Aggies, including a 10-for-24 (41.7%) performance from 3-point range. UCLA also racked up 22 assists (to just nine for the Aggies) and had six players score eight or more points.
Junior guard Skyy Clark (14 points, four 3-pointers), sophomore swingman Eric Dailey Jr. (14 points) and sophomore center Aday Mara (10 points) all finished in double figures for Mick Cronin’s squad, which has won 12 of its last 16 games.
“Not much to pick at — 22 assists on 26 baskets,” Cronin noted. “And the guys just did a great job. It helped us to have three days because against a match-up zone defense you have to score on passing and cutting. You can’t dribble your way into it; they will steal the ball.
“The guys did a great job with the preparation and (associate head) Coach (Darren) did a great job. Their spirit and their mind to be a great defensive team tonight just took Utah State out of their comfort zone. And uncomfortable teams shoot a low percentage. Our last time out we let Wisconsin get comfortable, and we paid the price.”
A longtime friend of Calhoun’s due to their connection with former Cincinnati and West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, Cronin referred to Utah State’s collision with his Bruins as a “tough draw” because of his familiarity the Aggies’ matchup zone. The unique look came Cronin’s way long ago via Ralph Willard and Rick Pitino, whom he coached under at Louisville.
“Their defense is something that Coach Willard taught me a long time ago, and I lived in it at Cincinnati my last five years,” Cronin declared. “So, it’s very, very hard to play that defense against somebody that lived it and breathed it and ate it every day. So, that’s a tough match-up.”
Junior guard Dylan Andrews buried a 3-pointer for the Bruins just 26 seconds into the game. And while Utah State quickly countered with back-to-back treys by Falslev and Tucker Anderson for a 6-3 lead, that would represent USU’s only lead of the night and only two 3-pointers of the first half.
The game was tied four times and UCLA pulled away by as many as seven points on four occasions in the first 15 minutes, the Aggies still managed to keep the score relatively close until a brutal stretch five-minute stretch to close out the first half.
After quick score by Falslev with the shot clock running down left USU down 27-25 with 4:37 left, the Bruins embarked on a game-changing, 12-0 run.
Aided by the presence of Mara, a 7-foot-3 sophomore who was disruptive on both ends of the court, the Bruins took over control of the contest by knocking down shots while the Aggies could only connect on one of their last 11 field-goal attempts of the first half.
“We felt really good at that point in the game,” Calhoun said. “We couldn’t make a shot, and it was within two. But sometimes when you’re not making a shot it affects your defense, and we let that happen tonight. And unfortunately, you know, we caught UCLA on a night that they made shots. If their guards play really well like that, they can make a deep run. Or they could lose in two nights. I just told Mick that. They’re going to go as far as their guards. And I thought during that stretch they were really, really good.
“… I think the disappointing thing was, you know, we just could not manufacture points. We got a lot of open looks. It was crazy the amount of open shots we had and didn’t make. So that part is disappointing. But coulda, shoulda, woulda, we got beat and got beat soundly.”
Down 39-27 at halftime, the Aggies briefly made up a little ground early in the second half, getting to within 10 points on a layup by Falslev. But a 14-0 streak by the Bruins soon made the outcome inevitable, and Utah State ended up falling behind by as many as 26 points with 8:16 left.
The 72-47 score was eerily similar to the outcome of USU’s last game against UCLA, a 75-50 loss to the Bruins in the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
“Let’s not dwell on 72-47,” Calhoun implored. “I thought we squeezed a lot of this group — 26 wins. I thought it was really good. I just feel bad as a coach the last three weeks that I couldn’t get them playing better. So, I take a lot blame and feel sick to my stomach, but sometimes it happens.”
