Utah State used a dominant run late in the first half and a strong performance from Mason Falslev to defeat UNLV 80-60 in the Mountain West quarterfinals on Thursday.
Thomas & Mack Center, home of the UNLV Rebels, was filled with Utah State students flown in on the school’s dime, and their noise fueled Utah State’s energy throughout the game and helped them build momentum.
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“It should be a home-court advantage right here in Las Vegas,” Falslev said. “You look out there, and there’s a lot of Aggie blue, the singing, the noise, you know, the energy is infectious.”
Despite having the crowd working against them, the Rebels remained competitive from the start, despite sloppy play from both teams. Turnovers were a constant for both teams in the opening minutes, with both the Aggies and Rebels struggling to find rhythm.
UNLV took an early lead thanks to contributions from Jacob Bannarbie and Kimani Hamilton. Yet Falslev took over late in the first half, scoring 17 points and spreading his pace and energy to the rest of the team.
“The game plan was not to settle,” Falslev said. “Go out there, get in the paint and make the right plays.”
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The Aggies closed the half on a 14-2 run to take a 37-23 halftime lead, completely turning the momentum on their side after struggling to shoot early in the game. Utah State finished the night shooting 50.9 percent and shooting 40 percent from deep.
Head coach Jerrod Calhoun said the run was the ultimate deciding factor in the game.
“College basketball is a running game,” Calhoun said. “When kids see the ball go through the basket, their defensive intensity increases. The guy’s energy level just increased.”
Falslev led the team in scoring with 24 points and nine rebounds while shooting an efficient 10-of-16 from the floor.
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MJ Collins Jr. also had a great night, scoring 20 points while adding four assists and three steals. Drake Allen added six points and five assists and played a big role in helping Utah State extend its lead early in the second half.
Allen scored one on one in the opening minutes of the second half, and a few possessions were then dunked in transition on a breakaway. After those big plays, the Aggies remained in control for the rest of the night.
The Rebels attempted a comeback effort midway through the half, sparked by a dizzying dunk from Tyrin Jones and a three-point basket from Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, which cut the deficit to 11. Gibbs-Lawhorn was remarkably quiet in the first half, scoring just two points in the first half, but he still led UNLV with 17 points.
As the rebels retreated, tensions on the ground began to rise. After Falslev fell to the court during a rebound attempt, players from both teams exchanged a few words. Hamilton was visibly frustrated and had to be restrained by his teammates. Officials assessed technical fouls on Hamilton and Garry Clark for Utah State.
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“It’s a physical game. It’s an emotional game,” Allen said. “Sometimes we get angry. »
The intensity was especially high because Utah State had lost twice to UNLV in the regular season.
“They say it’s hard to beat a team three times,” Collins said. “We knew what it meant not only for us, but also for the coaches.”
Shortly after the altercation, Hamilton fouled out with just over nine minutes remaining, and Utah State responded with another big goal to put the game completely out of reach.
A late steal and breakaway dunk by Collins Jr. pushed the Aggies’ lead past 20 points and sealed the deal.
Utah State’s surge late in the first half was the turning point the Aggies needed to control the second half and secure an 80-60 victory to advance to the Mountain West tournament semifinals.
