On the court for CAPSA

Utah State men’s basketball was back in action at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Friday night with a convincing 85-66 exhibition win over in-state opponent Weber State. Friday’s game was a charity exhibition game, with net proceeds from the night going to CAPSA, a domestic abuse treatment center in Logan. 

USU Mens Basketball Wins Exhibition Game Against Weber

“I thought at times we were really good, and at times we’re a little discombobulated,” said head coach Jerrod Calhoun. “This game was all about learning for everybody … a rehearsal for all of us, I think.”

The Aggies previewed their 2024 squad for the first time in front of their home crowd, but it was not the first time the team has played together. USU had a previous preseason trip to Europe over the summer, where they won all three games they played. 

Weber State took control of the game and jumped out to an early lead powered by three straight 3-pointers. After a sluggish start, the Aggies found their footing and ripped off a 21-4 run through the middle of the first half to go up 26-13. Utah State kept their foot on the pedal and took a 42-28 lead into the half.

The Aggies didn’t let up in the second half. They rode their tight defense and fast-paced offense to a dominating victory, leading by as much as 27 late in the half. 

Utah State struggled shooting the ball early in the first half but relied on their stingy defense to keep the game close. Once the offense caught up, the Aggies quickly put the game out of reach.

“Yeah, it’s a crazy defense. I think it’s very hard to play against, and I think we’re going to catch a lot of teams off guard,” said transfer guard Drake Allen. “We’re still learning, so it’s not fully there, but I feel like we did a good job tonight.”

Allen is in his first year with USU after spending the last two seasons at Utah Valley University and Southern Utah University. Allen had 12 points in his Aggie debut and led the team with six assists. 

The Aggies were led by graduate guard Ian Martinez who totaled 17 points and three rebounds. Martinez, one of three returning starters from Utah State’s 2023 championship squad, was named to the preseason All-Mountain West team earlier this week. 

While Allen and Martinez led the charge in the win, Utah State showed off their ability to produce up and down the roster. Four Aggies players ended with double-digit points, and 12 of the 13 players who checked into the game scored points.

“We have 12 guys that can make an impact on the floor … we’re very deep, and we all trust each other to go out there and make plays,” said Allen. 

Part of Utah State’s balanced scoring attack came from its fast-paced offense and ability to get the ball up the floor quickly. The Aggies finished the night with 21 points from fast breaks and found ways to push the ball up the court in a hurry all game. 

“The hardest thing to guard in basketball is a team that can run. And to me, there’s a million ways you can do that,” said Calhoun after the game. “We want to play with pace … we want to be the fastest-paced team in the league.”

Utah State was picked this week to finish sixth in the Mountain West Conference by conference media despite returning three starters from their Mountain West championship team just a year ago. With a new head coach and more than one unknown coming into the year, the Aggies will yet again look to prove everyone wrong in the new season. 

Utah State will have a closed scrimmage against Oregon on Sunday before officially tipping off their season on November 6 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.