Utah State races past Westminster in season-opening rout
Utah State’s offense wasted no time showing what it’s capable of under second-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun, racing past Westminster 110–54 on Nov. 3 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in the season opener.
The Aggies shot 61% from the field and 51% from three, assisting on 32 of their 42 made baskets and piling up 57 points off the bench. The win was an early statement of how Calhoun’s new high-tempo system is designed to look.
From the start, Utah State set a relentless pace. Tucker Anderson knocked down a pair of threes in the opening minutes, MJ Collins added another and the Aggies led 14–5 before the first timeout. Calhoun repeatedly shouted from the sideline for his team to speed things up, as the Aggies fired off shots within 10 seconds on nearly every possession. The quick pace didn’t lead to chaos, though. Utah State’s ball movement was crisp and deliberate, with each player taking just a dribble or two before finding the open man.
“We study a lot of teams,” Calhoun said after the game. “We want to get to our shape in four seconds and to an action in six. The first shot we can take with 10 toes on the rim, we take it. We want to be on the attack for 40 minutes.”
By halftime, the Aggies had hit 11 of 19 from deep and led 53–27. Collins had 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in just 16 minutes, and Utah State’s energy carried across all rotations. Garry Clark controlled the glass, Elijah Perryman and Jordy Barnes pushed the pace in transition and the team continued to share the ball with precision.
“It just felt good to be myself again,” said Collins, who finished with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting and 5-of-7 from three. “Coach doesn’t want us dribbling much — just one or two dribbles, make a decision, get to the rim or find the open man. It fits my game perfectly. This is the most connected team I’ve been on. Nobody cares who scores. We just feed off each other’s energy.”
Utah State’s unselfish approach spread the scoring around. Kolby King scored 16 points off the bench, Adlan Elamin added 12 and two blocks and Clark recorded a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double. Eleven players logged double-digit minutes, and the Aggies moved the ball so well that by the second half, nearly every shot was the product of a pass or cut.
“After two exhibition games, we’d be number two in the country in bench points,” Calhoun said. “We’re going to play a lot of guys. I thought we wore down last year at the end of the season — I never want to see that again. The more we play guys now, the more comfortable they’ll be when we get to January and February.”
While the offense was explosive, Calhoun noted rebounding and defensive discipline will need to improve. The Aggies allowed eight offensive rebounds and committed 16 fouls, numbers he said can’t carry over against tougher opponents.
“We weren’t as disciplined defensively as we need to be,” he said. “They hit us first a few times. We’ve got to clean that up.”
Utah State was without 6-foot-10 forward Zach Keller, who sat out with a sprained ankle but is expected to return Friday against VCU. Calhoun also confirmed David Iweze, Brayden Boe and Kingston Tosi will redshirt this season unless NCAA eligibility rules change.
Even with those absences, the Aggies looked deep, balanced and confident in their new offensive identity. Every pass had purpose, every fast break looked rehearsed and nearly every open shot fell. Collins’ highlight-reel dunks and lobs from Mason Falslev capped off a night where Utah State looked both loose and lethal.
Calhoun said the performance was exactly the type of basketball he wants to define the program.
“If we just value the ball, [we] can be one of the best offensive teams in the country,” he said. “They really like playing with each other. They’re unselfish, and they can all put the ball in the basket.”
Utah State will face a much tougher test Friday against VCU at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. MST, and the message from the opener was clear: This team plans to run — and run often.