Utah State pulls away in second half to beat San Jose State
Utah State Men’s Basketball turned a tight, back-and-forth game into a decisive win on Jan. 3, using a dominant defensive stretch and strong interior play to pull away from San Jose State for a 96-78 victory at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
After trailing 51-48 at halftime, the Aggies outscored the Spartans 48-27 in the second half, holding San Jose State to 1 made 3-pointer after allowing 9 in the opening 20 minutes.
“I thought the second half, that defense, the last 15 minutes of the game, carried us,” said head coach Jerrod Calhoun. “But that’s the sign of a really good team. Win in a lot of different ways: offense, defense, three kids off your bench step up.”
San Jose State controlled much of the first half behind hot shooting from the perimeter and aggressive play on the glass. The Spartans shot 9-for-14 from 3 in the first half and grabbed 7 offensive rebounds, repeatedly capitalizing on Utah State turnovers and defensive breakdowns.
Colby Garland and Adrian Myers led the Spartans early, combining for multiple step-back and contested 3s as San Jose State built a lead that reached as many as 7 points. Utah State struggled to find rhythm offensively, committing a few turnovers and often settling for rushed possessions.
Utah State stayed within striking distance by attacking the paint. Garry Clark finished efficiently inside, and Mason Falslev provided a spark with strong drives to the basket, including a 3-point play in the final minute of the half.
Still, San Jose State closed the half with an offensive rebound and free throws to take a 3-point lead into the break.
The Aggies opened the second half with increased defensive intensity, though San Jose State briefly extended its lead at the free-throw line. Utah State began to swing momentum by consistently playing through its bigs, with Clark scoring on multiple low-post possessions and Karson Templin making an immediate impact off the bench.
First-year guard Elijah Perryman provided a steady presence in the backcourt, repeatedly getting downhill against pressure and creating opportunities for teammates.
“I love to just give people assists and get them buckets,” Perryman said. “I don’t worry about scoring too much. When I can get people involved, everything’s just flowing so much better.”
Utah State tied the game midway through the half then took the lead on a Perryman 3. From there, the Aggies began to separate themselves with a 9-0 run fueled by defensive stops and transition opportunities. MJ Collins Jr. converted 2 steals into breakaway dunks during the stretch, energizing the crowd and pushing the lead into double figures.
San Jose State struggled to generate clean looks as Utah State’s defense tightened. The Aggies closed out on shooters and controlled the paint on both ends of the floor.
“We got great effort from our bench,” Calhoun said. “That was the third biggest key that I had coming into this game was win with our depth.”
Clark finished with 16 points on 7-for-7 shooting, anchoring Utah State’s interior presence. Templin added 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting with 7 rebounds, a block and a late 3-pointer. Collins scored 23 points, punctuating the win with a corner 3 in the final minute.
Perryman recorded the first double-double of his career, finishing with 13 points and 10 assists while committing just 1 turnover.
The victory improves Utah State’s standing in the Mountain West as the Aggies continue to set the pace in conference play. Utah State remains first in the Mountain West with an 12-1 overall record and 3-0 mark in conference play — part of a strong start for the second year in a row under Calhoun.
In games like this one, Utah State’s depth and lineup flexibility again proved decisive. Calhoun closed the final 10 minutes with a lineup of Perryman, Collins, Falslev, Clark and Templin, a group that has hardly shared the court together but outscored San Jose State by 19 points during that stretch. The unit combined ball pressure, interior defense and efficient offense, allowing the Aggies to pull away after the game had been in SJSU’s favor earlier in the half.
“I think this team can do a lot of different things when guys aren’t playing well or they’re not producing,” Calhoun said. “The nice thing is, I’m not held hostage. I don’t have to play guys through their mistakes. We closed Fresno State small, tonight we closed big — whatever the game presents.”
The group’s size and physicality wore down the Spartans late, with Clark and Templin controlling the paint, Falslev providing toughness on the glass and Perryman and Collins converting defensive stops into transition offense. The stretch served as another example of Utah State’s ability this season to adjust on the fly and win games in different ways.
“I think that’s the beauty of basketball,” Calhoun said. “You get organized at halftime, make adjustments, and the kids have to adapt. I thought the effort was better, and the execution was phenomenal.”
With this win in the books, Utah State now turns its focus to its next road test. The Aggies travel to Air Force on Jan. 6, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. — a game that presents a new set of challenges as USU looks to maintain its first-place position in the Mountain West and build momentum in league play.