SAN DIEGO — MJ Collins Jr.’s pivotal steal, followed by a powerful one-handed dunk with just 1:13 remaining, elevated his personal tally to 20 points and propelled Utah State to commence its fourth consecutive NCAA tournament journey with an 86-76 triumph over Villanova on Friday.
Mason Falslev, recognized as the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, contributed 22 points and was instrumental in the Aggies’ comeback, helping them erase a 10-point disadvantage early in the second half.
Utah State (29-6), holding the No. 9 seed in the West Region, is slated to compete against No. 1 seed Arizona in the subsequent round on Sunday. The Wildcats had previously triumphed over No. 16 Long Island with a 92-58 score on Friday.
With 2:53 left, Collins successfully executed a three-point play, extending the Aggies’ lead to 78-73. After No. 8 seed Villanova (24-9) was penalized for a five-second inbound infraction, Falslev delivered a pass to Collins for a layup, pushing the score to 80-73. Moments later, Collins snatched a pass intended for Bryce Lindsay and drove in for his slam, establishing an 84-74 advantage.
For Villanova, Lindsay notably sank six shots from beyond the arc, accumulating 25 points. Duke Brennan and Tyler Perkins each chipped in 15 points.
The Wildcats initiated the second half with a swift 9-1 scoring surge, enabling them to secure a 48-38 lead.
Villanova’s offense relied on hitting 14 out of 30 three-pointers as a counter to Utah State’s specific matchup zone. Intriguingly, Utah State’s coach, Jerrod Calhoun, adopted the design of the Aggies’ defensive scheme from Ralph Willard, a seasoned coach who coincidentally is the father of Kevin Willard, Villanova’s first-year head coach.
In contrast, the Aggies responded effectively with a formidable interior presence, decisively outscoring the Wildcats 42-26 within the painted area.