Utah State Aggies
With less than 7 weeks from us having a bracket in our hands, let us begin to countdown and break down this years March and the madness behind it.
Every day we will look at a different angle of the beauty that is the bracket. From top seeds to bubble teams and every team in between. Which styles of play can be a problem for teams and which teams are on my radar for wearing the glass slipper.
With still 7 weeks to go standings can and will change.
March Madness, Utah State Aggies
- Utah State Aggies
At the moment the 8th seed in the Midwest bracket, the Utah State Aggies are quietly having an amazing season under first year head coach Jerrod Calhoun. The Aggies are 18-2 so far and have an 8-1 record in the Big East Conference.
Only two losses on the season coming against quad 2 teams as they are 3-2 against that quad. A perfect 4-0 against quad 1 and a perfect 10-0 against quads 3 and 4. Ranked 31st in the NET rankings.
This offense is so good I feel like the pace metrics are wrong, as they are middle of the pack as far as pace goes yet top 15 in offense. Sitting at 12th in the nation in offensive efficiency scoring 1.23 points per possession.
Utah State is top 100 in 6 offensive categories including 2nd in the nation grabbing offensive rebounds. Above average free throw shooting team and top 50 in two point field goal percentage. Also ranked 60th in getting to the free throw line as they do not settle for three pointers.
Defensively, the Utah State Aggies are ranked 77th in efficiency allowing 0.98 points per possession. They are ranked 22nd in the league turning teams over on around 20% of possessions. Amazingly stout defense without fouling as they only foul on right under 25% of opponents shots. That is good for 26th in the nation.
Offense is their strong point as said earlier, two players average north of 15 points per game. While another 6 players average north of 6 points per game. Getting from all angles.
Sets at a Glance
The Utah State Aggies run a typical 4 out offense for today’s game. Constant motion on the back side of the ball to keep help defenders engaged. They are typically looking for a mismatch on a switch around the high post area and allow them to work one on one.
The ball nor the players stop moving and they do not settle for any bad shots. Defending this team will be a night mare come March.
Double screens both on and off the ball creating a mystical magical flurry of players in and out of your face. Good luck keeping track of your man and the ball at once.
Final Thoughts and Projections
This is a tough team to form an opinion on. First thought is this is a sweet 16 team due to the potent offense and above average defense. I think they are surely going to advance to the round of 32, from there their two stars will need to shine bright.
Especially from the 8 or 9 seed line, running into that 1 seed is terrifying for a reason. I see them keeping it close for 70% of the game and falling apart late once they start having to force offense.
Once they go down by 8 or more points, look for them to be down 15-20 in a heartbeat. This could be a 4 point game at the under 12 break and a 17 point game by the under 8.
My projection is a second round exit. However, Jerrod Calhoun has already made a believer in me of his coaching prowess.
Rowan Donaghey, Sports Reporter and Betting Analyst for Stare Down Sports. You can follow him on X via @RowanDonaghey
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