https://omg10.com/4/10736335
By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
A big reason for that is the high level of play the Aggies have shown down the stretch. USU is also a much healthier team than the Wildcats right now.
But let’s not lose sight of the fact that Utah State also enters the national tournament as a team that can score against almost anyone.
The Aggies also play enough defense to beat opponents on the other end of the floor.
Here’s my preview of Friday’s NCAA Tournament matchup.
No. 9 Utah State vs. No. 8 Villanova
No. 9 Utah State vs. No. 8 Villanova
Friday March 20
1:10 p.m. Pacific Time, TNT
San Diego, California, USA
tThe Aggies average 82.8 points per game on 49.8% shooting from the field, the 15th best shooting team in the country.
On the defensive side of the ball, Utah State is holding its opponents to 70.4 points per game, slightly better than Villanova’s 70.8.
But the Aggies score the ball much better than the Wildcats.
What makes Utah State so difficult to contain is the combination of Mason Falslev and MJ Collins. The two have combined to knock down 38.1% of their 328 three-point attempts this season.
Falslev, MW’s player of the year, also connects on 41.1% of his three-pointers.
When the Aggies see the basket well, they are lethal on offense. USU ranks 14th in the nation, shooting 65.9% from two-point range unblocked this season.
Villanova has allowed its opponents to shoot 45% from the floor this season, ranking 203rd in the country, while its opponents are connecting on 54.8% of their two-point field goals.
The Wildcats rely heavily on the 3-pointer to score; 37.4% of Villanova’s points this season have come from distance, the 39th highest rate in the country.
Utah State has done a decent job of limiting opponents on deep shots, allowing them to connect on 33.8% of their three-point attempts.
The Aggies can’t afford to let Villanova get hot from beyond the arc.
The ‘Cats have a host of shooters led by Tyler Perkins and Bryce Lindsay, while Devin Askew is a threat off the bench.
Askew, an in-state transfer from Long Beach, earned Big East Sixth Man of the Year honors with his 10.0 points per game off the bench.
The biggest key for Utah State on defense might simply be limiting offensive dropbacks from Nova center Duke Brennan. The Grand Canyon transfer is eighth in the nation with 4.03 offensive rebounds per game. The big man’s 10.3 total rebounds per outing rank 11th best in the country.
The Aggies don’t allow many extra possessions per game this season, as they rank 31st nationally with 3.5 more scoring opportunities per game than their opponents.
Villanova has 2.8 more scoring opportunities per game than its opponents.
If the Wildcats can get hot from deep, they’ll be able to keep it tight. If shots don’t fall, the Big East team could quickly head south.
Expect the Mountain West champions to advance to the Second Round behind a balanced attack.
writes on various topics for SuperWest sports, including statistics and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and directs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
