After Utah State’s upset defeat at the hands of UC San Diego, the Aggies found themselves no longer undefeated. But when they traveled to Moraga to play Saint Mary’s, that loss was well in the rearview mirror. This was Utah State’s final game before conference play, and a major quad 1 opportunity. Especially after that tough home loss last Tuesday, they needed to bounce back. Impressively yet unsurprisingly, they rose to the task, topping Saint Mary’s 75-68 on Sunday.
Top Performers
Utah State’s star forward Mason Falslev led the charge, notching 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, shooting 8-9 inside the arc. However, the game was truly won at the free throw line. Utah State shot 11 free throws, making 9, while the Gaels made 10 free throws on 19 attempts.
Karson Templin, a sophomore center for Utah State, impressed in just 15 minutes on the floor. Templin shot 3-6 on three-pointers and is now shooting 50% from deep on the year (14 total attempts). He also grabbed a board, a block, a steal, and a couple of assists, showcasing some incredible versatility in his game. Templin is someone to keep an eye on throughout Mountain West play, especially considering he already ranks 40th in the nation in offensive rebound rate (15.2%).
Saint Mary’s, as always, went with their formula of slow pace and offensive boards. Point guard Augustas Marciulonis dished out 8 assists, bringing his assist rate to 32.8% on the season, good for 43rd in the country. Marciulonis, like Jordan Ford and Tommy Kuhse before him, showcased an impressive ability to facilitate this highly technical offense.
Mikey Lewis, a freshman shooting guard for the Gaels, shot 3-5 from 3, improving to 21-52 (40.4%) this season. He also grabbed 2 steals and played a total of just 16 minutes. Lewis, like Templin, is someone to bookmark as he gets deeper into Saint Mary’s system and game plan.
Going Forward
Saint Mary’s tends to take tough losses during non-conference play. Last year in their third game of the season, they lost at home to Weber State and started the year 3-5. Similarly, in 2023, they took losses to Colorado State and Washington, both outside the KenPom top 100 that year. Yet, both years earned them a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament, finishing 27-8 in ’23 and 26-8 in ’24. Utah State is certainly more formidable as an opponent; the point being that the Gaels can and likely will right the ship.
I’d be far from surprised to see Randy Bennett and the company settle in and end up in a similar spot when March rolls around. It takes time to get used to an offensive system, particularly one as complex and thoughtful as Bennett’s. They’ll get Pacific in a home game this Saturday.
As for Utah State, the grind is just beginning, with away matchups vs. San Diego State (12/28) and Nevada (12/31) to kick off Mountain West play. The Aggies are more than capable, but they must continue to play at their best in their fierce conference. Curiously, Utah State averaged 15.8 seconds per offensive possession (45th fastest in the country), and 18.6 seconds per defensive possession (16th slowest in the country). To continue their impressive 11-1 start, the Aggies must continue this sort of versatility. Most of all in their Christmas wishlist, they’d like UC San Diego to be an outlier, not an indicator, of their tournament resume.
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