UTAH STATE AGGIES

Bovine Blog: Previewing Utah State Vs. San Diego State Semifinal

Mar 14, 2024, 6:59 PM

darius brown and danny sprinkle...

Utah State Aggies head coach Danny Sprinkle talks with Utah State Aggies guard Darius Brown II (10) at a game against the San Francisco Dons at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. USU won 54-53.

(10)

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – It’s fitting that back-to-back overtime games opened the 2024 Mountain West tournament after a wild season at the top of the conference leaderboard.

No. 18 Utah State (27-5, 15-4) is set for a rubber match against fifth-seeded San Diego State on Friday, March 15. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. MT.

The Aggies advanced to the 2024 Mountain West Men’s Basketball Championships semifinals with an 87-75 overtime win over Fresno State. San Diego State also needed overtime to knockoff fourth-seeded UNLV 74-71.

RELATED: How To Watch 2024 Mountain West Basketball Championships

USU improved to 3-1 in overtime games, while the Aztecs are now 3-2 in overtime contests this season.

Asked if freshman guard Mason Falslev would play in the MW semifinals after missing the win over Fresno State, Utah State head coach Danny Sprinkle wasn’t optimistic.

“He hasn’t really practiced much all week,” Sprinkle warned. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. He’s been getting a lot of treatment on it, but I don’t expect him to play tomorrow.”

Utah State vs. San Diego State

Utah State is 9-19 all-time against the Aztecs, and 5-15 in Mountain West play.

USU and San Diego State won on their home floor in head-to-head matchups this season. These teams faced each other in the 2023 Mountain West Championship Game, with SDSU prevailing 62-57.

Game One – Utah State 67 | San Diego State 81

SDSU flexed its homecourt muscle against the then-No. 17 ranked Aggies to get the February 3 win.

RELATED: Toughness Lifts Utah State In Physical Overtime Win Over Bulldogs

Three USU players scored in double-figures. Freshman Mason Falslev made 7 of 11 shots for 16 points. Junior Great Osobor added 17 points and seven rebounds, playing much of the second half in foul trouble. Darius Brown II scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out five assists.

Jay Pal and Jaedon LeDee led the Aztecs with 16 points each.

Game Two – Utah State 68 | San Diego State 63

The Aggies returned the upset favor when USU took out then-No. 19 San Diego State with the help of the home crowd’s sixth man, The HURD.

RELATED: Javon Jackson Lifts No. 18 Utah State To Overtime Win

Darius Brown II hit five threes on his way to a team-high 25 points in 39 minutes. Great Osobor finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high seven assists. Osobor added two blocks and two steals as he bolstered his MW Player of the Year resume. Freshman Mason Falslev added ten points as the Aggies improved to 12-1 at home.

Jaedon LeDee made a series of contested mid-range shots to finish with 23 points and six rebounds. Reese Waters added 11 points, with Miles Byrd scoring 10.

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Find KSL Sports coverage of Utah State University Athletics here.

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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies, Locals in MLB, and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees, Beehive baseball, and Aggie athletics coverage here.

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Bovine Blog: Previewing Utah State Vs. San Diego State Semifinal