5 Things Wildcats Fans Should Know About Utah State

As expected, the Arizona Wildcats have advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, setting up a meeting with No. 9-seed Utah State.

The Aggies beat Villanova to advance in the Tournament and now have a big upset on their minds. But Arizona fans and general college basketball fans might not know much about the Utah State program.

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— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) March 20, 2026

Here are a few facts that might help as the Wildcats take on the Aggies on Sunday.

1. Utah State's March Madness History

The Aggies are becoming a regular representative from the Mountain West Conference, making their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament. It's the 14th time they've made the field since 2000, and Temple, Memphis, and Gonzaga are the only mid-majors with more all-time appearances.

Utah State has never been better than an 8-seed, but this is the second time during that span in which they have advanced past the Round of 64. This year, Utah State won the Mountain West, making the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time overall. However, it has not advanced past this point in the Tournament since 1970. It was also one of the eight teams to make the inaugural NCAA Tournament in 1939.

2. Watch Out for Offense

Utah State has the ability to score with the best of them, averaging over 82 points per game this season. Traditionally, the Aggies have relied on three-point shooting, but this season, their strength is efficiency. Utah State is 42nd out of 365 DI teams in scoring, ranking 14th in overall field goal percentage, closing in on elite teams like the Wildcats, Michigan, Purdue, and Arkansas.

Much of that scoring comes from guards MJ Coillins Jr. and Mason Falslev, who average a combined 33.9 points per game this season. They're both among the top seven players in the Mountain West in scoring and shooting percentage, and Utah State is the only Mountain West team with multiple players averaging over 15 points per game this season.

3. Utah State Has a Deep and Experienced Group, Led by Transfers Who Have NCAA Tournament Experience

Collins leads this Aggies team that includes eight transfers and only four underclassmen. That shouldn't surprise anyone, as college teams have become reliant on the transfer portal, especially at the mid-major level when it comes to basketball. Utah State has used it to generate a lineup that can play as many as 10 guys on a given night, two more than Arizona usually puts on the floor.

Eight of those Utah State players have played in all 35 games this season, while another has played in 34. Plus, many of them have previous NCAA Tournament experience from their former schools. Overall, Utah State has six players on its roster who have played in March Madness before this season.

4. Utah State Has a Favorable History Against Arizona

The Wildcats won the most recent meeting in 2005, but while there have only been four meetings between the two schools, Utah State holds a 3-1 advantage. The disparity between the two teams seems much larger than in the previous meetings, but as we've often said and heard, weird things happen in March.

Having said that, Utah State has not fared well against Big 12 teams in the NCAA Tournament, holding a 3-6 record. No. 9 seeds are also 6-75 all-time against No. 1 seeds, so those aspects work in Arizona's favor.

5. Utah State Head Coach Jerrod Calhoun Has a Successful March Resume, but He’s Just Starting in DI

Jerrod Calhoun is in his second year as the Utah State head coach, making his second NCAA Tournament. The first-round win over Villanova was his first DI March Madness win, but he's had championship experience at the lesser levels.

In 2017, Calhoun led Fairmont State to the Division II NCAA Tournament Championship game for the first time in school history. Under his watch, the Falcons made four NCAA Tournament appearances, leading him to take the head coaching job at Youngstown State.

There, he transformed the Penguins from an abysmal eight-win team to a program with back-to-back 20-win seasons, although they didn't reach the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Jerrod Calhoun looks on during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Now, he's the third coach in USU history to take the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons.