Utah State tops San Diego State 73–62 to win Mountain West Championship
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Behind big performances from MJ Collins Jr., Drake Allen, and Mason Falslev, the Aggies pulled away late to take down the Aztecs 73-62 in the Mountain West Championship Game.
This game was more than just a conference championship game; it was the culmination of an era in the Mountain West for both teams before they moved to the Pac-12. San Diego State entered the game with the history of making eight of the last nine conference championships, but Utah State’s runs were too much to handle.
San Diego State struck first when Miles Byrd stole the ball and turned it into a transition layup, but Utah State answered fast. Adlan Elamin knocked down a three from the corner, and Allen got a steal himself to spark a run for the Aggies that gave them the momentum.
Falslev played a key role, creating opportunities for the offense, recording 6 assists, and scoring 16 points.
San Diego State brought answers behind Reese Dixon-Waters. He delivered when they needed it. He scored off of inbound plays and was able to score with very little space. That kept the Aztecs in it.
There were several momentum swings in the first half, but no team was able to control it. In the final minutes of the half, both offenses were ice cold. Utah State made only one of its last ten field goal attempts to end the half, while San Diego State struggled with turning the ball over.
A late basket by Taj DeGourville gave the Aztecs a 35-34 lead at half.
Utah State came out of the locker room with some urgency entering the second half, and most of it came from Allen. He attacked the paint for a layup and followed that up with a three-pointer on the next possession. Allen finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
The Aztecs answered again through Dixon-Waters, who continued to carry the offense. He finished with 20 points to lead the Aztecs and kept the game within a possession or two.
BJ Davis Jr. added 14 points for the Aztecs and was remarkable in finishing through contact. He finished through contact to give San Diego State a 50-49 lead with 10 minutes left to play, but after that point, it was Utah State’s game.
The Aggies went on a massive run, all spearheaded by Collins Jr. He energized the crowd with a powerful one-handed dunk and then followed that with back-to-back three-pointers.
“It made me feel good,” Collins Jr. said. “I got to chirping a little bit, but, you know, credit to coach, he always tells me to make the right read.”
A foul sequence occurred at the end of his back-to-back threes, leading to free throws for Zach Keller, which turned into a five-point swing that gave Utah State a nine-point lead with five minutes remaining.
Utah State never looked back after that point. Garry Clark provided the dagger dunk that sealed the victory and caused chaos within the Hurd.
The horn sounded, and Utah State was crowned the champion of the Mountain West. Collins won the MVP after his 20-point performance catapulted the Aggies to the win.
“It means the world,” Collins Jr. said. “It also shows how good our team is. Mason [Falslev] got Mountain West Player of the Year, and I come and get the MVP.”
As both programs prepare for the move to the Pac-12, Utah State walked away from its final chapter in the Mountain West with a trophy and momentum heading into the NCAA Tournament.
