Jerrod Calhoun Says Defensive Turnovers And Fast Pace Are Key Vs UCLA

LOGAN, Utah- Jerrod Calhoun and the Utah State Aggies are ramping up their preparation for the NCAA Tournament and their first-round matchup with the UCLA Bruins on Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky.

In the midst of the March Madness excitement, the head coach of the Aggies took a few minutes with Hans Olsen and Scott Garrard to discuss Utah State’s journey throughout the season and let fans know what they can expect against UCLA.

Jerrod Calhoun On Making It To The Big Dance

Jerrod Calhoun has done the unthinkable and coached the Aggies all the way to their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in his first year at the helm in Logan.

When asked about how he felt having been able to reach the tournament in his first year as head coach, Calhoun directed all the praise to his team, saying, “[The team] has sacrificed a ton, I think that goes unnoticed in today’s world of NIL and the portal.

While the players certainly drive the success of a program, Jerrod also acknowledged the good health they have enjoyed all year.

“… You gotta have some luck,” Calhoun admitted, “We’ve been very fortunate, we’ve had no injuries, everything’s kinda gotta go right to have a team that has 26 wins.”

While something like a low number of injuries may seem like luck, it is actually a huge testament to the strength and training staff, keeping the players’ bodies prepared and healthy throughout a long and grueling season.

Dancing our way to Lexington! #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/fYri9lZVHp

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) March 16, 2025

Jerrod Calhoun On The Matchup With UCLA

Calhoun had nothing but respect when talking about the ability and history of the Bruins, Utah State’s first-round opponent, but he also made sure to emphasize that the Aggies definitely belong.

“We’re playing a program that has 11 National Championships… a team that was previously coached by John Wooden,” Coach said in regards to UCLA. “When the jump ball goes up, it doesn’t matter what the jersey says. it’s a game of basketball, it’s a game of runs… you gotta have confidence and realize you’re supposed to be there, and I think our guys will be ready.”

Jerrod Calhoun also had high praise for Mick Cronin, UCLA’s head coach. He even touched on the two’s personal relationship and the manifestation of the matchup between the Aggies and Bruins, saying, “Mick is a wonderful coach, a Final Four coach, he’s done a masterful job at UCLA of really bringing toughness to that program… Coach Cronin has been a mentor of mine… I talked to him probably about nine days ago for an hour on the phone… we joked that we’ll probably play in the first round, and then nine or ten days later, here we are.”

Jerrod Calhoun On The Aggies’ Key To Success Against UCLA

When talking about the high points and struggles for Utah State throughout the season, Calhoun highlighted creating turnovers and pace as a significant factor.

“I would say turnovers. Our ability to turn people over will definitely be worrisome for teams in our bracket. That’s how we got Saint Mary’s and San Diego State and Iowa, you gotta turn people over to get easy baskets.” Jerrod continued, “We gotta get back to turning people over and getting out and running, making threes, and playing at a high pace. We need 70-80 possessions, we don’t need the game in the 50s.”

A fast-paced game will naturally cultivate transition opportunities that turn into open shots, and the Aggies certainly have the firepower to put a lot of points on the board. “We have a bunch of guys on our roster that are capable of making three, four, five threes in a game,” Jerrod said about his team’s scoring depth, “We gotta play free, we’re the underdog, we’re not supposed to win, ‘we have nothing to lose’ mentality.”

He also touched on a few players, specifically the bigs, who will need to assert themselves against UCLA’s height and strength.

“I think Karson Templin has given us unbelievable minutes, we need Aubin Gateretse to play really, really well, Isaac Johnson, Isaac Davis, we need those guys because UCLA is a big, physical team, and we’ve gotta keep them off the glass.”

Utah State’s March Madness Schedule

Participating in the NCAA Tournament comes with its fair share of pomp and circumstance, and while Jerrod Calhoun would love to keep things business as usual, he admitted that postseason play in March is anything but that.

“We try to keep things as normal as possible, but obviously there’s nothing normal about a single-elimination tournament and the whole world talking about this tournament,” said Coach Calhoun.

Jerrod even laid out what this week of preparation and play looks like for Utah State, showing just how quick and eventful the turnaround is from Selection Sunday to the first game.

• Monday, March 17:
  • 90-minute practice
  • 60-minute film session
  • NIL event in the evening.
• Tuesday, March 18:
  • Practice 9:00-11:00 a.m.
  • 1:00/2:00 p.m. departure out of Ogden, 3.5-hour flight to Lexington, Kentucky.
• Wednesday, March 19:
  • 40-minute practice at Rupp Arena
  • 40-minute practice off-site
  • Media obligations
• Thursday, March 20:
  • 30-minute shootaround
  • Game vs UCLA at 7:25 p.m. MT

🚨 TIP TIME

📺 TNT
➡️ 7:25 PM MT#AggiesAllTheWay | @MarchMadnessMBB pic.twitter.com/4HGiZYmZFe

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) March 17, 2025

Utah State In The NCAA Tournament And Beyond

While Jerrod Calhoun is excited about a potential run in this year’s tournament, he is also encouraged about the years down the road for the Aggies.

“Utah State is a place that can win at the highest level,” Calhoun affirmed. “What I mean by that is very, very consistent in the Mountain West or the PAC-12, but more importantly, make deep postseason runs.”

Utah State vs UCLA

The Aggies and Bruins will tip off at 7:25 p.m. MT on Thursday, March 20. The game will air on TNT.

Tanner Tripp is a sports writer for KSL Sports covering all teams across the state of Utah. Follow him on X @tanner_tripp and Instagram @tanner.tripp here.

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