LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men’s basketball is no longer simply one of the nation’s most reliable mid-major programs—it’s evolving into one of its most formidable.
Under the leadership of head coach Jerrod Calhoun, whose turnover-focused defense has powered the No. 23 Aggies to a dominant start in Mountain West play, USU survived its latest test with a gritty 71-62 win over visiting Nevada.
The victory only reinforces the hard-nosed mindset that Calhoun believes defines this team.
“I think it’s a real test to our defense and our toughness, and our commitment to just continue to play and do whatever the game presents,” Calhoun said following the Aggies’ fifth single-digit win of the season.
RELATED: No. 23 Utah State Pulls Away From Nevada With Late Surge
Late night Spectrum DUB!#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/Of6s3ZZO51
— USU Men’s Hoops (@USUBasketball) January 15, 2026
The win improved Calhoun to 41–9 in less than two seasons in Logan—tying Craig Smith for the best 50‑game start in program history—and highlighted the team’s growth since November.
USU has enjoyed a number of blowouts this season, but games like Tuesday against Nevada and a three-point early-season win over VCU have helped the versatile group develop resilience when adversity strikes.
Despite the 15-1 record and early success, Calhoun and the Aggies recognize that every night in the Mountain West is a battle.
Utah State could have begun pointing fingers when missed layups and turnovers allowed the Wolfpack to go on an 11-0 run early in the second half. Shots weren’t dropping, but instead of falling apart, Calhoun’s bunch came together.
🗣️ Jerrod Calhoun
Full interview ➡️ https://t.co/m6dk4gOmdY#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/wruwThiRpU
— USU Men’s Hoops (@USUBasketball) January 15, 2026
Utah State countered with a defense that held Nevada without a field goal for nearly five minutes, surging to a 14-2 run and seizing the momentum.
The veteran coach praised his team’s ability to battle back.
“I thought the guys did a good job of continuing to take punches and punch back,” Calhoun stated. “That’s a classic Mountain West game.”
Naturally, no Aggie home victory is complete without the unmistakable energy provided by The Hurd, USU’s student section.
‘Spectrum Magic’ gives Utah State a sixth-man advantage
The pageantry of college sports always elicits unique traditions from its fans.
Duke’s Kryzyewskiville/Cameron Crazies, Wisconsin football’s ‘Jump Around’, and a Penn State whiteout in Happy Valley are just a few that come to mind.
Through 50 games at USU, Coach Calhoun is winning at a 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙘 rate 🤘#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/2uvsCoIttV
— USU Men’s Hoops (@USUBasketball) January 15, 2026
It’s no different at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, with more than 10,000 fans, nearly half of whom are rabid college students wearing blue medical gloves to amplify their clapping, giving their team the boost it needs.
“I thought our guys fed off that energy,” said Calhoun following Utah State’s second sell-out of the season.
“That’s why this basketball program means so much to this community, because of those kids,” the second-year Aggie said of Utah State’s Hurd student section. “When they come out, they’ve got the blue gloves, you know it’s going to be a real night, and it’s going to be an atmosphere like no other.”
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Utah State travels to Arizona for its first-ever Mountain West game against the Grand Canyon Antelopes. Tip-off on Saturday, January 17, is at 12:30 p.m. MT.
Find Utah State’s entire 2025-26 men’s basketball schedule here.
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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
