MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 14, 2025

Jordy Barnes

Jerrod Calhoun

Isaac Davis

Thomas & Mack Center

Utah State Aggies

Postgame Press Conference

Colorado State 83, Utah State 72

THE MODERATOR: For Utah State we have student-athletes Jordy Barnes, Isaac Davis, Coach Jerrod Calhoun. Get your thoughts tonight?

JERROD CALHOUN: Obviously bad match-up for us. Credit Colorado State. They got us down early in both games and could never really recover. I want to credit these two freshmen. To come in the game the way they did was remarkable and never stopped fighting.

So, really, really proud of the guys the last ten, twelve minutes how hard we played, and unfortunately we didn't do that for forty minutes. But a lot of the credit goes to Colorado State.

Q. Isaac or Jordy, talk about the run you made when you were out there with Martinez and Falslev and I think Karson Templin was the other guy out there?

JORDY BARNES: Every huddle we just said we had plenty of time. We were trying to fight back and play as hard as we could and we saw a few shots fall and turnovers and we started getting it going but ran out of time.

Q. Isaac, what does a run mean as far as -- ultimately you don't get the win but what does it mean knowing that you fought back and cut it down even if ultimately you didn't get the win?

ISAAC DAVIS: I mean, I don't really know what to say, really. Feels good sometimes -- feels good, it was rough at first. Feels good to get the run back but like Jordy said couldn't get it done enough and we ran out of time.

Q. Either or both of you, what can you say about the energy in the building, a long way from Logan and a lot of people showed up to watch you guys play and the bench as well the whole team had a lot of energy. What can you say about that?

JORDY BARNES: You've got to credit our fans. We have some of the best students in the country. We had tons and tons of kids here travel a long ways to get here.

Respect for our fans and our students. It's a great place to be. Utah State is a great place. We've got the best fans. It's too bad we couldn't get it done for them, but we have basketball left to play so hopefully we will bounce back.

ISAAC DAVIS: Yeah, it means a lot to have the family come out and everybody supporting us. That's when you know when they really care about us and our team. So it meant a lot for us to see everybody out there and see them cheering us on you.

Q. Colorado State in your match-ups have shot well above their season averages. What about their offense doesn't go well with your defense in that they have been shooting so well against you?

JORDY BARNES: They got off to a quick start. They're shooting well and I think that's just what happens. Once you see one fall you get some confidence going, and that's just what happens.

Q. Isaac, last night Coach said you were going to play tonight. Did you know you were going to get in and play tonight?

ISAAC DAVIS: Yeah.

Q. How do you get yourself ready when you don't know?

ISAAC DAVIS: Doesn't matter. Just always gotta stay ready.

THE MODERATOR: We will dismiss the student-athletes at this time. Thank you, gentlemen. Questions for Coach?

Q. Coach, the decision to bring out two freshmen out here, they were on the court late. Is that planned where those guys contributed and you bring out a couple of freshmen and it's a big conference here.

JERROD CALHOUN: Our seniors just didn't have it. You've got to have energy, bounce in your step; for whatever reason they didn't have it. We've played a lot of guys all year long.

Jordy played well against them in the first match-up, and Isaac, we've got to get more production on that frontline, so he will play in the NCAA Tournament as well.

Q. Coach, Colorado State is a team that plays a more patient, methodical offensive they're 266th in the country in pace. Ten of their games where they played at the slowest pace they won all ten of those games. Was pace something that you guys made a conscious effort addressing playing tonight?

JERROD CALHOUN: Very good question. Yeah, that was probably one of the biggest keys that we talked about with our group.

You know, we are a team that needs to get out and run, let's call it like it is. We score on 62% of our post-ups, we don't get easy baskets. That's what I've said now for two weeks. We will get a 5 man in the portal, I'm going to get one that can score the ball in the block. Isaac Davis is going to be a guy that can do that.

We don't get easy baskets in the half-court, so we need to get out and we need to run and we need to play fast, and Colorado State both times did not let us do that. It's going to be a great game tomorrow against two teams that I think are playing as good as anything in the country, right?

It's all about match-ups, you know? We're not out of it, either. We will see on Sunday who we get. And the reality is it's a lot of hours and a lot of work and a lot of film sessions and it's a lot of meetings and it's a lot of recruiting. It's a 365-day job, you know, to try to get a group of guys to buy into your system to go to an NCAA Tournament.

Our expectation at Utah State is to win championships in the Mountain West. We have won two regular season titles. We fell short. We've won a couple of tournament titles, right? I believe two of those.

So we didn't do that. So there's an empty feeling. Hopefully our guys will get a couple days of rest and be very, very motivated to see who we play on Sunday. I know I need two days to get my voice back because I felt helpless, as I do right now.

Q. Coach, big part of your offense and success is getting those pin down screen actions from Mason and Ian. What was it with Colorado State that they were not allowing them to get the ball?

JERROD CALHOUN: Unfortunately we don't have the personnel to get continually downhill drives. I stole a lot of that stuff from Joe Mizzoula. It's worked all year. One of the things referees don't call, a lot of guys stare at the ball, they do not call off-ball screening, chucks or holds. I can't tell you the number of clips I've seen, and we hold guys as well.

I think Colorado State is very, very physical in their pin downs and our guys just didn't match that, right? You've got to get some separation. With a one-day prep it's very hard to work that. That's one thing I wish -- you know, about this tournament, this format it would be a little different. But both nights we're here until 1:00 in the morning or get back at 1:00 in the morning, so it's a little bit crazy.

You've got to be ready mentally and physically, and I didn't think we were ready to do that today. But all the credit to Coach Medved and his group. They're playing for a tournament bid. They've got to win tomorrow. I don't think they should have to win. I think we should get four or five bids again. I don't think anyone in the tournament will want to see them or Boise, and I'm rooting for this entire conference to get five, and San Diego State, I think we will see what representation we have. Last year we had a record year and we could be right there again.

Q. Coach, you've taken tough losses late in the season, had some games where you haven't played your potential. How confident are you that you can turn things around nor the NCAA Tournament?

JERROD CALHOUN: I think it's good, you know, I think you get out of league play. League play is very, very long, it's 20 games and two more here so it's 22 games of grind. To see another team from a different conference it's been a long time since we've seen that. We had great success in the nonconference, that's why we're going to be in the NCAA Tournament, if we didn't we would be out, so let's call it like it is. Beating Saint Mary's, beating Iowa, beating a good North Texas team. We had some really, really good wins in our nonconference. We were able to win on the road at Viejas. We have some really good wins that carried us.

So it's your whole body of work. We've got to hit the reset button. I think guys are nicked up and the seniors gotta step it up. At the end of the day you're only as good as your seniors, that's how these teams go. Nique Clifford is really, really good. The guy -- if he doesn't go in the first round I don't know what these scouts are looking at. I think he's a beast.

Q. Coach, your team has struggled to rebound down the stretch. Late in this game you guys were able to get your fight back on the boards, ended up plus 5 in that category. How encouraging was that for you to see that you guys were able to win that battle?

JERROD CALHOUN: I'm going to give you the questions of the night, man, you're making really good points. You know, just personnel-wise we're small. It's been a struggle all year. Let's call it like it is.

The physicality, the frontline, all those sorts of things. So to see Mason Falslev get in there and Karson Templin. Those are our most competitive kids and we need the spirit of a couple others to make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

Rebounding is one of those stats if you look at it, it's a little bit misunderstood. If you make shots there is nothing to rebound. We couldn't make a shot. Credit Colorado State, but our three point percentage was abominable. You shoot 21% from three there's a lot of rebounds to get.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.