Utah State Coach Praises Arizona’s Style Under Tommy Lloyd
In San Diego, Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun praised Arizona’s approach as he prepared for the NCAA second-round matchup. He said he often prefers professional or European basketball, but Arizona stands out among college teams he watches.
Film study and scouting
Calhoun reviewed multiple Arizona games after the Wildcats beat Villanova on Friday. He said he planned to watch at least seven games to prepare for the Sunday meeting.
He joked that the film sessions required a lot of coffee. Calhoun said the Wildcats’ spacing and big play make them enjoyable to watch.
Calhoun on Arizona and Tommy Lloyd
Utah State coach praises Arizona’s style, noting coach Tommy Lloyd creates space for his players. Calhoun called Arizona one of roughly five college teams he genuinely enjoys.
He emphasized the difficulty of playing big in today’s college landscape. Calhoun credited Arizona’s roster and coaching for their execution.
Coaching background
Calhoun is 44 and in his second season at Utah State. He has been a college head coach since 2012.
He left an assistant role under Bob Huggins at West Virginia to coach Fairmont State. After five seasons there, he spent seven years at Youngstown State before taking the Aggies job.
He has led Utah State to the NCAA tournament in both seasons. Calhoun replaced Danny Sprinkle, who is now at Washington.
Predecessors since 2021 include Ryan Odom and Craig Smith. Calhoun is a Cincinnati alumnus and has been linked to openings there.
He said being discussed for other jobs is part of coaching success. He also noted coaches and athletic directors notice winning programs.
Financial realities for mid-majors
Only four programs from outside power conferences reached the second round this year. For the second straight tournament, no teams seeded fourth or better lost in the first round.
Calhoun said Utah State opted into revenue sharing after last summer’s NCAA settlement. Still, the program received no shared revenue.
Roster funding instead came from donors. Donor contributions rose to $2.4 million for 2025-26 from under $900,000 his first season.
He estimated staff members spend about 70 percent of the offseason fundraising. NIL and revenue changes have altered mid-major recruiting and finance.
Game-day atmosphere and series history
A Filmogaz.com reporter attended the game as a fill-in for Bruce Pascoe. The 14th-seeded Aggies drew a healthy contingent from Logan, about a four-hour drive.
The student section, known as The Hurd, was among the traveling fans. Fans’ presence reflected the national appetite for mid-major success.
Arizona holds a 1-3 overall record versus Utah State. The three Aggies wins occurred between 1958 and 1963.
The teams last met in the 2005 NCAA tournament, where Arizona won 66-53 in Boise. The Wildcats trailed 29-26 at halftime that day.
Channing Frye and Salim Stoudamire combined for 25 second-half points in that game. They made 11 free throws as Arizona advanced beyond the Sweet 16.
