CHARLESTON, S.C. – The guard duo of Mason Falslev and MJ Collins Jr. combined for 45 points to help propel Utah State men's basketball to the championship game of the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic LowCountry Bracket, as the Aggies defeated Tulane 96-75 Friday afternoon at TD Arena in Charleston.
Utah State will now play for the tournament title on Sunday, facing the winner of Boston College and Davidson at 7 p.m. (MT) on Nov. 23.
Falslev scored a season-best 24 points while also leading the Aggies in rebounds and blocks with seven and four, respectively, shooting 11-of-15 from the floor in an efficient performance. Collins Jr. recorded his third 20-plus point outing of the season as he went for 21 points, paired with five assists.
USU took the lead early and held on to it until an 11-0 Tulane run, aided by four Aggie turnovers, gave the Green Wave their first lead of the game midway through the first half. Tulane held that lead until a 6-0 run by Utah State to close out the half made it an even 40-40 game at the break.
The second half was a different story, as the Aggies posted a 56-35 scoring advantage in the second half. Following the break, the Aggies made six of their first second-half buckets to re-take control. Within the first 10 minutes of the half, an 18-3 run helped turn a tie game into an 18-point advantage for Utah State.
After turning the ball over seven times in the first half, USU took care of the ball in the second, totaling just three the rest of the way. On the other side, Utah State forced 13 Tulane turnovers on the day with nine steals.
Utah State continued to extend its lead in the second half, stretching it to as many as 24 points in a 56-point half, sparked by 69 percent (17-of-25) shooting from the floor and 71.4 percent (10-of-14) shooting from 3-point range in the half.
Returning from injury after missing the previous game, graduate guard Drake Allen filled the stat sheet for USU, totaling seven points, two rebounds, eight assists, three steals and a block, all while not recording a single turnover.
Along with Falslev and Collins Jr.'s big scoring performances, senior guard Kolby King, who spent the 2023-24 season at Tulane, went for 15 points and six boards against his former team. The final double-digit scorer for Utah State was senior forward Garry Clark, who went for 11 points and six rebounds.
Utah State dominated both the low post and the glass, out-rebounding the Green Wave 36-21 and out-scoring the opposition in the paint 44-12.
In total, Utah State shot 62.1 percent (36-of-58) from the floor, 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from 3-point range and 66.7 percent (12-of-16) at the charity stripe. Tulane shot 43.4 percent (23-of-53) from the field, 50.0 percent (15-of-30) from behind the arc and 73.7 percent (14-of-19) at the free throw line.
UP NEXT
Utah State will remain in Charleston for the championship game of the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic LowCountry Bracket. The Aggies will face the winner of Boston College and Davidson on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. (MT). The game will be televised on ESPN2.
TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2025-26 men's basketball season have sold out. Fans can purchase single game tickets for available remaining games here. A waitlist for 2026-27 season tickets is now available here.
FOLLOW
For more information on Utah State's men's basketball program, follow the Aggies on Facebook at usumensbasketball, on Twitter at @usubasketball and on Instagram at @usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men's basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics.
-USU-