NCAA Tournament notebook: Utah State coach fan of Arizona, Tommy Lloyd’s style
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Head coach Jerrod Calhoun of the Utah State Aggies reacts during the second half against the Villanova Wildcats in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images SAN DIEGO—When not scouting an opponent, Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun prefers to watch professional basketball over the college game.
Either the Boston Celtics, where former player and assistant Joe Mazzulla has won an NBA title, or European competition. But if Calhoun does decide to watch college hoops, Arizona is high on his list. “I love the way they play,” Calhoun said.
“There’s very few college basketball teams I enjoy watching play. But Tommy’s probably one of the five teams I really enjoy watching. I think he creates a space for his players.
He’s done a tremendous job playing big. It’s hard to do in today’s landscape. I think their players really know how to play.
” That meant Calhoun already had a frame of reference when he began watching film of the Wildcats in preparation for Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second round game. After beating Villanova on Friday night he said he planned to watch “at least seven” UA games, which would require a lot of coffee. “I’m losing track of coffee,” he said Saturday.
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