Drake Allen making some noise as Aggies hunt Mountain West championship

LOGAN — With two games left in the regular season, Utah State now controls its own path to a Mountain West regular season championship.

After a 74-69 win over Grand Canyon in the Spectrum on Saturday night, the Aggies now have a one-game lead over both New Mexico and San Diego State.

A big determinant of Utah State's late-season and postseason push will hinge on the play of graduate guard Drake Allen, according to head coach Jerrod Calhoun.

"You're probably going to go as far as your point guard is going to go. Drake Allen's got to go; it's time to get going here," Calhoun said. "Put pressure on the rim, rebound the ball, steal the ball, and be more aggressive."

Allen entered the game averaging just under 7 points per game before he exploded for 14 points in the first half against the Lopes, including throwing down a left-handed dunk over 7-foot-2 center Efe Demirel.

"(Felt) good. Felt like my younger self, I guess," Allen said on his highlight-reel jam.

Allen's 15 points came on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range — an area where he hasn't been the strongest this season. Allen came into the game shooting just 27% from deep, and prior to his season-high 17 points against Nevada last week, where he went 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, he was making just 22% of his 3-pointers.

"This year's been up and down, a lot of ups and downs for me," Allen said. "I'm trying to stay steady spiritually, stay steady physically and mentally. These last three games down the stretch, I've got to be better, I've got to score the ball more. With so much pressure on Mason (Falslev) and MJ (Collins) and people really dialing on them, I've got to be able to make plays."

Now averaging nearly 12 points per game over his last three games, Allen is starting to get hot as the calendar turns to March. He's also become more efficient over his last three games, shooting 58% from 3-point range and 56% from the floor on increased shots from the rest of the season.

In addition to his contributions on the court, Allen has stepped up off the court in his last year playing college basketball. After the Aggies' recent two-game skid, Calhoun called for the leaders of his team to step up.

"You've got to have some team conversations, got to be player-led," Calhoun said prior to the matchup against the Lopes.

Allen, along with some of the primary returners, has answered his call in the recent days leading up to and during the win over Grand Canyon.

"Drake, I heard a lot of him. … There's a lot of communication," Calhoun said. "It was just a sense of urgency."

Allen, who recently became a father, is doing his best to live in the moment as the season draws to a close.

"With having our son and then the season coming to an end, it makes you realize how grateful you are for the experiences that I've had; and also on nights like that, you can't take any night for granted," Allen said. "When you're in there, try to soak it all in, because these are the moments that I'll remember forever."

Allen has taken a unique path to Logan after not making his high school basketball team as a sophomore, and didn't play varsity until he was a senior. Allen's college career started as a walk-on at Snow College before he bounced his way from Southern Utah to Utah Valley and eventually landed at Utah State.

"All glory to God; he's put me in this situation. I can't thank anybody else, he's put me in a lot of places," Allen said. "I've been a lot of spots, but I think he saved the best for last. There's nothing like it. I believe, I truly believe, that there's nothing like it."

Allen previously averaged just over 11 points per game in his one year at both Southern Utah and Utah Valley before his 7 points per game in his two seasons as an Aggie. Now, with just one win needed to clinch a share of the Mountain West regular-season title, Allen's continued production is something that could raise the ceiling of his squad's March dreams.

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