Dec. 4, 2001
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San Diego State (4-2)
at San Diego (2-3)
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
7:30 p.m. PST
Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100)
San Diego, Calif.
Tip Time: 7:35 p.m. PST.
Television: Channel 4 San Diego. Chris Marlowe (play-by-play), Jim Brogan (analysis) and Jim Laslavic (sideline).
Radio: XTRA AM-690 in San Diego. Jim Stone (play-by-play).
The Records: San Diego State (4-2) after a 80-70 victory over Cal State Northridge on Saturday. San Diego (2-3) following a 98-94 home loss to Washington on Saturday.
SDSU Coach Steve Fisher: Fisher (Illinois State '67) is in his third season at San Diego State with a record of 23-39. Now in his 11th full seasons he has amassed a 207-121 mark. Fisher led Michigan to the 1989 national championships and made three trips to the national championship game in his eight full seasons in Ann Arbor. The 1991-92 national coach of the year led the Aztecs to a 14-14 mark last year.
San Diego Coach Brad Holland: Holland (UCLA '79) is in his eighth season at San Diego with a 112-89 record. Overall, he is in his 10th season with a career mark of 135-120. Holland earned West Coast Conference coach of the year honors in both 1999 and 2000.
The Series: This is the 33rd meeting between the city's Division I schools, with the Aztecs owning a 17-15 advantage. The Toreros have won three straight, seven of the last eight and 10 of the last 12 in the series. San Diego State has not defeated USD when the Toreros have been the "home" team since February 25, 1975.
Officials: Announced by San Diego on game day.
Aztecs Carry Two-Game Win Streak into Wednesday's City Showdown at Jenny Craig Pavilion
San Diego State, which at 4-2 has has not started a season with a better record since the 1984-85 NCAA tournament season, carries a two-game win streak into a crosstown showdown with San Diego on Wednesday night. The game, a 7:30 p.m. PST start, will be televised live on Channel 4 San Diego and will be broadcast live on XTRA-AM 690 in San Diego.
After a school-record tying three victories in the month of November, San Diego State got December off on the right foot with an 80-70 victory over 2001 NCAA tournament participant Cal State Northridge. Three Aztec players - Tony Bland, Randy Holcomb and Al Faux scored 20 or more points to lead SDSU to the win.
San Diego fell to 2-3 on the campaign with a 98-94 loss to Washington at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on Saturday. The Toreros held a 44-27 advantage on the boards against their Pacific-10 foe and received a 36-point effort from Andre Laws in the loss.
Both teams have lost to quality foes. Through Saturday the Aztecs two losses, both coming on the road, to Texas Tech and New Mexico State, which have a combined record of 10-2 this year. The Toreros three losses have come to opponents with a combined mark of 11-5.
The series between the schools separated by 9.4 miles has been closely contested, with the Aztecs owning a 17-15 series advantage. The Toreros have enjoyed a recent advantage, winning three straight and seven of the last eight against the Aztecs. San Diego has won four straight games in the series as the designated home team, with the Aztecs last victory when playing as the "road" team in the series coming on Feb. 25, 1975.
On the Line
* San Diego State which at 4-2 has not had a better six-game record to open the season since the 1984-85 NCAA tournament team, looks to start a season with at least five victories in seven games for only the second time in 16 seasons (1996-97 the other season).
* The Aztecs are 14-4 (77.8 percent) against non-Mountain West Conference competition since the beginning of the 2000-01 season.
* San Diego State has won five consecutive games played in the month of December and is 9-7 in the Steve Fisher era during the month.
* The Aztecs have not been outscored in the second half in any of the six games this season. Total points: SDSU 250, Opponents 205.
* Tony Bland, the leading scorer in the Mountain West Conference and 11th nationally (through Tuesday), has scored more than 20 points in each of his first six games. He is the first SDSU player to do that in 16 seasons. Anthony Watson scored 20+ points in seven straight games during the 1985-86 season.
* The San Diego State-San Diego game will feature two of the nation's leading scorers. As previously noted, Bland is 11th nationally in scoring while San Diego senior guard Andre Laws is 16th in the country in points per game at 22.0 (all numbers through Tuesday).
* This will mark San Diego State's fourth appearance on live television this season. Last season, the Aztecs made 12 television appearances and didn't make their fourth trip on the airwaves until January 15.
* The last time the Aztecs won at San Diego was Feb. 25, 1975. That season the Aztecs to their first NCAA Division I tournament.
Aztecs Use Big Advantage on Glass to Secure 80-70 Victory over Northridge
San Diego State used a 45-24 rebound advantage and outscored Cal State Northridge 33-12 at the free-throw line en route to an 80-70 victory on Saturday night at Cox Arena.
The Aztecs overcame a season-high 23 turnovers in defeating the first of four December San Diego State opponents that advanced to last season's NCAA tournament.
For the sixth consecutive game junior guard Tony Bland paced the Aztecs, scoring 22 points. Senior forward Randy Holcomb posted his third double-double of the season and the ninth of his career with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Al Faux, playing in just his second game of the season, came off the bench to add 21 points in 27 minutes of action.
The Aztecs led the final 27 minutes of the game and built two 15-point leads before settling for the 10-point victory.
Noting the Northridge Game
* The 4-2 start by San Diego State matches its best six-game start since the 1984-85 team opened the season 5-1. That season the Aztecs advanced to the NCAA tournament and ended the season with a 23-8 record.
* San Diego State has won four straight home games dating back to last season. That is one win shy of tying the Cox Arena record win streak of five.
* Saturday's attendance of 5,435 is the 10th largest in Cox Arena history. It is the third largest December crowd in Cox history. The Aztecs three-game home average this season is 5,025 ahead of the school-record average of 4,824 set during the 1981-82 season.
* San Diego State extended its Cox Arena record non-conference winning streak to eight games dating back to a 55-52 loss to San Diego on December 9th of last season. This is the longest stretch since the Aztecs won 10 straight out of conference from Dec. 8, 1995 to Dec. 23, 1996 (streak broken on Nov. 14, 1997).
* The Aztecs are 14-4 against non-Mountain West Conference competition since the beginning of the 2000-01 season.
* San Diego State has won five consecutive games played in the month of December and is 9-7 in the month during the Steve Fisher era.
* San Diego State made its first 12 free throws of the contest. San Diego State entered the contest shooting 69.2 percent from the line. Last season, SDSU shot 65.9 from the charity stripe.
* San Diego State has yet to be outscored in the second half of any of its six games this season.
* Randy Holcomb scored in double figures for the fifth time in six games this season, the 31st time in his 34 Aztec games and the 36th time in his career. It is the eighth time he has scored at least 20 points in a game.
* Randy Holcomb recorded his ninth double-double of his career. The senior had one while at Fresno State, five last season, and has three in six games this season.
* Al Faux tallied in double figures for the fourth straight game dating back to last season. Faux has scored 10+ points 17 times in his career.
* Tony Bland recorded his sixth straight game with 20+ points this season with 22 against the Matadors. The last player to do that was Anthony Watson with seven straight games. He also recorded his sixth straight double-figure scoring game.
Know Thy Enemy: About San Diego
Location: San Diego, Calif.
Founded: 1949
Enrollment: 6,943
President: Dr. Alice B. Hayes
Athletic Director: Tom Iannacone
Nickname: Toreros
Colors: Columbia Blue, Navy and White
Arena: Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100)
Conference: West Coast
SDSU-San Diego History
Wednesday will mark the 33rd meeting between the schools, with San Diego State owning a 17-15 advantage. The Toreros have had the upper hand, winning three straight, seven of eight and 10 of the last 12 games between the teams.
San Diego has been victorious in six of the 10 games in which the Toreros have been the home team. USD has won four straight as the home team, with the last Aztecs win as the visitors coming on Feb. 3, 1970.
Three of the last four games between the schools has been decided by four points or less, including last season's 55-52 USD victory at Cox Arena on December 9.
The Last Meeting Matt Dezell broke a 48-48 tie with a three-point basket with just over three minutes remaining and then sank two free throws with less than 10 seconds left, as San Diego defeated San Diego State 55-52, On Dec. 9, 2000 in Cox Arena.
The Aztecs, playing in front of 8,186 fans - the 11th largest crowd in school history and the second largest in Cox Arena history - led the entire first half, and by as many as 10 points.
San Diego opened the second half with an 11-3 run to take a six-point lead. The Aztecs pulled even at 48 on a three-point play by junior guard Al Faux.
Dezell responded with a three-pointer to give the Toreros the lead. San Diego State pulled within one point twice in the final three minutes, but was unable to tie the contest.
San Diego State held the Toreros to 33.9 percent shooting and forced 20 turnovers but was unable to overcome a 50-30 San Diego rebound advantage.
Forward Randy Holcomb and Faux paced the Aztecs with 13 points apiece. Center Marcelo Correa added a game-high nine rebounds and five blocked shots.