Nov. 12, 2006
MORAGA, Calif. - Final Score: San Diego State 76, Seattle Pacific 73
SDSU Record: 3-0
Next Game: vs. UC San Diego; SDSU home opener; Wed., Nov. 15, 2006; 7 p.m. PT
With the Victory...
• With the win, San Diego State extended several regular-season winning-streaks, including (includes conference tournament games but not in NCAA tournament):
* 9-game overall winning streak
* 7-game road or neutral site winning streak
* 5-game non-conference winning streak
• In all games dating back to last season, the Aztecs have won nine of their last 10 (9-1), 19 of their last 22 (19-3) and 21 of their last 25 (21-4) games.
Fast Starts: 3-0 for First Time in More Than a Decade
San Diego State opens the campaign with three straight victories for the first time since the 1994-95 team opened with victories over Southern Cal College, Cal Poly Pomona and at Cal State Sacramento. It marks just the seventh time in 37 seasons at the Division I level that SDSU has opened a season 3-0.
The last time the Aztecs opened a season with three straight victories without the benefit of playing a home game was in the 1971-72 season when SDSU went on the road and defeated Colorado, Nebraska and North Dakota State. In 86 seasons of collegiate basketball, this is the only other time, other than this season, the Aztecs have opened 3-0 without playing at least one home game.
The most impressive note about the 3-0 start, may be the fact that the Aztecs did it against three programs that went a combined 67-25 last season.
On Wednesday, the Aztecs will look to improve to 4-0 for the first time since the 1984-85 season.
Fisher Reaches High Water Mark
Now in his eighth season at San Diego State, Steve Fisher improved his record on The Mesa to 108-106. This marks the first time the national championship coach has been two-games above .500 while at SDSU. Prior to today, he had been one game above .500 on two occasions, at 1-0 and at 107-106.
That may not sound overly impressive, but keep in mind the Aztecs compiled a 77-146 record (34.5 percent) in the eight seasons prior to his arrival (averaged 9.6 wins per season) and that SDSU went 16-35 in its first 51 games under Fisher (SDSU is 92-71 since).
Fifth In-Season Division I Title but First in 19 Years
This marks the fifth time San Diego State has claimed an in-season event title since joining the Division I ranks. This is the first event title for SDSU since 1987 Holiday Bowl Classic and the first in an event in which the Aztecs did not host since the 1984 UNLV Roundup.
The complete list of event victories: 1977 Cabrillo Classic, 1981 Cabrillo Classic, 1984 UNLV Roundup, 1987 Holiday Bowl Classic and the 2006 Shamrock Invitational.
All-Tournament Honors
Brandon Heath earned Shamrock Invitational most valuable player honors as voted on by the tournament's head coaches, while Mohamed Abukar was selected to the all-tournament team. Heath's MVP award is the first for the Aztecs in an in-season event during the Fisher era and is the second straight year (BP Top of the World Classic) SDSU has had two players recognized at the conclusion of a tourney.
Player Notes
* Mohamed Abukar grabbed a career high 10 rebounds... Recorded his first double-double with 22 points and 10 boards... With his 22 points against Seattle Pacific, it marked the first time he has scored 20-plus points in consecutive games (21 at Saint Mary's)... Led SDSU in scoring for the seventh time in his career... Tied his career high for free throws (8) and free throw attempts (10).
* Brandon Heath scored 20 points against SPU and has scored at least 20 in each game this season. The last time he scored 20-plus points in three straight games was last year vs. Utah (20), at UNLV (25) and vs. TCU (20) from Feb. 11-18.
* Lorrenzo Wade tied his career high with 14 points, the third time he has accomplished the feat.
* Kyle Spain posted his fourth career game with 10 or more rebounds Sunday night when he grabbed 11.