Jan. 25, 2008
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State Game Notes | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card | UNLV Game Notes
UNLV (14-4/3-1 MWC) at San Diego State (14-5/4-1 MWC)
Television: VERSUS (San Diego Cox Cable channel 65, San Diego/North County Time Warner channel 41, DirecTV channel 608, Dish Network Channel 151) - Tim Neverett (play-by-play), Tim McCormick (analysis)
Radio: AM 600 KOGO - Ted Leitner (play-by-play).
Aztecs Put 10-Game Home Conference Streak on the Line on National TV in Saturday Afternoon Matchup with UNLV
Winners of 10 consecutive conference home games, San Diego State (14-5 overall; 4-1 MWC) returns home to face UNLV (14-4 overall; 3-1 MWC) in a matchup of two one-loss teams in the Mountain West Conference.
Tip time is set for 1:05 p.m. PT with the contest being shown nationally on VERSUS (San Diego Cox Cable channel 65, San Diego/North County Time Warner channel 41, DirecTV channel 608, Dish Network Channel 151). The contest can also be heard on the flagship home of San Diego State athletics, AM 600 KOGO.
The teams that have claimed the last two MWC Tournament titles (SDSU in 2006, UNLV in 2007) and own the top two RPI ratings in the league (SDSU 53, UNLV 57) tangle for the first time this season. The Aztecs own a one-half game lead in the standings, over UNLV, Brigham Young and TCU.
The Aztecs had a five-game MWC winning streak snapped on Wednesday night in a 59-56 loss at Brigham Young. Junior forward Lorrenzo Wade continued his stellar play, posting a game-high 21 points and team-highs of eight rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Kyle Spain added 10 second-half points en route to 15 points and five rebounds.
San Diego State shot just 36.8 percent from the field and had 11 fewer free throw attempts, but scrapped together a strong defensive outing, limiting the Cougars to 34.4 percent shooting on their own floor.
SDSU trailed the majority of the second half, but never by more than six points, and pulled within one point with 1:11 to play when Kyle Spain connected on a three-point field goal from the left wing. The Aztecs held the Cougars on the defensive end and got two opportunities at a potential game-winning shot. Spain was unable to convert on a jumper with 15 seconds to play and Wade made a remarkable play to tip the ball back to Spain. The junior drove into the paint and absorbed a lot of contact (no foul was called) as his running jumper missed and the Cougars obtained the rebound.
Following a pair of free throws by Sam Burgess, SDSU had another chance to tie as with less than three seconds remaining, Spain connected with Ryan Amoroso on a three-quarter court pass. Amoroso took a dribble to get outside the arc and launched a three-pointer that drew iron but just missed as the Cougars won at home for the 41st straight time.
San Diego State and UNLV are meeting for the 42nd time, with the Rebels owning a 29-12 advantage. UNLV has won 10 of the 17 all-time meetings in "America's Finest City". The Aztecs have held their own of late, winning four of the last five and six of the last nine games between the teams. The Aztecs have won the last two games at Cox Arena and three of the last four in San Diego.