Feb. 18, 2008
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State Game Notes | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card | Wyoming Game Notes
San Diego State (16-9/6-5 MWC) at Wyoming (10-14/3-8 MWC)
Television: The Mtn. - Tim Neverett (play-by-play), Larry Mangino (analysis)
Radio: AM 600 KOGO - Ted Leitner (play-by-play).
SDSU Completes Two-Game Road Swing on Short Rest; Aztecs Look for Just Sixth-Ever Win in Laramie on Tuesday
Following a heartbreaking 72-66 loss at Utah on Saturday, a game in which the Aztecs led for nearly 24 minutes and never trailed by more than three points in the first 33 minutes of the game, San Diego State (16-9 overall; 6-5 MWC) plays the back end of two road games in four days on Tuesday night at Wyoming (10-14; 3-8 MWC).
Game time is set for 7 p.m. MT (6 p.m. PT) and the contest will be televised by The Mtn. (Cox Cable channel 320). The game can also be heard on the flagship station of Aztec Athletics, AM 600 KOGO.
San Diego State has lost three consecutive games for the first time since March of 2005. The Aztecs 94-game stretch without a three-game losing streak, the 12th-longest active streak in the country, came to an end Saturday afternoon in a loss at Utah. San Diego State scored the first 11 points of the game and opened the second half on an 11-2 run, but was unable to secure the victory.
SDSU outscored Utah from the field (50-48), but could not overcome a 24-16 Ute advantage from the charity stripe.
Despite the loss, the strong effort yielded some impressive individual numbers.
Freshman guard D.J. Gay scored a career-high 21 points, on the strength of 5-of-6 shooting from behind the arc. The freshman, who started in place of Richie Williams, tallied 21 points in 27 minutes of action and shot himself out of an 8-for-37 stretch from long distance.
Senior guard Matt Thomas, making his first start in more than a calendar year, responded with his first double-digit scoring game since earning honorable mention all-conference honors as a freshman. Thomas scored 10 points, connecting on all three of his field goals, both three-point field goal attempts and both of his free-throw opportunities.
For the first time in his career, Ryan Amoroso has scored in double figures in three consecutive games. The Marquette transfer, going against the bigger Luke Nevill, did more than hold his own, scoring 11 points and adding six rebounds. Amoroso now has 50 points in his last three games (16.7 ppg) and has six or more boards in six straight games, averaging 7.8 rebounds during that stretch.
Despite the string of three consecutive losses, San Diego State remains in the hunt for a solid seed at next month's MWC tournament in Las Vegas. The Aztecs are currently in fifth place, but are just one-half game behind Utah for fourth, one-game behind New Mexico in third place and two games in back of UNLV for second place.
The Aztecs, which began the season a deep bench, are suffering from a rather short bench now. A season-ending knee injury to Tim Shelton, junior guard Richie Williams trying to return after missing five games with a broken left wrist and junior forward Kyle Spain serving a team suspension have left the Aztecs less than 100 percent. SDSU starters have missed 34 games to date this season. In Saturday's game against the Utes, The Aztecs' bench was outscored, 28-0.
San Diego State and Wyoming are meeting for the 63rd time with the Cowboys owning a 35-27 lead. The Aztecs are just 5-22 lifetime in Laramie with victories coming in 1985, 1991, 2002, 2003 and 2006. Overall, San Diego State has won four of the last six and nine of the last 14 encounters, including a 70-43 decision at Cox Arena on Jan. 19. The Aztecs shot 50 percent from the field and had a 41-26 rebound advantage in that game.
Following the contest with the Cowboys, SDSU returns home to face league-leading Brigham Young on Saturday at Cox Arena.