March 12, 2010
Recap | Quotes | Photo Gallery
LAS VEGAS -
San Diego State-New Mexico Postgame Notes in PDF Format
Score: San Diego State 72, No. 8/8 New Mexico 69
Records: San Diego State: 24-8, No. 8/8 New Mexico: 29-4
RPI Entering Today's Games: San Diego State: 32, New Mexico: 8
Next Game: Sat., March 13, vs. BYU/at UNLV | MWC Championship | Las Vegas, Nev. | 4 p.m. PT | TV: VERSUS HD | Radio: AM 600 KOGO
GENERAL NOTES
* Overall, San Diego State has won four straight games, eight of its last nine games (8-1) and 10 of its last 12 contests (10-2).
* San Diego State defeats eighth-ranked (AP poll) New Mexico tonight. That ties for the fourth-highest-ranked team the Aztecs have ever defeated and the highest road or neutral victory over a top-25 team in school history.
* This is the highest ranked team San Diego State has defeated since claiming an 82-80 overtime victory over seventh-ranked Brigham Young on Feb. 18, 1988.
* San Diego State entered tonight's game 2-53 against AP top 25 teams in road or neutral games. As previously noted, eighth-ranked New Mexico is the highest ranked opponent San Diego State has ever defeated away from home.
* San Diego State had dropped its last 10 games against Associated Press Top-25 teams at any location entering tonight's game (dating back to the aforementioned Feb. 18, 1988, game).
* San Diego State has defeated three teams this season that were nationally ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 at game time. That breaks the single-season school-record of two set in 1978-79 and matched in 1987-88 and 2006-07.
* The Aztecs snapped New Mexico's 15-game winning streak and is the only team to defeat the Lobos twice this season.
* San Diego State is 11-2 in its last 13 games played during the month of March.
* San Diego State's 24 victories this season are tied for the second most in school history. The 50 victories the last two seasons and 70 victories the last three seasons are both school records for those timetables.
* San Diego State has now won 10 road/neutral games this season (eight road games and two neutral games). The Aztecs are 10-7 away from Viejas Arena this season, after posting a 14-1 record at home.
* San Diego State advances to the championship game of the conference tournament for the second straight season, the fourth time in the 11-year history of the Mountain West Conference and the fifth time in the school's 40 Division I seasons.
* SDSU becomes the fourth No. 4 seed to reach the MWC tournament championship game. Of those four times, SDSU has done it twice (2009).
* Steve Fisher has been the head coach for four of San Diego State's five appearances in conference tournament finals.
PLAYER NOTES
* Billy White (Game-high 28 points, 11-14 FG, 5-5 FT) - White scored a career-high 28 points, which tied Brandon Heath for the most points scored by an Aztec in an MWC Tournament game; Heath put up 28 vs. Air Force in 2005... White posted his fifth career 20-point game and his third this season... The junior has scored in double figures 17 times this year and 45 times in his career... The junior was 11-for-14 from the field and the 11 baskets is a school record for most field goals in an MWC tournament game.
* D.J. Gay (5 points, 3 rebounds, career-high 7 assists, 1 blocked shot) - Gay matched his career high for assists in a game with seven... Gay recorded his sixth straight game with at least three assists and his fourth game in his last six outings with at least five assists... The junior did not commit a turnover in 40 minutes of action... The guard posted his eighth turnover-free game of the season... Gay also tied his career high with one blocked shot... Gay played 40 minutes for the third straight game and for the fourth time in his last five games... In his last five outings, he has only been out of the game for one minute.
* Kawhi Leonard (15 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal) - The freshman logged his 15th double-double of the season... Leonard reached double figures in scoring for the 22nd time this year... The 22 double-figure scoring games leads the team... The freshman knocked down a career-high three three-pointers... Leonard has now made multiple three-pointers in a game three times this year... The freshman was 2-for-2 from the free-throw line and both came with 0.7 seconds left in the game and the Aztecs up by only one.
* Malcolm Thomas (7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocked shots) - Thomas blocked three shots tonight... The three blocks ties the school record for most blocked shots in an MWC tournament game... Randy Holcomb and Marcelo Correa each had three vs. Wyoming on March 8, 2001.