March 13, 2010
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
LAS VEGAS -
San Diego State-UNLV Postgame Notes in PDF Format
Score: San Diego State 55, UNLV 45
Records: San Diego State: 25-8, UNLV: 26-7
RPI Entering Today's Games: San Diego State: 24, UNLV: 42
NCAA/POSTSEASON/MWC CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
* San Diego State wins its third Mountain West Conference tournament title (2002, 2006 and 2010). The Aztecs' three titles are tied with UNLV for the most in Mountain West Conference history. In two of San Diego State's title wins (2002 and 2010), San Diego State has had to defeat UNLV on its home court in the championship game to claim the title.
* San Diego State earns the Mountain West Conference's NCAA automatic berth. The Aztecs advance to their sixth Division I NCAA Tournament and third under head coach Steve Fisher. SDSU advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1975, 1976, 1985, 2002, 2006 and 2010). Counting its NCAA Division II and NAIA appearances, this is the 20th time San Diego State has advanced to postseason play.
* San Diego State advances to postseason play for a school-record fifth consecutive season. The Aztecs made the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and played in three consecutive NIT, prior to returning to the NCAA event this season.
* Steve Fisher guides a team to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in his career. He also has advanced to the postseason 16 times in 19 full seasons as a head coach. He owns a 20-8 career record in the NCAA Tournament.
GENERAL NOTES
* San Diego State wins its 25th game of the season, the second most victories by any Aztec squad in 89 seasons of SDSU basketball. The only season the Aztecs won more games was in 2008-09, when that team went 26-10 en route to a national semifinals appearance in the postseason NIT.
* Entering today, San Diego State, Purdue, Syracuse and West Virginia were the only four teams in the country that have at least 24 victories, three victories over Associated Press Top-25 teams, 10 or more road/neutral victories and a road or neutral court victory over an Associated Press top 10 team.
SERIES NOTES
  * San Diego State has defeated UNLV in five of the past six meetings overall.
* San Diego State has won on four of its last seven visits to the Thomas & Mack Center. UNLV is 69-12 at home since Feb. 16, 2006, with four of those 12 losses coming at the hands of San Diego State.
* Since the beginning of the 2005-06 season, UNLV is 44-5 at the Thomas & Mack Center against Mountain West Conference teams. During that time, the Aztecs are 4-3 at UNLV, while the rest of the league is a combined 1-41.
* San Diego State improved to 4-2 against UNLV in conference tournament play and 3-2 against the Rebels in MWC tournament action. The Aztecs are now 3-2 against UNLV In the Thomas & Mack Center during MWC tournament action, while UNLV owns a 13-1 record against all other foes in the venue during the annual event.
* Of the 17 victories San Diego State has over UNLV in men's basketball, 13 have come with Steve Fisher as the head coach.
PLAYER NOTES
* Kawhi Leonard (16 points, game-, career-, MWC-tournament record 21 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) - The freshman set a career high and MWC tournament best for rebounds in a game (Marcus Slaughter had 19 in 2006)... Leonard posted his 18th career double-figure rebounding effort... Leonard set the Mountain West Conference tournament record for rebounds by a freshman... Leonard also set the MWC tournament record for most rebounds by a single player; previous record was 16... The freshman logged his 16th double-double of the season... Leonard reached double figures in scoring for the 23rd time this year... The 23 double-figure scoring games leads the team... Leonard's 21-rebounds is the 16th 20-rebound performance in SDSU's Division I history... He is the sixth Aztec to grab at least 20 rebounds and first since Marcus Slaughter back in 2006.
* D.J. Gay (11 points, 3 three-point field goals, 2 rebounds) - Gay notched his 18th double-figure scoring effort of the season... He knocked down a trio of three-pointers, marking the ninth time this season he has hit at least three.