Nov. 22, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio -
No. 18/22 San Diego State-Miami Game Notes in PDF Format | SDSU Broadcast Flip in PDF Format
No. 18/22 San Diego State Closes Out O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic Action with Road Test at Miami
No. 18/22 San Diego State finishes its season-opening five-game road trip with a date at Miami Monday night inside Millett Hall. The final match-up of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic's Oxford Subregional is set for 7 p.m. ET on the Oxford, Ohio, campus.
The fifth of five consecutive season-opening games away from Viejas Arena can be heard in Southern California on AM 600 KOGO with Ted Leitner handling the play-by-play duties. There is no television coverage for the event.
SDSU enters the game nationally ranked in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches poll for the first time in school history. The Aztecs, who entered the campaign having never been ranked in the history of the program, have been in all three AP polls this season and moved up seven spots to No. 18, which represents the biggest jump of the week. San Diego State's No. 22 ranking in the coaches poll marks the first time the Scarlet and Black has ever cracked the poll. In the first two coaches polls of the 2010-11 season, SDSU was the first team out at No. 26.
The Aztecs remained perfect on the season by defeating IUPUI, 61-46, Sunday night. SDSU used a stifling defense and a 15-0 run in the second half to pull away from the Jaguars. Sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard led all players with 20 points and 10 rebounds and frontcourt teammate Billy White added 14 points and six boards. Sophomore Chase Tapley spearheaded the defensive charge with a career-high tying four steals, while adding nine points, and Leonard added three steals of his own.
On Monday, Leonard was named Mountain West Conference player of the week after averaging a double-double and leading the Aztecs to a road win at then-No. 11 Gonzaga and neutral-site victories over Green Bay and IUPUI. The sophomore led the team with averages of 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals, while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point distance. Leonard has won both of the league's weekly awards this season and is a five-time honoree.
With a win on Monday, the Aztecs can wrap up their season-opening five-game trip with a unblemished 5-0 mark. A victory would improve SDSU's record to 5-0 for the first time since 2007-08 and a decision would give the school five wins in its first five road/neutral games for the first time since 1984-85. San Diego State is also looking to win its first three true road games of a season since that same 1984-85 team, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
The RedHawks, the Oxford Subregional hosts, have split the first two games on their home floor, beating IUPUI and losing to Green Bay on Sunday night. Prior to the subregional, Miami went to Duke and lost, 79-45, in the opening game of the CBE Classic.