Dec. 16, 2010
SAN DIEGO -
No. 11/10 San Diego State-UC Santa Barbara Game Notes | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card
No. 11/10 San Diego State Closes Three-Game Homestand Saturday Night Against Big West Favorite UC Santa Barbara
No. 11/10 San Diego State, winners of 11 straight to open the 2010-11 campaign and preseason Mountain West Conference favorites, concludes its three-game homestand Saturday night against Big West preseason favorite, UC Santa Barbara (5-3), inside Viejas Arena.
The 91st meeting between the long-time foes is set for 7 p.m. PT at SDSU's on-campus arena. There is no television coverage for the game, but the contest can be heard on radio in Southern California on AM 600 KOGO with Ted Leitner calling the action.
SDSU is enjoying its best start to a season in 90 seasons of basketball and is currently riding the second-longest winning streak (11) in school history. The Aztecs moved to 11-0 Monday night after defeating another Big West member, Cal Poly, 51-45, just hours after they broke into the top 10 of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Top-25 Poll. The Aztecs struggled offensively, scoring just 16 points in the first half and finished 0-for-18 from beyond the arc. San Diego State, however, was locked in defensively as it held Cal Poly to 15 first-half points and 29.2-percent shooting for the game. The Scarlet and Black also finished with a plus-13 advantage in the rebounding category.
Senior Malcolm Thomas led the way with 18 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots for Aztecs, who were without sophomore starters Kawhi Leonard and Chase Tapley due to flu-like symptoms. With Thomas' performance, the San Diego native became the third Division I player this season to enjoy a game with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, according to ESPN.com. Sophomore James Rahon, meanwhile, added 14 points in his first career SDSU start. The Thomas and Rahon duo accounted for 13 of San Diego State's 16 field goals and 32 of the team's 51 points. Not to be forgotten, senior captain D.J. Gay knocked down eight straight free throws in the final 38 seconds to put the game away for the Aztecs. He finished with 10 points.
The Gauchos arrive on Montezuma Mesa as one of the hottest teams on the West Coast having won three straight, including two in a row on the road, and four of their last five overall. On Wednesday, UC Santa Barbara went into Las Vegas and the Thomas & Mack Center and defeated No. 22 UNLV, 68-62. James Nunnally led the way for the Gauchos with 23 points and seven rebounds. Fellow preseason all-Big West selection and reigning conference player of the year Orlando Johnson, meanwhile, added 12 points and 15 boards. Nunnally and Johnson lead the team in scoring and rebounding as both average more than 20 points and six rebounds per game.
Saturday's showdown with the surging Gauchos marks the third straight season in which the schools have met. The Aztecs have had the upper hand recently winning five straight in the series and 15 of the last 18.