Feb. 4, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
No. 7/6 San Diego State-TCU Game Notes in PDF Format | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card in PDF Format
No. 7/6 San Diego State Looks for Win Number 23, Puts 15-Game Homecourt Winning Streak on the Line Saturday Night Against TCU
San Diego State (22-1 overall; 7-1 MWC), ranked seventh in the Associated Press poll, sixth in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll and third in the Rating Percentage Index, begins the second half of Mountain West Conference play on Saturday when the Aztecs entertain TCU (10-13 overall; 1-7 MWC).
The Aztecs will carry a 15-game homecourt winning streak, the eighth-longest active streak in the country (entering Saturday's games), into the Saturday night showdown. Game time at Viejas Arena, which is sold out for the sixth consecutive game, is set for 7:32 p.m. PT, with television coverage provided by The Mtn. (San Diego Cox Cable 320, DirecTV 616, Orange County Cox Cable 265, Las Vegas Cox Cable 334). The game can also be heard on radio in Southern California on AM 600 KOGO. The first 2,500 students in attendance will receive a "6th Man" replica San Diego State jersey, courtesy of Associated Students.
The Aztecs ran their winning streak to 31 games against unranked opponents at game time with a 56-54 win at Colorado State on Wednesday night in Fort Collins, Colo. Senior guard D.J. Gay hit a step-back 18-foot jumper on the left wing off the dribble with 1.8 seconds remaining to lift SDSU to the win.
Gay ended the contest with six points, a team-high four assists, three rebounds, two steals and no turnovers in 37 minutes. Sophomore guard James Rahon matched a season-high with a team-high 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. He has reached double figures in consecutive games for the first time since the first two games of the season. Sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard had 12 points, 15 rebounds and four assists for his 15th double-double of the season and the 32nd of his career. Leonard has eight career games with 15 or more rebounds.
The Aztecs limited the Rams to 36.5 percent field-goal shooting, marking the 14th time this season, including six times in eight conference games, San Diego State has held an opponent to 40 percent or less shooting from the field.
San Diego State is taking on a TCU team, who has not been in action since last Saturday when the Horned Frogs suffered a 66-65 overtime loss to Air Force.
The teams are meeting for the 15th time with San Diego State owning a 10-4 series lead. The Aztecs have won five straight games in the series overall and are 10-1 against the Horned Frogs since TCU joined the MWC prior to the 2005-06 season. The Aztecs have won the last five encounters at Viejas Arena with two of those victories coming by five points or less. Earlier this season, San Diego State received double-doubles from Malcolm Thomas (18 points and 10 rebounds) and Kawhi Leonard (14 points and 11 rebounds) as the Aztecs claimed a 66-53 victory at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum on Jan. 5. That night, San Diego State scored 44 points in the paint and owned a 23-13 edge in points off turnovers.