March 12, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
LAS VEGAS -
San Diego State-BYU Postgame Notes in PDF Format
Final Score: No. 7/6 San Diego State 72, No. 8/8 BYU 54 - Conoco Mountain West Conference Championship Final
Records: San Diego State: 32-2; Brigham Young: 30-4
Next Game: at NCAA Tournament vs. TBD | AM 600 KOGO
THE BIG NOTES
* The Aztecs won their six Mountain West Conference championship today. San Diego State has won two regular-season titles (2006, 2011 shared title) and won a MWC-record four tournament titles (2002, 2006, 2010, 2011).
* SDSU joins UNLV as the only Mountain West schools to win back-to-back conference tournament titles. UNLV went back-to-back in 2007 and 2008.
* The Aztecs have now won the regular season and tournament titles in the same season twice in the history of the Mountain West (2006, 2011).
* San Diego State snaps a four-game losing streak to BYU. It is SDSU's first win the series since defeating the Cougars, 64-62, in the semifinal round of the 2009 MWC Championship.
* The victory over No. 8 BYU represents the second-highest ranked team the Aztecs have defeated. On three different occasions, San Diego State has downed the seventh-ranked squad in the nation.
* The win over the eighth-ranked Cougars is the highest-ranked squad SDSU has defeated since it took down No. 8 New Mexico in the semifinals of the 2010 championship.
* In two games vs. BYU this season, SDSU's biggest lead was four points. Today, the Aztecs enjoyed a 23-point lead.
* The 18-point margin of victory is SDSU's largest over a AP ranked team since beating No. 15 Air Force by 21 points on Feb. 6, 2007.
* Kawhi Leonard, D.J. Gay and Billy White were named to the all-tournament squad.
GENERAL TEAM NOTES
*  San Diego State wins its school-record 32nd game of the season. Prior to this season, SDSU's school-record for victories was 26.
* With the 32nd victory of the season, Steve Fisher has set a personal record for victories in a season. His previous best occurred in 1992-93 when he guided Michigan to a 31-5 overall record. That season, the Wolverines advanced to the NCAA championship game.
*  SDSU has won seven consecutive games on the Thomas & Mack Center floor (three at 2010 MWC Championship, Feb. 12 at UNLV, three at 2011 MWC Championship).
* SDSU has won nine straight games in Las Vegas city limits (three at 2010 MWC Championship, Dec. 21-22 at South Point Arena, Feb. 12 at UNLV, three at 2011 MWC Championship). * SDSU has won six straight at neutral sites.
* Head coach Steve Fisher improves to 46-22 in postseason play (16-8 in MWC tournament, 10-5 in NIT, 20-9 in NCAA).
* SDSU is 10-1 in its last 11 games played in March, 13-2 in its last 15 games played in the month and 17-3 in games played in March since 2009.
* San Diego State is 18-1 in road/neutral games this season.
* SDSU improves to 16-8 in MWC Championship action (4-1 in championship games), which is the best overall record in the league tournament.
PLAYER NOTES
* Billy White (All-Tournament Team; team-high 21 points, game-high 12 rebounds, 2 assists, career-high 5 steals) - Posted his third career double-double and first since Feb. 19, 2008, at Wyoming during his freshman season... Recorded his fourth double-figure rebounding game of his career... The 12 rebounds were a career high... Notched his third 20-point game of the season and the eighth of his career... The senior reached double-figures in scoring for the fourth consecutive game, extending his season-long streak... The double-figure scoring performance is his 16th of the season and the 60th of his career... At one point in the first half, he scored 10 straight SDSU points... Matched his career high for steals.
* Kawhi Leonard (All-Tournament Team; 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist) - Logged his ninth 20-point game of the season... Eight of his nine 20-point efforts have come away from San Diego State... He has 12 20-point efforts in his career... Reached double figures for the 12th consecutive game, which is a career high... This was his 30th career game with at least 10 points and his 54th time in his career reaching double figures... Hit two three-pointers for the first time since knocking down a pair vs. San Francisco earlier this season in Las Vegas on Dec. 21, 2010.
* Chase Tapley (14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals) - Posted his 12th double-figure scoring game of the season and the 25th of his career... Knocked down two three-pointers for the first time since Feb. 19 at Air Force. .