Dec. 21, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Game Notes | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card
NEWS AND NOTES (all notes through Dec. 20 games)
* San Diego State continues its longest homestand of the season on Monday when UC Riverside visits for a second straight season. SDSU's four-game homestand opened with a 70-57 victory over Ball State on Saturday. After the UCR game, the Aztecs will play host to San Diego Christian on Saturday and Air Force in the Mountain West opener on New Year's Eve.
* SDSU and UC Riverside are meeting for the 11th time in the history of the series with the Aztecs having won the previous 10 match-ups, including last year's 77-41 decision at Viejas Arena.
* The Aztecs have beaten the Highlanders by comfortable margins the last two times the teams have played. In 2011-12, San Diego State earned a 80-55 victory and followed it with a 36-point win last November.
* San Diego State has won 45 straight games vs. teams from the state of California (see list below).
* SDSU is closing in on the school record for consecutive home victories. The Aztecs have won 20 straight home games, which is the longest streak in the school's Division I history (1970-71). The all-time program record is 22 in a row accomplished from 1966-68.
* The Aztecs enter the UCR game having won 50 consecutive non-conference home games against teams unranked in either poll at the time of the game. Its last such loss was a 62-56 setback to Northern Colorado on Jan. 9, 2008.
* San Diego State has held all six of its opponents at home to under 60 points this season and as a group, foes are averaging 49.7 points against the Aztecs. The 49.7 points allowed by SDSU is the fourth-lowest in the nation among teams that have played at least six home games (see list below). The Aztecs' opponent field-goal percentage (.355) in games played at Viejas Arena, meanwhile, is 17th nationally (minimum six home games).
* Dating to last season, seven straight SDSU foes have been unable to crack the 60-point barrier as the Aztecs limited New Mexico to 48 points in a 51-48 performance that earned them the 2014 Mountain West regular-season title. Additionally, San Diego State has not allowed an opponent to reach 70 points inside Viejas Arena since Feb. 23, 2013.
* Viejas Arena is one of the toughest places for opponents to escape with a win. San Diego State is 95-8 since 2008-09 in home games (see list below) and is a perfect 6-0 this season.
* Once again this season, San Diego State is one of the top defensive teams in the nation. The Aztecs rank 22nd in scoring defense (56.6), t-25th in blocked shots per game (5.5), t-28th in fewest fouls per game (15.8) and 29th in field-goal percentage defense (37.4). KenPom has SDSU seventh nationally in defensive efficiency.
* Junior forward Winston Shepard, a Naismith Trophy Top-50 Watch List member, is enjoying one of his best stretches of his career. Over his last three games, he is averaging 14.0 points on 55.6 percent shooting, 3.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals. Against Ball State, he went off for 15 points, two rebounds, a season-high five assists and three steals.
* Senior forward JJ O'Brien is also quietly coming off a solid week where he averaged 9.5 points on 60.0 percent shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals. In the game vs. Ball State, he put up 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. In fact, in eight SDSU wins, O'Brien is averaging 10.6 points while connecting on 32 of his 60 field-goal attempts (.533).
* Junior forward Skylar Spencer recorded one of his best all-around performances of his career in the 70-57 win over Ball State on Saturday. The Los Angeles native produced a season-high 10 points, six rebounds, one assist and two blocked shots in 30 minutes. More impressive was his 6-for-6 shooting effort from the free-throw line after entering the game as a career 43.9-percent shooter from the charity stripe.