Feb. 20, 2015
SAN DIEGO - Two teams looking to capture some late-season momentum will meet at Viejas Arena on Saturday when the San Diego State women's basketball squad plays host to San José State, starting at 2 p.m. PT. A live video stream of the Aztecs-Spartans showdown will be available via the Mountain West Network on GoAztecs.com, with SDSU alumnus Chris Ello handling the play-by-play duties.
Saturday's clash with San José State will mark the Aztecs' annual "Play 4Kay" game to help promote breast cancer awareness. The first 300 fans in attendance will receive a free pink San Diego State women's basketball key chain, while the Aztec players are slated to don special pink uniforms. The Play4Kay initiative, formerly known as the WBCA Pink Zone, is named for the late Kay Yow, the former North Carolina State head coach who succumbed to breast cancer in 2009.
After stringing together a season-long three-game winning streak, SDSU (9-16, 6-8 MW) has come up short in its last three outings, including a 63-47 setback to New Mexico on Wednesday. The Aztecs lost for only the second time this season when leading at intermission, connecting on just nine field goals in the second half, while the Lobos shot 70 percent from the floor in the period (16-23) to overcome a four-point deficit. Likewise, SJSU (11-13, 5-8 MW) experienced a hard-fought 85-80 defeat at Utah State on Wednesday, as the Aggies closed with a 9-2 spurt in the final 1:34 to escape with the win.
SDSU will be looking to reclaim its defensive tenacity when it battles the Spartans on Saturday. After allowing an average of just 49.3 points and a .331 field-goal percentage during its winning streak, the Aztec defense has been somewhat porous of late, yielding an average of 67.3 points and a .460 field-goal percentage over the last three games. In addition, SDSU has given up a combined 23 three-pointers during this latest stretch and has been outscored collectively by a 61-26 margin on points off turnovers.
Nevertheless, the Aztecs still occupy the third spot in the MW in three-point field goal percentage defense (.290), which is 69th in the nation, and rank among the top half of the conference in rebounding defense (3rd - 35.1/gm), rebounding margin (4th - (+3.2)) and offensive rebounds (t-5th - 13.9/gm).
SDSU holds a decisive 18-4 advantage in the all-time series against the Spartans, including a 9-1 mark in San Diego. The Aztecs captured both meetings last year in SJSU's first season as a member of the Mountain West, posting a wild 88-65 victory at Viejas Arena before claiming a 77-63 decision in Silicon Valley.
After engaging the Spartans, SDSU will return to the hardwood on Saturday, Feb. 28, when it travels to Boise State for a 2 p.m. MT tipoff. The Aztecs posted a 57-40 triumph over the Broncos in the last encounter between the two schools on Feb. 7.