Men's Basketball

SDSU Men's Hoops-San Diego Christian Postgame Notes

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Nov. 10, 2017

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SAN DIEGO -

San Diego Christian-San Diego State Postgame Notes

Final Score: San Diego State 91, San Diego Christian 52

Next Game: Tuesday, Nov. 14, at Arizona State, 7 p.m. MT | Pac-12 Arizona

Notes

  • San Diego State wins its fifth straight season-opening game and has won 12 of the last 13 lidlifters.
  • The Aztecs win their 12 straight season-opening game vs. an unranked foe.
  • Head Coach Brian Dutcher wins his first game in his first try as head coach, making him the third straight SDSU head coach to win in his debut.
  • SDSU improves to 63-6 in its last 69 games vs. California schools and 51-1 in its last 52 vs. non-conference California teams (51-0 in its last 51 in games played indoors).
  • The Aztecs have won five straight home November home games and 11 of their last 12 in the 11th month of the calendar year.
  • SDSU improves to 170-24 at Viejas Arena since the start of the 2005-06 season, which is the 11th-best home record nationally.
  • San Diego State improves to 8-0 all-time vs. San Diego Christian.
  • This marked the first San Diego State game (non-exhibition) with someone other than Steve Fisher as the head coach since Feb. 27, 1999. That day, the Aztecs ended the 1998-99 campaign with a 75-72 victory over San Jose State to complete a 4-22 season.

Game Notes

  • San Diego State scored the first 14 points of the contest and never trailed in the game. Last season the Aztecs had only four games in which they did not trail at any point.
  • San Diego State has won 59 consecutive games when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
  • The Aztecs have won 66 straight home games when shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
  • San Diego State shot 56.1 percent from the field tonight, its highest in a game since shooting 57.1 percent in a win over Utah State on Jan. 14, 2017.
  • Since the start of the 2005-06 season, SDSU is 28-0 when shooting 56.1 percent or better from the floor.
  • All 12 players who dressed for San Diego State played and scored in the game.
  • San Diego State had nine different players score in the first half of the game.

Starting Lineup Tidbits

  • Three student-athletes made their first career start for the Aztecs in their first game with SDSU -senior Cameron Rooks, junior Devin Watson and freshman Matt Mitchell.
  • Senior Malik Pope made his team-high 15th consecutive start for the Aztecs.
  • Senior Trey Kell made his team-high 86th career start for San Diego State.
  • Junior Devin Watson has started 33 consecutive games. The previous 32 starts during his streak occurred while he was at USF.


Player Notes

Malik Pope - 20 points, 9-11 FGs, 6 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 18 minutes

Pope made 9-of-11 field goal attempts and shot 81.8 percent from the field… That is the highest field goal percentage for an Aztec player since he was 9-for-11 against Colorado State (Jan. 24, 2015)… The last time someone not named Malik Pope shot that well for SDSU was Billy White against Wichita State on Dec. 4, 2010)… Reached double figures in scoring for the 30th time in his career (SDSU is 22-8 in those games)… He has scored 10 or more points in four consecutive games dating back to last season (matching his career long streak)… This is his fourth career game with 20 plus points and the 14th time he has scored at least 15 points in a game… Pope has now scored 20 or more points in two of his last three games dating back to last season.

Jeremy Hemsley - 10 points, 4-5 FGs, 6 assists, 22 minutes

His six assists tonight are the second-highest single-game total of his career (9 vs. Savannah State, Nov. 28, 2016)… Became the first San Diego State player to record a game with at least 10 points, six assists and one turnover or less since Xavier Thames (20 points, six rebounds, 1 turnover) vs. UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 26, 2011)… Reached double figures for the 48th time in his career and third straight game dating back to last season.

Nolan Narain - 9 points, 7 rebounds, 19 minutes played

Set career-high for points (nine), rebounds (seven), assist (one)… He is one of just eight San Diego State players in the last 21 seasons to score at least nine points, pull down at least seven rebounds and not miss a field goal attempt in a game… Did not miss a shot, going 4-for-4 from the floor.