SAN DIEGO – Putting the nation's longest winning streak of the season, 20 games, on the line on Sunday afternoon, the San Diego State men's basketball team is in Las Vegas to take on the UNLV Runnin' Rebels, a team SDSU has defeated 15 of the last 16 times they have played.
NEWS AND NOTES (through games of Jan. 22)
-Having tied three school records this week (highest AP Top 25 rankings, longest consecutive win streak and best start to a season), San Diego State opens a challenging two-game road stretch at UNLV on Sunday afternoon at Thomas & Mack Center.
-San Diego State is the lone remaining undefeated team in the nation at 20-0 and has matched the best start in school history. The Aztecs opened the 2010-11 campaign 20-0 led by Kawhi Leonard (the team finished the season 34-3 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16).
-SDSU has also tied the school record for consecutive wins (20), set by the aforementioned 2010-11 team and equaled by the 2013-14 team led by Xavier Thames that also advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
-The Aztecs and Rebels are meeting for the 73rd time in series history with each team having claimed 36 wins. SDSU once trailed the series, 26-6, but is 30-10 against the Rebels in the last 40 meetings. The Aztecs have never had a lead in the all-time series with UNLV.
-Since the start of the 2008-09 season, no Division I team has won more road games against a single opponent than San Diego State's 14 victories over UNLV at Thomas & Mack Center. SDSU's 24 total victories over the Rebels during that time period is one short of the national lead for victories over a single opponent.
-Win streaks on the line Sunday: 20-game win streak overall (longest in the nation, tied for longest in school history), 9-game conference win streak (4th longest win streak in the nation, 3rd longest win streak in school history), 9-game road/neutral win streak (tied for third-longest win streak in school history), 7-game road winning streak (2nd longest win streak in the nation).
-San Diego State is the 10th team to open a season 20-0 since the start of the 2010-11 campaign (the Aztecs also did it in 2010-11). Of the previous nine teams, all reached the NCAA tournament and won at least one game, three of them made the national championship game.
-SDSU's 20-game unbeaten streak to open the season is the longest by an NCAA team since Gonzaga started the 2016-17 campaign 29-0 (advanced to the national championship game). Of the last eight remaining unbeaten teams since 2009-10 (excluding the 2015-16 SMU team that was ineligible for postseason and the 2017-18 Arizona State squad that opened 12-0, far and away the shortest win streak during this stretch), one won the national championship, three advanced to national championship games and five advanced to the Sweet 16.
-San Diego State jumped three spots in the AP Poll this week from No. 7 to No. 4. Now nationally ranked for a seventh consecutive week, this tied the highest ranking in school history set on Jan. 24, 2011.
-San Diego State is enjoying its 73rd appearance in the AP Top-25 Poll this week (all have occurred since the start of the 2010-11 campaign). Since the start of the '10-11 season, SDSU's 73 weeks in the top 25 are the 23rd most nationally.
-San Diego State's metrics continue to pace at an elite level. The Aztecs are currently 1st in NET, 1st in strength of record, 8th in KenPom, 9th in Sagarin, 12th in BPI and 14th in RPI.
-San Diego State is looking for just its third 10-0 conference start of the Mountain West era on Tuesday. The Aztecs last two outright regular-season titles have come following an 10-0 start to league play.
-With the fast start, San Diego State finds itself ranked among the nation's elite in several statistical categories, including 3rd in scoring margin (+18.0), 4th in scoring defense (56.7), 5th in three-point field goal percentage differential (+10.3), 5th in three-point field goal defense (27.4), 5th in field goal percentage differential (+10.0), 5th in field goal percentage defense (36.7), 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38) and 27th in three-point field goal percentage (37.8).
-San Diego State has four players averaging 9.7 points or more and six players averaging 6.9 points or more. Five Aztec players have scored 19 or more points in a game this season.
-San Diego State leads the Mountain West Conference in many team stats, including scoring margin (+18.0), scoring defense (56.7), field goal percentage defense (36.7), turnover margin (+4.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38).
PLAYER TIDBITS
Junior guard Malachi Flynn - 16.6 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 40.7 3FG pct., 3.06 A/TO
-Only player in the nation averaging 16.5 points, 5 assists and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of at least 3:1.
-Ten straight double-figure scoring games and 10+ points in 19-of-20 contests this season.
-Last 6 games: 19.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.8 apg, 49.3 (36-73) FG pct., 96.8 (30-31) FT pct.
-Leads the Mountain West Conference in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio.
-The Sporting News midseason second-team All-American.
-Made 30 consecutive free throw attempts, streak was broken, currently made 36 of last 37.
-16 straight games with a trey.
-4th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (min. 100 assists), 3.06.
-Has 1,122 career points.
-Made 10-of-19 FGA on shots taken with four seconds or less on the shot clock. His PPP in those situations is 1.238 and ranks 8th nationally among players with at least 20 possessions.
Senior forward Yanni Wetzell - 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 60.6 FG pct.
-Has 14 or more points in each of the last five games; Last 5 games: 17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 66.7 FG pct.
-Last 17 games: 13.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 63.3 FG pct.
-Double-figures in six straight games (longest streak of his career).
-14-of-23 double-digit scoring games have come this season.
-Was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and produced 17 points, four rebounds and two assists (became the fourth Aztec player during the Brian Dutcher/Steve Fisher era to make at least seven field goals in a game without a miss - joining Nathan Mensah, Aerick Sanders and Billy White).
-2-time Mountain West Player of the Week (1 of only 2 players this season; also: New Mexico's Joquan Lyle).
Junior forward Matt Mitchell - 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 38.5 3FG pct., 83.8 FT pct.
-Despite coming off the bench in 13-of-20 games this season, Mitchell is third on the team in scoring and is third on the team in rebounding.
-He is averaging career-bests points, rebounds, three-point field goal percentage, steals and blocked shots.
-Scored 10+ points in four straight games and six of the last seven contests.
-Has 36 rebounds in his last six games (6.0 rpg).
-In seven games as a starter: 12.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 49.1 FG pct.
Junior guard Jordan Schakel - 9.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 45.3 FG pct.,43.6 3FG pct., 90.0 FT pct.
-Has eight or more points in 10 of his last 13 games (double figure in eight of those contests).
-Not only is reaching double figures good for Schakel, it's good for the Aztecs. When Schakel scores 10 or more points in his career, SDSU is 20-2 with 13 straight victories.
-The Aztecs are 14-0 at Viejas when the he reaches double figures.
-The sharpshooter has made 41-of-94 attempts from bonus distance (43.6 percent). He is 32nd nationally in three-point field goal percentage (min. 40 3FG made).
LAST TIME OUT
San Diego State used an early 18-4 run to create separation and cruise to a 72-55 victory over Wyoming on Tuesday night at Viejas Arena. The Aztecs had four players reach double figures in scoring led by Malachi Flynn's 18 points, and limited Wyoming to 18 field goals and 55 points.
Notes from the contest:
-The game is a sellout. It is the fifth sellout of the year, the fifth in a row and the 117th in Viejas history.
-San Diego State led 32-19 at halftime. It is the 18th time in 20 games this season SDSU has taken a lead in to the intermission.
-The Aztecs have won 25 straight games when leading at the half, dating back to last season.
-Wyoming's 19 points at intermission mark the fourth time this season SDSU has held an opponent under 20 points in a half.
-The Aztecs shot over 50 percent from the field for the eighth time this season. SDSU has won 13 straight games when shooting at least 50 percent from the field and 82 straight games at home when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
-San Diego State outshot its opponent for the 18th time this season. SDSU has won 27 straight games when outshooting its opponent.
-The Aztecs had fewer turnovers than their opponent for the 16th time this season.
-SDSU trailed for only 18 seconds in the game and led for 38:44 (the other 58 seconds the game was tied).
-SDSU improved to 44-41 all-time against Wyoming, including a 28-11 record in San Diego.
-The Aztecs have won four straight in the series and seven of the past eight meetings.
-SDSU has won the last 12 games at home vs. Wyoming, dating back to a 66-65 loss on Jan. 3, 2007.
Malachi Flynn (18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals - Reached double figures in scoring for the 10th straight game, 19th time this season (his other game was nine points) and 57th time of his career (first 38 came while he was at Washington State)… Led the team in scoring for the 13th time this season and 28th time for his career… Has at least one 3-pointer in 19 of the 20 games this season and multiple 3-pointers in 17 of the 20 games… Led the team in assists for the 13th time this season and 45th time of his career… Was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and has now made 36 of his last 37 free-throw attempts (.973) dating back to the Cal Poly game on Dec. 28 (he missed his first free throw in that game, but made the last three)… Became just the sixth Aztec (eight times overall) since the 1996-97 season to record at least 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in the same game, and is the only player to have those numbers and make all of his free-throw attempts.
Matt Mitchell (15 points, 5-7 FG, 3-4 3PFG, 3 rebounds, 1 steals - Scored in double figures for the fourth straight game, 11th time this season and 48th time of his career (SDSU is 35-13 in those games)… Now has scored in double figures in eight of the nine Mountain West games… Scored his 15 points in just 21 minutes of action… Tied a season high with three 3-pointers… Now has 116 3-pointers for his career, which is the 14th most in SDSU history.
Yanni Wetzell (14 points, 6-8 FG, 4 rebounds, 1 blocked shot, 2 assists) - Reached double-figures in scoring for the sixth straight game, 14th time this season and 23rd time of his career… Was 6-for-8 from the field and has shot 50 percent or better in five consecutive games (36-for-54, 66.7 pct. over the stretch).
Jordan Schakel (11 points, 1 rebound, 1 steals - Scored in double-figures for the 12th time this season and 22nd time of his career (SDSU is 20-2 in those games)… Has 23 points over the past two games after scoring just seven over the previous two contests… Had multiple 3-pointers for the 11th time this season and 32nd time of his career (SDSU is 25-7 in those games)… Now has 112 3-pointers for his career, tying Richie Williams (2006-09) for 16th on the program's career lists.
KJ Feagin (5 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal) - Recorded his fifth game this season with at least five assists and first since San Diego Christian on Dec. 18… Made a 3-pointer for the eighth straight game, his longest streak this season… His +24 plus/minus rating was the highest in the game.