COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State has been picked to be crowned conference champions in the annual Mountain West preseason media poll, the league announced Wednesday morning ahead of the start of the MW men's basketball two-day virtual media event.
According to the media members that regularly cover the conference, the Aztecs, who won the 2019-20 regular-season title, finished the year 30-2 and No. 6/6 in the nation, will earn their conference-record 13th title (regular-season and tournament) in 2021 . The Aztecs garnered 211 points and 14 of the 17 possible first-place votes to finish in front of Boise State, the team SDSU defeated in the semifinal game in last season's Mountain West championship game, and its 188 points and four first-place votes..
Reigning Mountain West Tournament champion Utah State has been predicted to finish in third-place in this year's preseason poll. The Aggies picked up 177 points and two first-place votes to finish ahead of fourth-place UNLV (160 points) and fifth-place Colorado State (141).
Nevada (6th; 114 points), New Mexico (7th; 106) and Fresno State (8th; 793) were the next three teams to fall in line behind the Rams. Wyoming (9th; 59), Air Force (10th; 39) and San Jose State (11th; 32) round out the poll.
SDSU has been predicted to finish either first or second in the Mountain West preseason poll in each of the last seven years. It is also the 12th time in the 22 seasons the Mountain West has been in existence that San Diego State has been picked first or second in the preseason poll. Additionally, the 12 times have occurred in the last 16 years. The Aztecs have garnered at least one first-place vote in the preseason poll in six of the last seven years.
Matt Mitchell, a senior out of Riverside, Calif., was selected as a member of the Preseason All-Mountain West Team. The 6-6 forward became the 34th player in Aztec history to reach the 1,000-career point plateau last season and currently ranks No. 27 on the program scoring list with 1,085 points entering the 2020-21 campaign. He is one of two active Mountain West men's basketball players who have reached the milestone while competing, for their entire college career, in the conference. (Boise State's Derrick Alston Jr. – 1,002 points).
A nightmare matchup because he is too strong for small forwards and two quick for power forwards and posts, he returns for his senior campaign as the team's leading scorer (12.2 points per game) and leader in rebounds (154) and steals (34). He ranks second among the returning Aztecs in three-pointer (44) and three-point percentage (.393), free throw percentage (.873), rebounds per game (4.8), assists (55), blocks (11) and minutes (823).
In addition, Mitchell returns in 2020-21 as the No. 7 scorer and the No. 4 three-point percentage shooter in the Mountain West. He reached double figure scoring 19 times last year and in those games the team was 18-1. He enjoyed 10 games of 15 or more points and two games of 20 or more points. Mitchell shot a career-bests from the floor (46.8 percent on 125-of-267 shooting), the three-point line and the charity stripe (87.3 percent on 96-of-110 attempts).
For his efforts last season, he was named a first and second-team performer by the coaches and media, respectively, and was a second-team All-District 17 honoree from the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC). Earlier this month, he was included on the watch list for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, the most prestigious distinction for the position in college basketball.
In 2020-21, San Diego State welcomes back three returning starters from the 2019-20 Mountain West regular-season championship squad in Mitchell, as well as senior guard Jordan Schakel and junior forward Nathan Mensah. In all, the Aztecs return seven letterwinners and have brought nine newcomers into the fold, featuring graduate transfer Terrell Gomez who was a two-time All-Big West performer as well as the conference's Freshman of the Year in 2017-18.
SDSU is one of just eight schools nationally to win at least 19 games each of the last 15 seasons, and since 2006 trails only Gonzaga among most conference championship game appearances in Division I. The Aztecs have 11 to the 'Zags 15. In addition, San Diego State has won a conference-record 12 Mountain West championships (regular-season and tournament) and is one of 29 schools to play in seven of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments.
San Diego State opens the 2020-21 season on Nov. 25 in a matchup against No. 22 UCLA in Viejas Arena. Two days later, on Nov. 27, the Aztecs will host UC Irvine. Game times have not been announced and due to local, county and state restriction, and fans will be unable to attend games in Viejas Arena until further notice.
2020-21 Mountain West Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Pl. Team – Points (1st-place votes)
1. San Diego State – 211 (14)
2. Boise State – 188 (4)
3. Utah State – 177 (2)
4. UNLV – 160
5. Colorado State – 141
6. Nevada – 114
7. New Mexico – 106
8. Fresno State – 93
9. Wyoming – 59
10. Air Force – 39
11. San José State – 32
2020-21 Preseason All-Conference Team
Matt Mitchell, Sr., F, San Diego State
Derrick Alston Jr., Sr., G, Boise State
Isaiah Stevens, So., G, Colorado State
Bryce Hamilton, Jr., G, UNLV
Neemias Queta, Jr., C, Utah State
2020-21 Preseason Player of the Year
Derrick Alston Jr., Sr., G, Boise State
2020-21 Preseason Newcomer of the Year
David Jenkins, Jr., G, UNLV
2020-21 Preseason Freshman of the Year
Nick Blake, G, UNLV