SAN DIEGO – With the 2021-22 men's basketball season opening on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PT in Viejas Arena, with an exhibition game against Saint Katherine, we asked Michael Klitzing to preview what Aztec fans can expect to see as San Diego State is set to defend its 2020-21 Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles.
Reloaded And Ready
To Contend
Despite losing dynamic scorers, SDSU has the experience
and pedigree for another Mountain West Championship run.
The standard has certainly been set. For more than a decade, the San Diego State men's basketball team has proven itself to be a program that reloads rather than rebuilds. At the corner of Montezuma and 55th, transition years aren't a thing, and a little turnover is no excuse not to hang a banner or three.
A little not-so-distant history tells the tale:
Following the 2010-11 season, the Aztecs lost four starters — including a pair of career 1,000-point scorers: Chase Tapley and future Aztec Hall of Fame inductee D.J. Gay along with another future Aztec Hall of Fame inductee…a guy named Kawhi Leonard — off a 34-win squad that reached the Sweet 16 of the 2011 NCAA tournament and finished No. 6 in the nation. The encore was a 26-8 campaign, a No. 22 national ranking, another Mountain West regular-season title, and a trip back to the Big Dance.
In 2014, the Aztecs second Sweet 16 appearance was followed by the departure of its floor general, Mountain West Player of the Year Xavier Thames. The following season saw 27 more wins, another Mountain West regular-season championship, and a March Madness victory over St. John's.
It's a familiar setup that greets the 2021-22 Aztecs.
Every fan and national pundit can tell you what San Diego State lost from a team that rocketed to a 53-7 record over the past two seasons, won back-to-back Mountain West crowns and made itself a mainstay in both the Associated Press Top 25 and on social media undefeated maps. Gone from last season are fan favorites and 1,000-point scorers Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel. Mitchell finished his Aztec career as one of only three players in program history to score 1,000 points, grab 500 rebounds, have 200 assists and 100 steals. Schakel is one of the deadliest sharp shooters San Diego State has produced. His 225 3-pointers are the third most in program history and his career 42.7 percent 3-point shooting percentage ranks No. 2 in Aztec history. Also departed is last year's third-leading scorer, and a career 1,000-point scorer in his own right, Terrell Gomez.
Still very much present? The expectations for another special season.
"We know what the standard is — to win the conference and hang a banner," head coach Brian Dutcher said. "Whatever your best season is, that's what the expectation has become."
At the very least, we also know San Diego State is a program that can weather a little adversity. In a bizarre 2020-21 season played in empty gyms because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aztecs handled their business on the court and stayed safe off it. Dutcher proudly notes that the program produced zero positive tests and that its only cancelled games were because of circumstances with opposing teams.
"I've been through some incredible things as an assistant and as a head coach," he said. "To work for Coach (Steve) Fisher at Michigan when he took over right before the NCAA Tournament and then won it all. To being a part of the Fab Five. To coming here and having the Kawhi Leonard teams that really elevated the program. To finally coaching through a COVID year.
"I think if you're coaching long enough, the expectation is to expect the unexpected. Last year was unexpected."
This season, the unknowns are — thankfully — more competitive than epidemiological. Who will be trusted to take the game-winning shot? Who will step up to make the timely play on defense with the game on the line? How high, truly, is this team's ceiling?
All to be determined.
But what Dutcher sees on the cusp of his fifth season stalking the Aztecs' sideline is a senior-laden roster with a wealth of experience and a world of potential. His only question is how quickly that potential will be realized.
"All these guys have played college basketball — now it's just about seeing where they fit best for this year's team." Dutcher, who has compiled a gaudy .756 winning percentage and is just four wins shy of 100 victories, said. "And that's the thing you never know as a coach. I know we're talented, but until we play games and get something under our belt, it's just guesswork.
"I know we're going to be good. How soon are we going to be good? I don't know."
If the non-conference schedule is any indicator, Dutcher may have a hunch it'll be sooner rather than later. The Aztecs' early-season slate is one of the most rigorous in recent memory.
Arizona State visits Viejas Arena. Road games await at Brigham Young and Michigan, the latter garnering national attention and kindling emotions for its Fab Five reunion of Dutcher and Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard. San Diego State will also square off against Georgetown and either Southern California or Saint Joseph's in the Paycom Wooden Legacy in Anaheim, and face Saint Mary's College on a neutral floor in Phoenix.
And that's before diving into what figures to be an improved Mountain West Conference. Colorado State, which returns its entire starting lineup including preseason all-league honorees David Roddy and Isaiah Stevens, and Nevada which returns Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year Grant Sherfield as well as almost its entire roster, and figure to be San Diego State's top rivals in the race for the conference crown. In the preseason poll of media members who regularly cover the league, the Aztecs were picked to finish second — just behind the Rams and just ahead of the Wolf Pack.
Boise State and Fresno State also feature experienced clubs, while new coaches at traditional conference powers UNLV, New Mexico and Utah State open the possibility of surprise contenders.
Nothing will come easy.
"You wouldn't take a young kid or a young team and play our schedule," Dutcher said. "I wanted to challenge us in non-conference to give us a chance to build a resume. This is about giving our players games that they'll be excited to play and to try to build a resume that will make us relevant in March."
If the Aztecs are to break out their dancing shoes for the 11th time in the Steve Fisher-Brian Dutcher era, it'll likely be the seniors who propel them to that lofty height. Two top returners who have played major roles in San Diego State's success over the past two years are back for more.
Trey Pulliam, who opted to use the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of COVID-19, was one of two players who started in every game last season. The 6-foot-3 Texan averaged 7.3 points, more than double his previous year's scoring average, and dished out 3.5 assists per game last season, while leading the Mountain West in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.27:1). In the final 11 contests of the year, he elevated his output to more than 10 points per game and notched six of his eight career double-digit scoring efforts. In that stretch, he shot 44.5 percent from the floor, averaged 4.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and over two steals.
"With Trey, it's all a confidence thing," Dutcher said. "Arguably, he might have been our most important player down the stretch. He's playing with great confidence right now."
The other known commodity is Nathan Mensah — a fixture in the post for the Aztecs for the past three seasons. The 6-foot-10, 230-pounder from Ghana has 60 career starts under his belt, earning a reputation as the team's most reliable defender along the way. Last season was his best yet, averaging 8.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Mensah may also be one of the most valuable players on the defensive end. He is such a gifted athlete, that he allows the Aztecs to switch everything when he is on the court and with his ability to block shots, can erase defensive mistakes made on the perimeter. In the team's game against Syracuse in the 2021 NCAA tournament, he reached 100 career blocks, becoming just the tenth player in program history to reach triple-digit blocks.
Those wondering where offensive production will come from in the wake of key departures have already trained their attention on Matt Bradley, a powerfully built 6-foot-4 transfer who scored 1,289 points and averaged 40 percent on 3-pointers in three seasons at Cal. Last season, he was one of just five players in Division I to average at least 18.0 points per game, while shooting at least 45.5 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from the bonus distance, a minimum of 82.1 percent from the line, while also grabbing 4.6 rebounds per game. The San Bernardino, Calif., native is a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree and his points per game, field goal, 3-point field goal and free throw percentages in 2020-21 would have all ranked the top-5 in the Mountain West. Bradley has the ability to score from all three levels. He can shoot from distance, off the bounce and he has the strength to post up guards and some forwards. Bradley was picked in the media poll as the Mountain West's preseason Newcomer of the Year.
"He's a dynamic scorer," Dutcher said. "Now he's playing in a different system, so it's going to take some adjustment to learn where his shots are coming from. I think he'll score a ton of points for the Aztecs, but he's getting a feel for our program now, and that always takes time."
Another intriguing scoring threat in the mix is athletic 6-foot-7 forward Keshad Johnson, who can jump out of the gym and boasts an eye-popping dunk reel. What garners less attention — though not from his coach — is Johnson's steady improvement on the defensive end during his time in the program. Dutcher said Johnson's guarding ability has reached "near-elite" status.
On the offensive end, Dutcher is encouraged by the improvement in Johnson's perimeter shooting and his acumen for picking and choosing when he attacks the basket. The next step, he said, is developing the ability to drive in for a pull-up jumper — the same skill that made current Charlotte Hornet Jalen McDaniels such a threat while at San Diego State.
"Keshad has only scratched the surface of his potential but hasn't always had great opportunities," Dutcher said. "We'll see his opportunity arise this year and we'll see what he does as a junior. He continues to grow his game and I like what I've seen."
Other interesting options abound in the backcourt. Senior guard Adam Seiko has played increasing minutes over the past three seasons because of his defensive ability but will be looked at to step up his production as an outside shooter. Over the summer, he showed a glimpse of things to come by taking a starring offensive role while representing Uganda in the AfroBasket 2021 tournament in Rwanda. Uganda had won only one game in the tournament in its two previous appearances and finished no better than 15th, but Seiko led the team to the quarterfinals and a sixth-place finish while leading the team in scoring twice and averaged 13.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in five games, all while shooting 48.8 percent, including 46.9 percent from 3-point range.
"I think it's going to help his confidence," said Dutcher, who called Seiko one of his locker room leaders, along with fellow seniors Pulliam and Joshua Tomaic. "He was representing a country, and the games mattered — turnovers and assists and shooting a high percentage mattered. He played meaningful basketball.
"Adam's going to be important for us — his role will increase, and we'll see how he embraces it."
Another player who might force his way into the lineup is sophomore Lamont Butler. The point guard from Moreno Valley played in all 28 games and made two starts as a freshman due to an injury to Matt Mitchell and because of his ability to guard with intensity — pretty much the case anytime a freshman plays for the Aztecs. Butler also showed flashes of promise on the offensive end as well. Combine his 13 points and five steals at Utah State, and he is just the third San Diego State true freshman, joining Kyle Spain and Richie Williams from the 2005-06 season, to have at least that many points and steals in a game since the start of the 1996-97 campaign.
"Lamont was not your typical freshman," Dutcher said, "and he's worked on his game. He's finishing at the rim stronger and he's shooting the three more accurately. Lamont will press hard for a starting position on this year's team."
More scoring help has arrived via the transfer portal in the form of Chad Baker-Mazara. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 9.5 points per game while shooting nearly 42 percent on 3-pointers last year playing for Duquesne of the Atlantic-10 Conference. His height gives him the ability to shoot over defenders and Dutcher praised his feel for the game and court vision on offense. How much he contributes immediately will be determined by his ability to defend and how quickly he fills out his wiry frame.
A sophomore seldom used last season, in part due to injury, could also figure into the mix at shooting guard. Dutcher said Keith Dinwiddie, Jr. has the potential to be an "elite scorer" and has stepped up his defense. His 1.22 points scored per minute played led all the scholarship players on the roster and in four of his seven appearances he hit at least one 3-pointer.
"I think he's got a chance to get some major minutes this year," he said.
In the frontcourt, another super senior returning because of extra COVID-19 eligibility is Tomaic. The 6-foot-9 Spaniard arrived on The Mesa after a three-year stint at Maryland and promptly obliterated every single-season stat he had set with the Terrapins. He played heavy minutes last season spelling Mensah in the post, nearly doubling his previous single season total. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan he can play with his back to the basket, run the floor, and step out and hit from long range and this year his role will change to one more suited to his athleticism and shooting ability.
"Josh has shown a lot of improvement and that's exciting to see," Dutcher said. "Now having been in the program a year, he kind of knows how we do things and what role he's going to play, and he's embraced it. We're going to let Josh play on the perimeter a little more this year as a stretch four, kind of like Keshad is."
Tomaic's new role was enabled by another new arrival, Portland transfer Tahirou Diabate. Born in Mali, and attended high school in Japan, the 6-foot-9, 225-pounder is right at home in the low post, as well. He figures to get the majority of minutes as Mensah's backup. In 93 career games, he has appeared in the scoring column 88 times, as well as in 67 of the last 68 in which he has appeared. For his career has averaged 7.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
"He's a fifth-year senior and he looks like a fifth-year senior," Dutcher said. "He's big, he's strong, he's tough. He'll sub for Nathan or else he'll beat Nathan out."
One major question mark at forward is the status of senior Aguek Arop, who has played major minutes for the past three Aztec squads but continues to work his way back from injuries. Dutcher said he will leave it up to Arop, who when healthy is pound-for-pound the strongest player on the floor, whether he wants to play now or heal more fully to take advantage of his extra year of eligibility next season.
One thing is certain, with this year's deep roster, minutes will be in short supply.
"With the COVID year, we have a lot of players that are available," Dutcher said. "Sometimes that's a coach's delight and a player's dilemma."
And then there's the other key returner — or shall we say 12,414 returners.
Gone from the Viejas Arena seats are the hundreds of cardboard cutouts that festooned the Aztecs' storied home court during the pandemic season of 2020-21. In their place will be The Show, alumni and members of the San Diego community who have given the program the best home court environment on the West Coast over the past decade-plus.
After a season of hearing his own voice echo around desolate arenas in the middle of games, Dutcher isn't taking that for granted.
"That's everything to us," he said. "We had great success in an empty gym, but obviously it's more fun to play in a full arena. We have as good a home court advantage as anyone in the country. That has helped us get over hurdles in the past, the crowd getting behind us in key moments.
"We're going to be hard to beat in this building."
As always, that's the standard the Aztecs have set.
Aztecs Host Saint Katherine In Wednesday Night Exhibition
