SAN DIEGO – Four Aztecs scored in double figures led by Nathan Mensah's career-high 19 points as the San Diego State men's basketball team cruised to a 78-57 victory over the UC San Diego Tritons 78-57 on Wednesday night at Viejas Arena.
"We shot the ball very well," Aztec head coach Brain Dutcher said. "I think it's the third or fourth game in a row where we really shot the three well. And when we do that, we're a lot more dangerous offensively. It opens everything up. Nathan Mensah was good around the basket today. He had the same looks against Saint Mary's and couldn't get them to fall. But to his credit, he kept his confidence up. We kept the confidence up in him. We went to him early and often and he found a way to put (the ball) inthe basket and be dangerous around there. We got contributions from everybody. Seiko shot it well again. I think his streak ended at 10 threes in a row over three games. Keshad Johnson was dangerous around the basket; he made a three. Matt Bradley again played well. (We moved) the ball. I think we had 23 assists, which had to be a season high for us. So we're playing better offensively."
Mensah scored the game's first bucket, six of the team's first 10 points and finished the night 9-of-12 from the floor and 1-of-2 from the line. He added a game-high nine rebounds and blocked two shots. It was the 18th consecutive game the Accra, Ghana native has had at least one blocked shot and the eighth straight with multiple blocked shots.
In the first 20 minutes, San Diego State (8-3) hit 19-of-33 field goals for a season-best 57.6 percent for the half and finished the game shooting 54.1 percent (33-of-61), also a season high.
The Aztecs had 23 assists on 33 made baskets and hit a season-high nine 3-pointers. They outrebounded the Tritons 33-to-29, including 8-to-7 on the offensive glass and had a 7-to-2 advantage in second-chance points. SDSU forced 18 UCSD turnovers which they converted into 21 points.
The Aztecs used a 10-0 run in the first half to tune a seven-point game, 33-26 with 4:07 to go before halftime into a 17-point advantage with just under a 1:30 to go before intermission and took a 15 point, 45-30 lead into the break.
The Aztecs maintained its double-digit lead throughout the second half, with UC San Diego (6-5) get as close as 10 points at 55-45 with just under 12 minutes to play, but SDSU then went on a 14-0 run over nearly eight minutes to blow the game open and cruised to the 21 point victory.
Joining Mensah in double figures were Keshad Johnson with 13 points on 6-of-8 from the field, including 1-of-2 from distance. He added seven rebounds, four assists and a career-best with three blocks. Matt Bradley also finished with 13 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals. Adam Seiko wound up with 11 points, two assists, a steal.
The Tritons had three players in double figures led by Jake Kosakowski who finished with 18 points on six 3-pointers.