SAN DIEGO - Three Aztecs scored in double figures and the San Diego State men's basketball team hit a season-best eight three pointers in a 66-56 victory over the Cal State Fullerton Titans on Wednesday night in Viejas Arena.
"I know I've said this before and I'm gonna say it again. 'It's hard to win a college basketball game,'" Aztec head coach Brian Dutcher said. "I don't care where you're playing, who you're playing, it's hard to win a game. And to our credit, we found a way to win. Everybody deals with adversity. You know, not having Lamont (Butler); Tairou (Daibate) is out; AG (Aguek Arop), he couldn't go. At pregame meal today, Josh (Tomaic) said he didn't think he could play because his hip was bothering him. He missed two days of practice and just went to walk-through today and he found a way to gut it out and give us valuable minutes when Keshad got in foul trouble. So, can we play better? 100 percent we can play better. But did we play good enough to win tonight? Yes, we did. And so, I'm happy with that."
Matt Bradley led the offensive charge with his second consecutive game with 22 points. He also chipped in with a share of the team lead with three assists and added two rebounds and a steal. Trey Pulliam finished with 15 points, career-bests with seven boards and four steals as well as three assists and a block. Adam Seiko with 11 points, his first double digit scoring effort of the year and chipped in with three rebounds, two steals and an assist.
Leading by a point, 52-51 with 3:57 to play, Bradley took over. He made the second and third of three straight buckets from the San Bernardino native, and he then assisted on a Seiko 3-pointer to give San Diego State (6-3) a six-point cushion which it pushed to double digits by the final horn.
The Aztecs limited the Cal State Fullerton (4-5) to 38.9 percent shooting in the game; the sixth time in eight games this season SDSU has held its opponent to less than 40 percent from the floor. San Diego State equaled a season-best with 15 assists and used those on 24 made baskets.
Both its 11 steals and 16 turnovers forced are the second most in a game this year by the Aztecs and led to 21 points for San Diego State.
The Titan offense was led by Tray Maddox Jr.'s 15 points and Vincent Lee topped the squad with seven rebounds.
San Diego State returns to action on Friday, Dec. 17 against Saint Mary's in a neutral site game at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz., as a part of the Jerry Colangelo Classic. The game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on FloSports.