SAN DIEGO – Coming off its second loss in three games, a 75-57 defeat at Utah State, the San Diego State men's basketball team looks to get back to its winning ways when it hosts the New Mexico Lobos at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena on Monday night. The game is scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on FS1.
OFF THE BOUNCE
The two-time defending outright Mountain West Conference regular season champions open a pivotal week with three games in seven days with a home contest against long-time rival New Mexico on Monday night.
Following the game against the Lobos, SDSU will play at Colorado State on Friday night before returning home for a Sunday matinee against Nevada.
The Aztecs and Lobos will meet for the 91st time on Monday, with New Mexico owning a 48-42 series lead. This is the only Mountain West opponent that has an edge in the all-time series with San Diego State.
San Diego State is 14-4 in its last 18 games against New Mexico. Due to COVID-19 last season and odd scheduling quirks, the teams have not met since Feb. 11, 2020 (that will be 720 days ago on game night). Only four current Aztecs played in that game - Trey Pulliam (21 minutes and 3 points), Adam Seiko (16 minutes), Aguek Arop (7 minutes, 2 points and 4 rebounds) and Keshad Johnson (2 minutes).
SDSU has won six of the last seven games played between the teams in Viejas Arena, including the last two by a combined 43 points.
The Aztecs are 12-1 in their last 13 games immediately following a loss, and in situations where a loss is followed immediately by a home game, San Diego State has won 19 consecutive contests.
Since Jan. 1, 2019, the Aztecs are 44-5 at home (89.8 percent), the nation's 12th-best record and tops in the Mountain West Conference during that span.
Since Dec. 8, San Diego State is 6-2 and is 2nd nationally in fewest points allowed (55.3), 1st in opponent field goal percentage (35.6), 2nd in opponent effective field goal percentage (41.9) and 1st in opponent two-point field goal percentage (39.7).
Once again this season San Diego State ranks among the nation's best in defense. The Aztecs are 4th in scoring defense (57.4), 5th in effective field goal percentage (42.5), 7th in field goal percentage defense (37.3) and 18th in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.7). In addition, the Aztecs are 4th in Kenpom adjusted defensive efficiency (86.3).
In its last time out, San Diego State concluded a stretch of three games in five days with a 75-57 setback at Utah State. The game was closer than the final score would indicate as the Aztecs cut the deficit to seven points on several occasions, including the final time, 62-55, with 5:19 to play on a Matt Bradley layup.
The game yielded a number of statistical oddities. San Diego State shot 48.9 percent from the field and had its 4th best effective field goal percentage of the season. However, 15 turnovers (two off its season high) and no offensive rebounds (for the first time since March 14, 1985) resulted in a single-adjusted offensive efficiency rating which was the fourth lowest of the season.
Prior to the game in Logan, San Diego State had outrebounded six of its last seven opponents (Utah State had a 35-21 rebound advantage) and the Aztecs had held seven consecutive opponents to 40 percent or less field goal shooting (the Aggies shot 49.1 percent from the floor).
Senior guard Matt Bradley continued his strong play, with a team-high 19 points, team-high six rebounds, a team-high tying five assists and two steals at Utah State. In his last two games, he has converted a remarkable 18-of-23 (78.3 percent) field goal attempts and has 46 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, two steals, two blocked shots in 59 minutes of action. He is the first Aztec player since Malachi Flynn to record a game with at least 19 points, six rebounds and five assists (Flynn did it three times).
Sophomore guard Chad Baker-Mazara produced his best game as an Aztec, with a season-high 15 points, on 5-of-9 field goals, 3-of-5 from bonus distance and two steals. After five double-digit scoring games in his first 26 games but has now reached 10 or more points in three of his last four outings. During that stretch, he is averaging 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots. In those four games he is shooting 57.7 percent from the field (15-of-26) and 45.5 percent from three-point range (5-of-11).
SDSU head coach Brian Dutcher is in his fifth season as San Diego State's head coach and his 23rd season on the Aztec sidelines. In his four plus seasons as head coach, he has led the Aztecs to four conference titles, a 107-36 overall record and has already been named the national coach of the year and twice named Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. Among first time head coaches who started in the 2017-18 season, Dutcher's 107 wins are the most and he is the only head coach in the group to reach triple-digit victories.
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Aztecs Host New Mexico On Monday
