SAN DIEGO – Playing its first of 11 games in the next 30 days, the San Diego State men's basketball team will be in Fort Collins, Colo., on Friday to face off with the Colorado State Rams in Moby Arena. The Aztecs, having defeated CSU 79-49 earlier this season, look to get its 13th regular season home-and-home sweep of the Rams in the 23 seasons the Mountain West has been in existence.
OFF THE BOUNCE
The two teams currently tied for third place in the ultra-competitive Mountain West Conference race meet on Friday night, as San Diego State (12-5; 4-2 Mountain West) plays at Colorado State (16-3; 6-3 Mountain West).
The teams met on Jan. 8 (27 days ago Friday) at Viejas Arena, with the Aztecs posting a 79-49 victory over the previously unbeaten No. 20/19 Rams.
Fourty-three hours after tipoff Friday, San Diego State will play host to Nevada at Viejas Arena (1 p.m. PT, Sunday).
In all, beginning Friday, San Diego State is scheduled to play 11 times (five at home, six away) in the next 30 days (Feb. 4 - Mar. 5).
San Diego State and Colorado State are meeting for the 90th time, with the Aztecs holding a 47-42 series advantage. The Aztecs have won seven of the last eight meetings.
SDSU owns a 14-26 mark against the Rams at Moby Arena. The Aztecs have been victorious on their last three trips to the venue and are 11-4 in its last 15 games in Fort Collins.
This marks the Aztecs first trip to Moby since Dec. 4, 2019 (794 days ago Friday). Despite not playing in the venue in more than two seasons, SDSU has still handed Colorado State two of its last nine losses at home. Since Feb. 12, 2009, SDSU is 2-0 at Moby, while the rest of the nation is 7-33.
Last time out, the two-time defending outright Mountain West Conference regular season champions never trailed, in a 72-47 victory over New Mexico at Viejas Arena. It marked San Diego State's third conference victory by at least 25 points this season.
The stout Aztec defense was on full display Monday, Limiting the Lobos to season lows in points (47) and field goal percentage (30.8).
San Diego State has won its last three meetings with New Mexico, all by more than 20 points. The Aztecs became the first school in the nation to accomplish that in the last 42 seasons.
Junior forward Keshad Johnson recorded his second career double-double with a season-high 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Johnson tied for team-high honors in points, marking the first time in his 59-game career he has led the Aztecs in scoring.
Senior guard Matt Bradley produced another stat-filled effort, with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Bradley, who is averaging 20 points in his last three outings, has made 24 of his last 36 attempts from the field (66.7 percent), including 5-of-9 from three-point range (55.6 percent) during that span.
One of the nation's top defensive players, senior forward Nathan Mensah had five points, a season-high tying four blocked shots and a career-high five steals in 20 minutes of action. He became the first Aztec in the Brian Dutcher-Steve Fisher era to record a game with four blocks and five steals and he is one of just three players to do it this season.
Since Dec. 8, San Diego State is 7-2 and is 1st nationally in fewest points allowed (54.3), opponent field goal percentage (35.1), opponent effective field goal percentage (41.4) and opponent two-point field goal percentage (38.6).
Once again this season San Diego State ranks among the nation's best in defense. The Aztecs are 4th in scoring defense (56.8), 3rd in effective field goal percentage (42.3), 3rd in field goal percentage defense (36.9) and 19th in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.9). In addition, the Aztecs are 3rd in Kenpom adjusted defensive efficiency (85.2).
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 108-36 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.