SAN DIEGO – The seventh-seeded Aztecs (14-15, 8-10) take on the 10th seeded Boise State Broncos (8-20, 4-13) in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament Sunday at 4:30 p.m. The winner will face No. 2 New Mexico in the quarterfinals Monday at 6 p.m.
Aztec Tidbits
• SDSU split their season series with Boise State. The Aztecs won 80-63 at home on Jan. 15 and then fell 68-57 in Boise on Feb. 9.
• This is SDSU's first time playing the Broncos in the Mountain West Tournament.
• The Aztecs are 4-6 all-time in the first round of the MW Tournament and 2-0 as the No. 7 seed facing the No. 10 seed.
• With a win Sunday, SDSU will have its highest single-season win total (15) since the 2012-13 season.
• SDSU averages just 13.0 turnovers per game, their fewest per game in school history. The Aztecs also have their second-best assist-to-turnover ratio (0.92) in the Mountain West era.
• The Aztecs have four players averaging double-digit points: Sophia Ramos (14.9), Asia Avinger (11.9), Mallory Adams (10.3) & Mercedes Staples (10.2). This is just the second time in the Mountain West era (1999-present) that the Aztecs have had four players averaging 10 or more points.
• Sophia Ramos (San Antonio, Texas) surpassed 1,500 career points at Wyoming on last Saturday, moving past former Aztec greats Courtney Clements and Jené Morris and into fifth place on the SDSU all-time scoring list.
• Ramos is the only Aztec ever to have at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in her career. She is currently in the top 10 in program history in nine statistical categories, including points (5th), made threes (5th), assists (6th), made free throws (7th) and three-point percentage (10th).
• Ramos is one of three active four-year players with career totals of at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals (Ohio's Erica Johnson & Florida's Kiara Smith).
• Mallory Adams (Frisco, Texas) is shooting 38.8 percent from three in conference play while making 2.4 per game, both are the second most in the Mountain West.
• Adams has over 850 points & 500 rebounds in her career and her 14 career double-doubles are the second most in the Mountain West.
• Asia Avinger (Cerritos, Calif.) is one of four freshmen in the nation to average at least 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. (Notre Dame's Olivia Miles, USC Upstate's Rachael Rose & Pacific's Anaya James). Avinger leads all Mountain West freshmen in scoring and assists.
• SDSU has three active players in the top 10 all-time in career three-point percentage. Mercedes Staples is third at 38.2 percent (66-173), Isabela Hernandez is fifth (36.3%, 62-171) and Sophia Ramos is 10th (35.3%, 153-433).
• The Aztecs are 10-3 when they shoot at least 40 percent from the floor and 9-2 when they out-assist their opponent.
• SDSU finished their home schedule 10-5, their most home wins and best home winning percentage since the 2012-13 season.
Mountain West Tournament Notes
• The Aztecs are 16-20 all-time in the Mountain West Tournament.
• SDSU is 4-6 all-time in the first round.
• The Aztecs are 2-6 as the No. 7 seed.
• SDSU is 2-0 as the No. 7 seed when facing the No. 10 seed.
• 2019 was the last time the Aztecs were the No. 7 seed. They beat No. 10 Air Force and then upset No. 2 New Mexico before falling to No. 3 Wyoming in overtime in the semifinals. This was Sophia Ramos and Mallory Adams' freshman season.
• Three of SDSU's last four and four of their last six MW Tournament games have gone to overtime.
• This is the Aztecs first time playing Boise State in the Mountain West Tournament.
Opponent Notebook (Boise State)
• The Broncos are 8-20 and went 4-13 in conference play, finishing in 10th place.
• They went 1-13 away from their home arena.
• They have lost six in a row.
• The Broncos won four straight Mountain West Tournaments from 2017-2020. They were also the regular season champs in 2018 (co) and 2019.
• They are second in the conference in three-point field goal defense (.304) and blocks per game (3.8).
• They are holding their opponents to 38.3 percent shooting from the field, the third best in the conference.
• They have attempted the second most free throws in the conference but have the worst shooting percentage (.645).
• They are last in the conference in made threes per game (4.1) and three-point percentage (27.0%).
• They are committing 16.0 turnovers per game and have an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.86.
• Dominique Leonidas leads the Broncos with 11.3 points per game.
• Abby Muse averages 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and has 11 double-doubles, the second most in the conference.
• Elodie Lalotte averages 9.7 points and 7.3 rebounds.
• Head coach Gordy Presnell (17th season) has over 300 wins at Boise State and over 700 in his career (35th season). He has led Boise State to eight postseason appearances and 10 total conference titles.
Boise Series Series Notes
• The Broncos lead the all-time series 12-10.
• This will be the first ever meeting between the Aztecs and Broncos in the Mountain West Tournament.
• Boise State has won eight of the last 10 meetings, but the teams have split the last four.
• SDSU split their season series with Boise State. The Aztecs won 80-63 at home on Jan. 15 and then fell 68-57 in Boise on Feb. 9.
• The Aztecs committed just 8.0 turnovers in their two games this season.
• Their first meeting was Dec. 20, 2005, a 54-51 Aztec win. This was their only meeting before Boise State joined the Mountain West in the 2011-12 season.
Notes from the 2021-22 Meetings with Boise State
80-63 SDSU, Jan. 15, 2022 in San Diego
• The 80 points SDSU scored are a season high.
• Asia Avinger had 30 points, shooting 10-for-12 from the floor and 9-for-10 from the line. This was the first time in the Mountain West era (1999-2022) SDSU had a freshman score 30 or more points. Avinger also became just the fourth Aztec to make 10 field goals while taking 12 or less shots in the Mountain West era. Avinger won her second straight Mountain West Freshman of the Week Award following this performance.
• Mallory Adams had a career-high 25 points and made seven three-pointers, tied for the second most in a game in program history.
• This was just the fourth time in the Mountain West era that the Aztecs have had two players score at least 25 points in the same game.
• SDSU committed a season-low six turnovers.
• The Aztecs were 19-for-20 (.950) from the free throw line, their best percentage of the year.
• SDSU attempted a season-high 25 three-pointers, tying a season-high.
• The Aztecs held the Broncos to two made three-pointers and 29 rebounds, both season-bests.
72-63 Boise State, Feb. 5, 2022 in Boise
• The Broncos led by as much as 15 and then saw the Aztecs cut the deficit to six points with 7:37 remaining. BSU then responded with a 6-0 run.
• Sophia Ramos scored 20 points, her third straight game with 20 or more.
• Khylee-Jade Pepe hauled in a career-high 10 rebounds, with seven coming on the offensive glass, and had a career-high three steals. Pepe finished with a team-best +7 plus/minus in 21 minutes off the bench.
• Asia Avinger tied a career-high with nine rebounds.
• The Broncos shot 49.1 percent from the field
• Boise State's Abby Muse finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
• Five Broncos finished in double-figures.