SAN DIEGO - Winners of its last three games, and nine of its last 10, the San Diego State men's basketball team is in Viejas Arena on Saturday evening against San Jose State, playing its second of four games in 10 days.
OFF THE BOUNCE
san Diego State has won 28 of its last 32 conference home contests (28-4) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, and overall has emerged the victor in 11 of its last 12, and 16 of its last 18, Mountain West games, regardless of location.
The Aztecs are battle tested having played the sixth toughest schedule in the nation based on its average opponent's NET rank. Only two schools in the AP Top 25 have played a tougher schedule than the Aztecs; No. 2 Kansas with the toughest schedule and No. 4 Alabama with the second most difficult schedule. Tonight's opponent, San Jose State, has played the 90th most difficult schedule.
Since the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign, San Diego State's 194-25 (.886) record in home games is the seventh best in the nation and overall the Aztecs' 348-113 (.755) record is the sixth best in the nation.
The last time out, San Diego State opened its four game in 10 day stretch with an 85-75 victory over Utah State. SDSU improved to 16-9 all-time against the Aggies, including a 9-1 mark at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena.
SDSU is 20-2 in its last 22 Mountain West home games since January 1, 2021.
SDSU is 50-1 in its last 51 games, and has won 38 straight games, in which it has shot at least 50.0 percent from the field which it last did against Nevada on January 10 in a 74-65 win.
With its 82-76 win at Colorado State (January 18), the Aztecs improved to 18-3 in their last 21 games immediately following a loss. In situations where a loss is followed immediately by a home game, San Diego State has won 24 consecutive games.
On Saturday evening, San Diego State and San Jose State will meet for the 81st time overall and the first time during the 2022-23 campaign. The Aztecs own a 45-35 series advantage. In Viejas Arena, SDSU is 11-0, and overall 31-8 in home games against the Spartans.
The last time San Diego State played San Jose State was on February 25, 2022, which resulted in a 75-52 win for the Aztecs in Viejas. It was the sixth straight game the Aztecs have held SJSU to under 60 points on Steve Fisher Court, and since the Spartans joined the Mountain West conference SDSU has not allowed more than 64 points to the San Jose State in Viejas Arena.
San Diego State's calling card is defense, and it is again playing it at a high level according to Kenpom, which has the Aztecs ranked No. 35 nationally in adjusted defense. In addition, the SDSU offense, which ended the 2021-22 campaign ranked No. 167 in adjusted offense, slots in at No. 34 through 20 games this year and SDSU is No. 26 in adjusted efficiency margin.
San Diego State has appeared in the Associated Press' Top 25 Poll for 94 weeks since the start of 2010-11 season. SDSU's 94 weeks in the top 25 are the 18th most nationally and are the most for any California school in that time frame.
SDSU enters tonight's game battle tested, including having played the fewest Quad 4 games among the 363 Division I schools who compete in men's basketball. The next fewest are No. 3 Alabama, No. 8 Kansas and No. 20 Creighton which have all played three games against Quad 4 competition.
San Diego State, which in 2021-22 reached the Mountain West championship game for the fifth time in head coach Brian Dutcher's five seasons, looks for its unprecedented 15th Mountain West men's basketball title. Entering the 2022-23 season, San Diego State, the most successful program in conference history, has won eight regular season and six Mountain West tournament titles.
San Diego State owns a 92-20 record (82.1 percent) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign. That's the fourth best record in the nation, trailing only Gonzaga's 107-11 (90.7 percent), Baylor's 96-18 (84.2 percent), and Houston's 102-20 (83.6 percent).
Senior Adam Seiko led the Aztecs' attack vs. Utah State with a career-high 25 points. The Boston, Mass. native, was on fire when entered the building. He knocked down his first seven shots...all from 3-point range and finished the game 7-of-9 from long range. His seven treys matched the most triples for an Aztec who did not start the game (also: David Abramowitz, Feb. 10, 2000 vs. Utah). In addition, he extended the record for the most wins in Mountain West Conference game history to 57. The mark is also the San Diego State record for individual conference wins.
Senior Keshad Johnson finished the Utah State game with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was his second double double in as many games and the fourth of his college career. It was the eight time this season and 20th time in his career he has scored in double figures and he has 10 or more points in four of his last five games. His double digit boards mark the sixth time in his career and second time this season he had reached that plateau in a game.
Nathan Mensah, a senior forward who scored 10 points against Utah State, improved his career record to 26-5 in games in which he reached double digit points. It was the fourth time this season and the 31st of his college career that he's scored at least 10 points in a game.
Brian Dutcher is now in his sixth season as San Diego State's head coach and his 24th season on the Aztec sidelines. In his five-plus seasons as head coach, he has led the Aztecs to four conference titles, five Mountain West championship game appearances, a 135-44 (.754) overall record, the eighth best in the nation in since he became head coach, has been named the national coach of the year and twice the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year.
Men's Hoops Host Spartans Saturday in Viejas
