SAN DIEGO – The Aztec women's basketball team (18-6, 8-3) plays at New Mexico (13-10, 5-5) Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.
Aztec Tidbits
• SDSU beat the Lobos 65-61 in San Diego on January 19 after coming back from a 13-point second half deficit, their largest second half comeback in four years.
• The Aztecs' 18 wins are their most since the 2012-13 season.
• SDSU is amid a stretch of four straight road games. This is the first time SDSU has ever played four straight Mountain West road games in a row and the first time they've been on the road for four straight since November of 2008.
• Defensively, the Aztecs are first in the Mountain West in points allowed (55.4) and three-point percentage defense (.283) and second in steals per game (10.5).
• SDSU is in the top 25 in the nation in scoring defense (55.4), steals per game (10.5) and turnover margin (+4.96).
• SDSU has a 1.25 assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play. Their 1.05 ratio on the season is their best since the 1983-84 season.
• The Aztecs have six players averaging between 8.5 and 13.0 points per game.
• Six different Aztecs have scored in double-digits in at least nine games and four players have been the team's high scorer in at least five games.
• SDSU has six players in their fifth year of college and all six are currently pursuing a master's degree.
• Sophia Ramos is the only player in the nation with at least 1,800 points, 600 rebounds and 450 assists in her career. She is six assists shy of 500.
• Ramos is second in school history in points and assists and is in the top three in program history in five other statistical categories including games (1st), made free throws (3rd), and made threes (3rd). She has scored in double-digits 105 times in her career.
• Mercedes Staples (Centerville, Utah), who returned after missing seven games due to injury, is shooting 45.6 percent from three on the year and 40.2 percent in her SDSU career, both of which are the best in program history.
• Asia Avinger is second in the Mountain West in steals per game (2.4 and third in assists per game (4.6) and field goal percentage (.495) in conference play.
• SDSU is 14-1 when scoring 60 or more points and 14-0 when their opponent is held under 60.
• In their 24 games, SDSU has had fewer turnovers than their opponent 19 times.
• SDSU has had more steals than their opponent in all but three games and their 10.5 swipes per game is 24th in the country.
• 13 of SDSU's 18 wins have been by double-digits and seven have been by at least 20 points.
• The Aztecs have held their opponent under 50 points eight times and under 40 percent shooting 14 times.
• SDSU is 13-1 at home this season with an average margin of victory of 19.8 points. Since the beginning of last year, the Aztecs are 23-6 inside Viejas Arena. SDSU's men's and women's teams have the most combined home wins in the nation.
• The Aztecs' 10-3 non-conference winning percentage was their best since the 1995-96 season (10-2, .833). According to the NET, SDSU played the second-hardest non-conference schedule in the Mountain West.
• Six Aztecs had at least a 3.50 GPA in the 2022 fall semester, including Sarah Barcello and Sophia Ramos who each had perfect 4.0s in their Master of Education program.
• Including SDSU, five Mountain West teams are in the top 115 of the NET. The Aztecs are ranked No. 94.
Player Notes
• Asia Avinger (Cerritos, Calif.) is the only player in the conference in the top three in both assists and steals per game.
• Sarah Barcello (Phoenix, Ariz.) is shooting 42.3% from three in Mountain West games.
• Alex Crain (McKinney, Texas) is shooting a career-best 34.1% from three.
• Yummy Morris (North Little Rock, Ark.) is the only Aztec to have scored in double-digits in the last four games.
• 47.5% of Khylee Pepe's (Long Beach, Calif.) rebounds are on the offensive end, by far the most on the team.
• Abby Prohaska (Liberty Township, Ohio) has led the Aztecs in scoring six times, tied for the most on the team.
• Sophia Ramos (San Antonio, Texas) has 42 assists and 19 turnovers in conference play. Her 2.21 assist-to-turnover ratio is third in the conference.
• Mercedes Staples (Centerville, Utah) has scored in double-digits in three of her last four games.
• Kim Villalobos (Los Angeles) is averaging 10.3 points while shooting 52% from the field in conference play.
Opponent Notebook (New Mexico)
• The Lobos are 13-10 on the year and 5-5 in conference.
• Their five conference losses have all been against the top four teams in the conference in the Mountain West standings (UNLV, San Diego State, Colorado State and Wyoming).
• They are 9-3 at home and 4-1 in conference.
• They are ranked No. 115 in the NET.
• Shaiquel McGruder leads the Lobos in scoring (14.1 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg) blocks (2.2 bpg) and field goal percentage (.578).
• LaTascya Duff averages 12.8 points per game and makes a conference high 3.0 three-pointers per game.
• Her twin LaTora Duff leads the team with 4.7 assists per game.
• Viane Cumber leads the conference with a 40.9 three-point percentage.
• They lead the Mountain West in three-point makes and attempts per game.
• They are second to last in the conference in points allowed per game (68.3) and rebound margin (-4.5).
• Head coach Mike Bradbury (7th season) has over 300 wins in his collegiate coaching career.
All-time Series (New Mexico)
• The Aztecs are 33-39 all-time against the Lobos.
• No team has beaten the Aztecs more times than New Mexico.
• SDSU is 12-16 against the Lobos on the road.
• The Aztecs beat the Lobos 65-61 in San Diego on January 19 after coming back from a 13-point second half deficit.
• Prior to this year, the Lobos had won five straight against SDSU. That followed a span where the Aztecs won six of seven.
• New Mexico won all three games against the Aztecs last year, including a 63-60 win in the Mountain West Tournament quarterfinals.
• The last four meetings have all been decided by single digits.
• Sophia Ramos' single-game career-high of 32 points came against New Mexico on January 29, 2020. She was 16-for-16 from the line in that game.