SAN DIEGO – San Diego State men's basketball has revealed three tip times along with broadcast details for its game at Gonzaga on December 29 and has completed its 2023-24 schedule adding a game against Point Loma Nazarene University (PNLU) on November 27 in Viejas Arena.
The Aztecs game at Gonzaga is scheduled for a 6 p.m. PT tip and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The game will be the fifth time the programs have met and the first since the Aztecs upset the then No. 12-ranked Zags 72-70 at Viejas Arena on December 21, 2017. SDSU and Gonzaga have split the all-time series two games apiece, with both Aztec wins coming when the Zags were nationally ranked.
San Diego State, at the time ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll, won 79-76 on November 16, 2010, at the CBE Classic in Spokane, Washington against then No. 11 Gonzaga and in the game in 2017. The Bulldogs earned a 72-69 win on December 19, 1959, at the Tournament of Roses event on a neutral court in Portland, Oregon, and 69-48 on November 16, 2014, in Spokane when the Zags were ranked No. 14.
Since the start of the 2009-10 campaign, Gonzaga has won 86.0 percent of its games (425-69), best in the nation, and at "The Kennel" owns the second-best home record 207-14 (.937) in that time frame. The Aztecs rank sixth in the nation since the start of the 2009-10 season winning 75.8 percent (364-114) of its games overall and are seventh in defending its home floor going 199-25 (88.8 percent).
In addition, since the start of the 2019-20 season Gonzaga is 121-13 (.903), the winningest team in the nation, while San Diego State is number three on that list with a 108-23 (.824) record.
San Diego State is scheduled to tip at 7 p.m. MT on January 30 at Colorado State and at 8 p.m. at UNLV on March 5, with both games slated to be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. SDSU is still awaiting tip times at New Mexico (Jan. 13) and at Fresno State (Feb. 24) which will be broadcast on CBS and CBS Sports Network, respectively.
With the ability to add an additional game to its schedule, and having five consecutive road games from November 17 through December 5, San Diego State had contracted to play PNLU on November 27 in Viejas.
"That five game stretch away from home was a bit more than we wanted so I'm happy we could find a game against a good opponent to break it up," head men's basketball coach Brain Dutcher said.
The Sea Lions went 29-4 last year, were the PacWest Champions after going 20-0 in league play, and reached the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament's West Regional Final before bowing out with an 89-83 loss to No. 6-ranked Cal State San Bernardino.
This matchup marks the 15th time the programs have met and the first since the then No. 18-ranked Aztecs' 76-49 victory on December 18, 2012, in Viejas. That game was just the second time the teams had played since 1965, when it was Pasadena (Calif.) College. In nine meetings on its home floor against the Sea Lions, San Diego State is 8-1, with its only blemish, a 71-76 defeat in Aztec Gym on January 25, 1956.
Earlier this week, the Aztecs were ranked No. 17 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll and No. 15 in the preseason Coaches Poll. Last week, SDSU was predicted to win the Mountain West by a poll of the media who regularly cover the conference, and Lamont Butler and Reese Waters were named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team and Newcomer of the Year, respectively.
In 2023-24, San Diego State welcomes back a pair of returning starters from the 2022-23 squad which played for the national championship in Butler and senior guard Darrion Trammell, as well as Jaedon LeDee and Micah Parrish. In all, the Aztecs return four letterwinners and have brought five newcomers into the fold, featuring Waters and Jay Pal, who while attending and competing for Campbell, was the third leading shot blocker in the Big South. In addition, sophomore's Elijah Saunders, Miles Byrd and Demarshay Johnson Jr. are also back and will be bolstered by freshmen, BJ Davis, Miles Heide and Magoon Gwath.
SDSU boasts the third-best winning percentage in the country since the start of the 2019-20 season, is one of five schools, nationally, to win at least 19 games each of the last 18 seasons, and since 2006 trails only Gonzaga among most conference championship game appearances in Division I. The Aztecs have 14 to the 'Zags 18. In addition, San Diego State has won a conference-record 16 Mountain West championships (regular-season and tournament) and its 75.8 percent winning percentage since the start of the 2009-10 campaign is the sixth best in the country.
The Aztecs play an exhibition on Monday, October 30, against Cal State San Marcos in Viejas Arena and then host its regular-season opener on Monday, November 6, against Cal State Fullerton.
For more information on tickets for the 2023-24 San Diego State men's basketball season, contact the Aztec Athletics Ticket Office at 619-283-7378 or aztix@sdsu.edu.