SAN DIEGO – Facing the only team in the nation to have come into Viejas Arena in the last 35 games and defeat the Aztecs, San Diego State hosts New Mexico on Friday at 7 p.m. PT at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena with the game being broadcast on FS1.
OFF THE BOUNCE
The Aztecs and Lobos are meeting for the 95th time, with SDSU trailing 44-50 in the all-time series. In the Mountain West era, SDSU has a 27-24 lead in the series, and at Viejas Arena is 15-8 against New Mexico.
San Diego State put on a second-half defensive performance for the ages in its 71-55 win over Colorado State on Tuesday evening. The Aztecs, down 30-44 at the half after the Rams had shots 57.1 percent from the field (16-of-28) and 50.0 percent from the bonus distance (7-of-14), held CSU to just 12.0 percent from the field (3-of-25) and 9.1 percent from beyond the arc (1-of-11). The Aztecs limited the Rams to seven rebounds, forced eight turnovers with seven of them resulting in steals for the home team and limited Colorado State to 1-of-19 shooting (5.3 percent) in the final 16 minutes.
Versus Colorado State, San Diego State overcame its largest deficit in a game to win (14 points) in a Mountain West game since coming back from 16 points down to win against New Mexico on March 8, 2014 (the 1-3-1 game).
The 11 points allowed by the Aztecs in the second half against Colorado State were their fewest points allowed in any half in their Mountain West era (since 1999-00) and the fewest the Rams have totaled in a half in the same timeframe. The same can be said of SDSU's defense; CSU's 12.0 percent field goal percentage in the second half was its lowest in a half in its MW era and is the lowest allowed by an Aztec squad in the same timeframe.
Against Colorado State, the Aztecs won their 18th straight home game, tied for the third-longest streak in program history. The 18-game home winning streak is tied with four other schools for the longest active streak in the country (also Kansas, Houston, Drake and Morehead State).
In its last 30 games immediately following a loss, the Aztecs are 27-3. In situations where a loss is followed immediately by a home contest, San Diego State has won 34 consecutive games, most recently its 71-55 win over Colorado State on Jan. 13.
SDSU, at the tip, will have not lost at home in 398 days. The last team win in Viejas Arena other than SDSU was New Mexico (1-14-23).
San Diego State owns a 127-29 record (81.4 percent) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign. That is the third best record in the nation trailing only Gonzaga (139-19, 88.0 percent) and Houston (137-25, 84.6 percent).
Once again San Diego State is one of the elite teams when it comes to challenging itself. According to Kenpom, the Aztecs have the No. 16 strength of schedule rating, including the No. 10 rated non-conference schedule. SDSU has faced the No. 10 rated schedule in opponents adjusted offensive efficiency and the No. 24 rated schedule in opponents adjusted defensive efficiency.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, when the current slate of MW members was finalized, SDSU has an 86-11 (.887) record in Mountain West HOME games, the best mark in the conference. Boise State has the second-best record 76-20 (.792).
The Aztecs metrics rank among the best in the nation. Through the games of February 13, the Aztecs were ranked No. 18 in the NET, No. 18 in Kenpom, No. 26 in T-Rank, No. 17 in KPI and No. 35 in BPI. San Diego State's NET strength of record is No. 13.
San Diego State enters the New Mexico game with a 8-6 record in Quad 1 & 2 games this season, including a 4-6 record in Quad 1 games. Its six losses have been on the road at some of the toughest venues to play in for an opposing team. The Aztecs lost at Brigham Young (65-74) in front of its second largest crowd of the season, at Grand Canyon (73-79) in front of its largest crowd, at New Mexico (70-88) in front of the largest crowd it has had since the 2009 season, at Boise State (66-67) in front to its second biggest home crowd this year, at Colorado State (71-79) in front of its largest home crowd of the year and at Nevada (66-70 in overtime) in front of its largest home crowd of the season.
San Diego State, which won both the 2022-23 Mountain West regular season and tournament titles and reached the league tournament championship game for the sixth time in head coach Brian Dutcher's six seasons, looks for its unprecedented 17th Mountain West men's basketball title. Entering the 2023-24 season, San Diego State has won nine regular season and seven Mountain West tournament titles.
Senior guard Lamont Butler records his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Colorado State. Butler is the first Aztec under 6 feet, 3 inches with a points/rebounds double-double and at least two steals in a game since Chad Nelson on Dec. 10, 1996 and became the fourth different Aztec with a double-double this season (and third guard), joining Jaedon LeDee (9), Micah Parrish (1) and Reese Waters (1).
Senior forward Jaedon LeDee recorded his 13th 20-point game of the season and sixth with at least 25 points (SDSU is 6-0), totaling 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor against Colorado State. LeDee alone outscored Colorado State, 22-11, in the second half.
Senior guard Darrion Trammell, against Colorado State, scored at least 10 points for the 10th time this year, all in the last 15 games, and for the 77th time in his collegiate career. In addition, he led the team in assists for the ninth time in 2023-24 & 76th time as a Division I player.
Jay Pal, a senior forward, matched a season high with three blocks against Colorado State. He also had a game-high +18 plus/minus ratio in just 21 minutes of game action.
Brian Dutcher is in his seventh season as San Diego State's head coach and his 25th season on the Aztec sidelines. In his six-plus seasons as head coach, he has led the Aztecs to five conference titles, six Mountain West championship game appearances, a 170-53 (.762) overall record, the 2023 NCAA national championship game, has been named the national coach of the year, and twice the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year.
Men's Hoops Host New Mexico on Friday Evening
