LAS VEGAS – BJ Davis (18), Nick Boyd (15) and Miles Byrd (10) scored in double figures, but it was not enough as San Diego State men’s basketball fell 78-68 to Oregon at MGM Grand Garden Arena in the Players Era Festival on Wednesday.
The Aztecs (3-2) fall to a game above .500 this season.
Oregon (7-0) keeps its perfect record and advances to Saturday night’s Players Era Festival Championship game.
Most of the first half was close with Boyd hitting a three-pointer to tie the game at 27 with 4:49 remaining. The Ducks pulled away after that point, outscoring the Aztecs 14-4 over the final four and a half minutes of the first half, leading to a 41-31 score at halftime. Boyd led the way for SDSU in the first half with 13 of the team’s 31 points and all but two of his 15 points coming in the first 20 minutes. TJ Bamba had 11 points in the first half for Oregon while Keeshawn Barthelemy had nine in the same time frame. The main difference in the first half was rebound differential, with Oregon leading 24-12.
In the second half, the teams scored at similar rates until Oregon took a 56-44 lead with 13:06 remaining in the game. The Aztecs rallied, scoring the next nine points. BJ Davis started the run with a three-point play before a Magoon Gwath dunk, Miles Heide layup and Boyd jumper reduced the deficit to three points with just inside of 11 minutes remaining. Oregon pulled back ahead on the back of three-pointers and free throws as the Ducks scored 12 of their final 22 points from beyond the arc and eight more from the charity stripe. Tuesday’s hero, Davis scored a dozen points in the second half to match his career-high 18 points from the victory over Creighton. Bamba scored another 11 points in the second half for the Ducks.
In addition to Davis, Boyd and Byrd finishing in double figures, Pharaoh Compton contributed a career-high eight points while Magoon Gwath matched a career-high with five blocks.
For Oregon, Bamba led the way with 22 points. Nate Bittle neared a double double with 11 points and nine rebounds and Barthelemy finished with 16 points while Brandon Angel and Jackson Shelstad added a dozen points each.
San Diego State shot better from the field (50.9%-44.6%) but Oregon was better from beyond the arc (45.5%-31.6%) and at the line (69.2%-50.0%). SDSU outscored Oregon in the paint (36-28) while the Ducks were better on second chance points (18-4). Oregon won the rebounding battle (41-24) while the Aztecs were better at blocking shots (9-5).
THE NOTE
As a team, San Diego State has recorded eight or more blocks in all five games this season including nine in each of its last three contests. No other team has been as consistent blocking shots and SDSU’s 8.6 blocks per game this season are the best in the country as of the conclusion of Wednesday’s game.
The Aztecs wrap up the Players Era Festival on Saturday. San Diego State will play at either 12:30 p.m. PT on TruTV or 4 p.m. PT on TNT depending on the score of Creighton vs. Texas A&M. SDSU’s opponent will be determined by the result of the other Players Era Festival games.