SAN DIEGO – The 11-2 Aztec women’s basketball team hosts Boise State Sunday at 1 p.m. for their first Mountain West game of the season.
Aztec Tidbits
- SDSU’s 11 non-conference wins are their most since the 1983-84 team that went 13-0.
- The Aztecs’ two losses were a one-point loss to Providence in Cancun and a double-overtime loss to Stephen F. Austin.
- This was SDSU’s first time losing when scoring 80 or more points since January 23, 2019 (87-81 vs. Fresno State
- The Aztecs are currently projected to be a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament per ESPN’s Charlie Creme.
- SDSU is fourth in the nation in bench points per game (37.0).
- 51% of the Aztecs’ scoring comes from their bench and their top three scorers all come off the bench: Naomi Panganiban (10.8), Adryana Quezada (10.7) and Nat Martinez (8.8).
- SDSU leads the Mountain West in points allowed per game (57.9)
- The last time the Aztecs averaged this many points per game was 1991-92 (74.9).
- SDSU leads the Mountain West in three-point percentage (36.7%) and they are holding opponents to 27.6% shooting from three, which is the Aztecs’ second lowest percentage allowed in the Mountain West era (since 1999).
- The Aztecs lead the conference in free throws made (14.2), attempted (18.9) per game in free throw percentage (74.8%).
- SDSU is 25th in the nation in turnover margin (+7.0). They’ve had less turnovers than their opponent in every game but one (vs. VCU).
- 10 Aztecs average at least 10 minutes per game and 11 different players have had a game with double-digit points.
- Seven Aztecs average between seven and 11 points per game.
- The Aztecs are 4-0 on the road, the first time they’ve won their first four road games since 2009-10.
- Only one other school in the Mountain West has more than one win on the road (Air Force with two).
- SDSU began the season 8-0, their best start since the 1988-89 season when SDSU started 14-0.
- Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, the Aztecs are 29-5 (.853) when they score 70 or more points and 47-8 (.855) when they score 60 or more.
- Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, SDSU is 32-8 (.800) in home games.
Player Notes
- Naomi Panganiban was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week for the second straight week after averaging 21.0 points in SDSU’s final two non-conference games.
- Panganiban is averaging 21.5 points over her last four games. She is the first player in Mountain West history to average more than 20 points per game over a four-game stretch while coming off the bench in all four games.
- Her 27 points against Bethesda were the most by an Aztec true freshman since Sophia Ramos scored 28 at CSUN Dec. 9, 2018.
- Panganiban became the first true freshman to start the season opener for SDSU since 2018 (Sophia Ramos and Mallory Adams).
- Nat Martinez had 21 points Thursday vs. Stephen F. Austin and made five three-pointers including a game-tying three in the final seconds of regulation. It was her second time scoring 20 or more points this season.
- The Aztecs have won four of the seven Mountain West Freshman of the Week awards.
- Cali Clark is second in the nation among active players in rebounds per minute (minimum 75 games).
- Clark is one of six players in the nation to have at least 20 blocks and 20 steals.
- Clark is second in the Mountain West in blocks and third in rebounds.
- Clark had six games with 10 or more rebounds in 109 games at Colorado State and has done it eight times in 13 games with the Aztecs.
- At Cal State Bakersfield, Clark became the first Aztec with 16 or more rebounds since March 2, 2019 (Mallory Adams vs. New Mexico. She was also the first Aztec with nine or more offensive rebounds since Nov. 24, 2017 (Baylee Vanderdoes vs. Central Michigan).
- Adryana Quezada has over 1,400 points and 700 rebounds in her career.
- Quezada is one of six players nationally to have over 1,400 points & 700 rebounds while shooting at least 50% from the field and 70% from the line.
- Against Bethesda, Quezada became the first Aztec in the Mountain West era (since 1999) to have at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and five steals in a game.
- Kim Villalobos is one of seven players in the nation with at least 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, 200 assists, 150 steals and 75 blocks in her career.
- Villalobos is in the top ten in SDSU history in games, rebounds and blocks.
- Villalobos has played in 132 games, the second most in program history. If she stays healthy, she will surpass Sophia Ramos for the most games played in school history (141).
- Last year Villalobos was the only player in the Mountain West to finish in the top 10 in rebounds, steals and blocks.
- Last year Villalobos became only the second Aztec in the MW era to have at least 300 points, 200 rebounds, 75 assists and 50 steals in a season.
- Against Wisconsin, Veronica Sheffey became just the sixth Aztec in the Mountain West era (1999-present) to have at least 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in a game.
- Sheffey surpassed 600 points for her career in SDSU’s last game.
- Erin Houpt is the only player in the nation to shoot at least 40% from three and 90% from the line in her career.
- Houpt is 93.0% (159-171) from the line in her career, the second best in the nation (minimum 100 made free throws).
- Houpt’s 41.7% career three-point percentage is ninth in the nation among qualified players. She is 16-for-35 (45.7%) from three this season.
Opponent Notebook (Boise State)
- The Broncos are 10-3 on the year.
- This will be their first true road game of the year. They played in six neutral games.
- Like the Aztecs, they rely heavily on their bench and average 34.6 bench points per game (10th in the nation).
- They lead the conference in assists and blocks per game.
- Natalie Pasco leads the team in scoring (12.0).
- Head coach Gordy Presnell (20th season) has over 700 career wins.
Series History
- The all-time series is tied at 14-14.
- The Aztecs are 9-4 vs. the Broncos at home and have won the last three.
- SDSU went 2-1 against Boise State last year and defeated the Broncos in the Mountain West semifinals.