SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State women’s basketball team hosts first place UNLV Saturday at 1 p.m. PT. SDSU and the Rebels played in last year’s Mountain West Championship game.
Aztec Tidbits
- SDSU is coming off a 68-57 loss to San Jose State Wednesday. The Aztecs held the Spartans to four points in the first quarter and then saw them score 27 in the second.
- The Aztecs are second in the Mountain West in turnovers forced per game (17.7) and third in turnover margin (+4.76). They commit just 12.9 turnovers per game (26th in the nation).
- SDSU has had less turnovers than their opponent in 17 of their 21 games.
- The Aztecs are shooting 45.3% from the field in conference play, second best in the Mountain West.
- SDSU is second in the conference in three-point percentage (35.0%).
- The Aztecs hold opponents to 61.1 points per game while scoring 70.7. The last time SDSU averaged at least 70 points per game was 1993-94.
- SDSU leads the Mountain West in both free throws made (13.4) and attempted per game (18.0). They are 10-0 when they make more free throws than their opponent.
- The Aztecs are seventh in the nation in bench points per game (31.9). 45.1% of SDSU's scoring comes from their bench.
- 10 Aztecs average at least 10 minutes per game and seven different players have led the team in scoring in a game.
- Six Aztecs average between seven and 12 points per game. SDSU is 11-2 when three or more players score in double-digits.
- SDSU is one of two schools in the nation to have three players with at least 700 career rebounds (Adryana Quezada, Kim Villalobos and Clai Clark).
- The Aztecs are 12-2 when scoring 60 or more points. Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, they are 50-9 (.847) when they score 60 or more and 32-6 (.842) when they score 70 or more.
- SDSU’s 11 non-conference wins were their most since the 1983-84 team that went 13-0.
- The Aztecs have six players in their 4th year or later, five of them in the 5th year or later (Clark, Fiso, Green, Quezada and Villalobos).
- SDSU was one of 21 schools (6%) that didn’t lose any players to the transfer portal in the offseason.
- The Aztecs 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, SDSU is 33-11 (.760) in home games.
Player Notes
- Veronica Sheffey is averaging a team-high 13.6 points per game on 47.4% shooting in conference play.
- Sheffey has scored in double-digits 13 times, the most on the team. She has scored 10 or more points in all but one conference game so far.
- She surpassed 700 career points vs. San Jose State Wednesday.
- Nat Martinez made a career-high six three-pointers at Utah State last Saturday and made her first five in the first half. She tied her career-high with 22 points and set new career-highs in rebounds (9) and assists (7).
- She became the first player in Mountain West history to have at least six three-pointers, nine rebounds and seven assists in a conference game.
- She is shooting 65% from the field and 56% from three in conference play.
- She has won the Mountain West Freshman of the Week three times. The Aztecs have won a conference best five Mountain West Freshman of the Week awards (Naomi Panganiban, 2).
- Adryana Quezada is one of six players nationally to have over 1,500 points & 700 rebounds while shooting at least 50% from the field and 70% from the line.
- Quezada is shooting a 52.4% from the floor, third best in the Mountain West.
- Cali Clark is fifth in the nation among active players in rebounds per minute (minimum 75 games). She was second in the nation last year.
- In Clark’s 109 games at Colorado State, she had double-digits rebounds six times and one double-double. This season she has nine games with 10 or more rebounds and five double-doubles.
- Clark is third in the Mountain West in blocks and rebounds.
- Kim Villalobos is one of seven players in the nation with at least 1,100 points, 700 rebounds, 200 assists, 175 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 140 games, the second most in program history. On Saturday, she will tie Sophia Ramos for the most games played in school history.
- Villalobos has started every game for the Aztecs the past three years.
- 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 93.1% (161-173) from the line in her career, the best in the nation (minimum 150 made).
- Houpt’s 42.2% career three-point percentage is 9th in the nation (minimum 150 made). She is 24-for-50 (48.0%) from three this season.
- Naomi Panganiban has won Mountain West Freshman of the Week twice.
Opponent Notebook (UNLV)
- The Rebels are 16-4 and 8-0 in conference play.
- They have won the last three Mountain West regular season and tournament championships.
- They have won 51 of their last 52 Mountain West games and 22 straight.
- They are No. 45 in the NET.
- They are 5-3 on the road.
- In conference play they lead the league in points scored (77.0) and allowed per game (60.50).
- They have four players averaging double digits, led by Amarachi Kimpson’s 14.1 per game.
- Head coach Lindy La Rocque (5th season) has led the Rebels to back-to-back 30 win seasons.
Series History
- The Rebels lead the all-time series 41-29. They have the best winning percentage vs. the Aztecs of any Mountain West team.
- SDSU is 19-14 vs. UNLV at home.
- The Rebels have won the last 10 meetings and 15 of the last 16.