SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State women’s basketball team hosts Air Force Wednesday Dec. 31 at 1 p.m.
Aztec Tidbits
- SDSU has won four games in a row and beat Boise State 83-54 in their last game (Dec. 20).
- The 29-point margin of victory was SDSU’s biggest win over Boise State under head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson (13th season), eclipsing the 25-point victory last year.
- It was just the third time the Aztecs have scored 80+ points, while making 10+ threes and shooting 54% or better from the field against a Mountain West opponent.
- Dating back to last year, SDSU has won their last 10 games against Mountain West opponents.
- The Aztecs have a NET ranking of 84, the second best in the Mountain West. It has risen 70 spots over their last three games (all wins).
- The Aztecs are making a Mountain West-best 8.6 three-pointers per game, which would easily top the program’s previous best of 6.8 per game. SDSU has made more threes than their opponent in all but one game.
- SDSU is shooting 47.8% on two-pointers and has an effective field goal percentage of 48.6%, both would be the program’s best in the Mountain West era (since 1999).
- SDSU is second in the Mountain West in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.06) and turnovers per game (13.1).
- On the other side of the ball, the Aztecs have held their opponents to 37.6% shooting from the field, which is also second best in the conference. SDSU is 7-0 when holding their opponent under 70 points.
- Nine Aztecs have already had a double-digit scoring game, and four players have scored 20 or more points.
- SDSU has won both their road games this year and are 12-4 on the road since the beginning of last year. They are 18-7 in road or neutral games in that span.
- The Aztecs have had a winning record in non-conference play in each of the last four years. Since the 2022-23 season, the Aztecs are 36-12 (.750) in non-conference games and 22-5 (.815) in non-conference home games.
- SDSU was picked to finish second in the MW Preseason poll, their highest preseason selection since 2012-13.
- This is the first time in program history SDSU doesn’t return any scholarship upperclassman (who played last year).
- Entering this year, SDSU had 70 wins over the past three seasons, tied for the most in a three-year span in SDSU history (1994-96).
- The Aztecs have seven newcomers this year, the most ever under head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson (13th season). They added five transfers with four of them coming from Mountain West schools.
- SDSU has set a program record for attendance in each of the past two seasons and are on pace to break that mark again this season.
Trending...
- SDSU is 7-0 when they hold their opponent under 70 points.
- The Aztecs are 7-1 when they score 60 or more points.
- SDSU is 8-0 when they have more assists than their opponent.
- The Aztecs are 6-0 when they outrebound their opponent.
- SDSU is 7-1 when they have more steals than their opponent.
- The Aztecs are averaging 69.9 points per game, which would be their most since the 1993-94 season. Four of SDSU’s top five scoring teams in the Mountain West era (since 1999) have been in the last four years.
- Since the beginning of last year, SDSU is 27-2 when three or more players score in double-digits (6-0 this year).
- Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, the Aztecs are 66-11 (.857) when they score 60 or more and 43-6 (.878) when they score 70 or more.
- Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, SDSU is 42-13 (.764) in home games.
Player Notes
Naomi Panganiban (Sophomore, Guard, San Diego, Calif.)
- Naomi Panganiban has scored 10 or more points in all but two games, the most on the team.
- Across her last five games, she is averaging 16.8 points per game and shooting 51% from the field and 45% from three.
- She is 20-for-22 on free throws this year (90.9%).
- She has improved in every statistical category from last year when she was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team and to the Mountain West All-Tournament Team.
- Panganiban was named to the preseason All-Mountain West Team.
- Her 10.3 points per game led all Mountain West true freshmen last season.
- Playing for the Philippine National Team at the FIBA Asia Cup, she tied for the team lead in scoring (13.2 ppg) despite being the youngest on the team.
- The Philippines clinched a spot in the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament for the first time ever.
Nat Martinez (Sophomore, Guard, San Leandro, Calif.)
- In her last five games, she is averaging 15.2 points per game and shooting 47.1% from three. She was shooting 17.2% from three across her first six games.
- She won Mountain West Player of the Week after scoring 22 points at Kansas State prior to the holiday break. She tied a career-high with six three-pointers.
- It was her third time scoring 20 or more points against a power conference school, and fifth time overall in her career.
- In her five games against power conference schools, she is averaging 17.0 points per game shooting 55% from the field and 58% from three.
- She is second in the Mountain West among qualified players in free throw percentage (82.9%). She is 81.9% from the line in her career.
- She shot 41.9% from three last year, the fifth best in a single season in program history.
- She was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team a year ago.
Nala Williams (Senior, Guard, Long Beach, Calif.)
- Nala Williams’ 2.29 assist-to-turnover ratio is first in the Mountain West.
- In her career, she has 1,579 points, 551 rebounds, 377 assists and 321 steals in 103 games.
- Her 321 career steals are the fifth most in the nation across all divisions among active players.
- She has scored double-digits in 80 of her 103 career games and has scored 20 or more 30 times. Her career-high is 42.
- Against Cal State Bakersfield Nov. 15, she became the first Aztec in the Mountain West era (since 1999) to have at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and three three-pointers in a game.
- Last year at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Nala Williams was named the DII National Player of the Year and the National Defensive Player of the Year.
- She helped her school go 36-2 and make the national title game.
- She had 152 steals last year (4.0/game), which was the most in the nation across all divisions. No one else had more than 140 steals and only three other players had 130 or more.
Bailey Barnhard (Sophomore, Forward, San Diego, Calif.)
- Bailey Barnhard leads the team in total rebounds, offensive rebounds and blocks.
- She scored a career-high 13 points and tied a career-high with eight rebounds vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (Nov. 22).
Kennedy Lee (RS Junior, Forward, Louisville, Ky.)
- Kennedy Lee set career highs for points (24) and three-pointers (7) vs. CSUN (11-13).
- Her seven made 3-pointers tied for the 2nd most ever made by an Aztec.
- She became the first Aztec to make seven threes in a game since Jan. 15, 2022 (Mallory Adams).
- She became the fifth Aztec to make seven threes in a game under head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson (13th season).
Kendal Mosley (Freshman, Guard, Prosper, Texas)
- Kendal Mosley scored 11 points and was 3-for-3 from three while playing a career-high 17 minutes against Boise State Dec. 20.
- She is 8-for-14 from three (57%) on the year.
- She was named the preseason Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
Opponent Notebook (Air Force)
- The Falcons are 7-5 on the year and 2-5 on the road.
- They split their first two conference games, losing at Utah State 65-53 and then beating Nevada 61-45 at home.
- They went 18-15 last year and 7-11 in the Mountain West.
- They force 19.0 turnovers per game and hold their opponents to 58.2 points per game.
- Milahnie Perry is averaging 16.1 points per game, the second most in the Mountain West.
- Jayda McNabb leads the conference in double-doubles (4) and offensive rebounds per game (5.0).
- Head coach Stacy McIntyre is in her second season as Air Force’s head coach. She was an assistant at AF for nine years before being promoted.
Series History
- San Diego State leads the all-time series 40-16
- SDSU’s 40 wins over Air Force are their most vs. any program.
- The Aztecs are 20-7 against the Falcons at home.
- SDSU has won three of the last four meetings. All four of those games were decided by 10 points or less.
The Win at Kansas State (64-53, Dec. 10)…
- Was the first road win against a power conference school since 2018 (Arizona).
- Was the first win against a Big 12 team (at the time of the game) since 2010 (Texas in the NCAA Tournament).
- SDSU held Kansas State to 53 points, the fewest allowed vs. a power conference team since Nov. 26, 2011 (51, Washington).
- The Aztecs had 14 steals, the most against a power conference school since Nov. 21, 2009 (Arizona, also 14).
- SDSU held the Wildcats to 33.3% shooting from the field, the lowest allowed against a school from a power conference since Nov. 20, 2012 (USC, 32.1%).