SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – San Diego State returned to the win column with a 72-63 victory over the visiting Cowboys from the University of Wyoming. The Aztecs remain undefeated on Steve Fisher Court during Mountain West Play and own a 16-6 record for the season.
The Cowboys would strike first, scoring five straight points to start the game before the Aztecs responded with six of their own to regain the lead. Most of the first half was a tightly contested affair with both teams exchanging buckets until Wyoming’s Khaden Bennett knocked down a corner three point shot to take a 19-17 lead with 6:20 remaining in the half. With just over six minutes remaining the duo of Jeremiah Oden and Tae Simmons combined to score 10 consecutive points for the Aztecs. Oden’s three-point jumper from the left corner would be good for his 1,000th career point while Simmons physicality in the paint led to five unanswered points by the freshman. The Aztecs limited the Cowboys efficiency in the first 20 minutes of action, by forcing nine turnovers and holding them to just 32 percent shooting from the floor.
SDSU opened the second half with five quick points before a two-minute, nine-point scoring run from the Cowboys cut the lead down to seven. Across the rest of the game Reese Dixon-Waters caught fire, scoring 10 straight points across a three-minute span that pushed the Aztec’s lead to 16. Forward Miles Heide effectively closed the door on Wyoming’s comeback attempt late in the contest tipping in a missed Sean Newman Jr. jump shot before securing an offensive rebound and drawing an “and-1” on the following possession.
Dixon-Waters led all scorers with a season high 23 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor. The senior guard has now scored double figures in 12 consecutive games. Miles Byrd stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points to go along with a game high eight rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks.
The Aztecs’ defense held Wyoming to just 32 percent shooting for the game and only 28 percent from behind the arc. Brian Dutcher’s team turned the Cowboys 14 turnovers into 14 points. SDSU dominated the interior, scoring 38 points in the paint to Wyoming’s 10 while winning the rebounding battle 35-29 with six players grabbing at least two rebounds.
THE NOTE
San Diego State has won 18 consecutive home games against the Cowboys. Their last home loss came on January 3, 2007.
UP NEXT
San Diego State will be back on the road later this week with a trip Air Force scheduled for Saturday, February 7. The Aztecs defeated the Flacons inside Viejas Arena earlier this season 81-58. BJ Davis scored a team high 19 points in that contest while Miles Heide and Pharaoh Compton both eclipsed double figures as well. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PST and will be broadcast on FS1.