Women's Basketball

Aztecs Taking on McNeese in Second Round of WBIT

The No. 4 seed Aztecs host McNeese in the second round of the Sunday at 2 p.m. If SDSU beats McNeese they will play the winner of No. 2 Kansas and No. 3 Rice on the road Thursday.

Notes (PDF) Opens in a new window ESPN+ Opens in a new window Live Stats Opens in a new window Tickets Opens in a new window
Aztecs Taking on McNeese in Second Round of WBITAztecs Taking on McNeese in Second Round of WBIT

SAN DIEGO – The No. 4 seed Aztecs host McNeese in the second round of the Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and played at the University of San Diego’s Jenny Craig Pavilion, due to the first two rounds of the NCAA men’s tournament being held at Viejas Arena.

Aztec Notes

  • If SDSU beats McNeese they will play the winner of No. 2 Kansas and No. 3 Rice on the road Thursday.
  • The Aztecs beat UC Irvine 61-55 in the first round of the WBIT Thursday, giving SDSU their first postseason win since 2013.
  • SDSU has 26 wins, tied for the second most in school history.
  • This is the third time in the last four seasons SDSU has made the postseason (WNIT 2023, NCAA 2025, WBIT 2026). This is the 15th postseason appearance overall for the Aztecs.
  • SDSU won the Mountain West regular season championship outright. This was SDSU’s seventh regular season championship (fourth in the Mountain West) and first since 2012-13. The Aztecs won the Mountain West Tournament championship last season.
  • The Aztecs have won 22 of their last 24 games.
  • SDSU’s 19 conference wins this season were the most in Mountain West history (for men’s and women’s).
  • The Aztecs were one of five teams in the country to win their conference by at least four games.
  • SDSU commits just 12.4 turnovers per game, which would be a school record and is 16th in the country. Their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.10 would be the program’s best since the 1983-84 season.
  • The Aztecs are averaging 70.3 points per game, which would be the highest since the 1993-94 season. SDSU is shooting 49.3% on two-pointers, also their best since 1993-94.
  • SDSU is making 8.5 three-pointers per game and shooting 36.1% from beyond the arc, both of which would be school records and are top 25 in the country. The Aztecs have made more threes than their opponent in 26 of their 30 games and have 12 games with 10 or more three-pointers. The Aztecs made 10+ threes just eight times across the previous three seasons. SDSU has made more threes than their opponent in 25 of their 29 games and have 12 games with 10 or more three-pointers. The Aztecs made 10+ threes just eight times across the previous three seasons.
  • The Aztecs shot 39% from three in conference play with all five starters shooting at least 36% from distance.
  • SDSU is also on pace to set a school record for free throw percentage (75.8%). They were a perfect 13-for-13 from the line vs. UCI Thursday, making it the first time they have made at least 13 free throws without a miss since at least 1999.
  • SDSU led the Mountain West in points per game (71.0), field goal percentage (45.6%) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.10) in conference play.
  • Defensively, the Aztecs held teams to 58.4 points on 37.6% shooting in conference play while leading the league in defensive rebounds per game (28.5) and defensive rebound percentage (76.5%).
  • The Aztecs finished the regular season 10-1 on the road and 14-1 at home. The Aztecs along with UConn, UCLA and South Carolina are the only teams in the nation that had one loss or fewer at home and on the road.
  • SDSU’s .909 road win percentage this season would be the highest in program history. They are 19-5 on the road since the beginning of last year.

 

Player Notes

Naomi Panganiban (Sophomore, Guard, San Diego, Calif.)

All-Mountain West Team

  • Naomi Panganiban is averaging 21.0 points per game over her last five games.
  • She has scored 10+ points in 24 of SDSU’s 31 games and in 11 of her last 12. She has seven games with 20 or more points this season.
  • She set career-highs for points (29) and assists (6) while having no turnovers against Air Force in the Mountain West Tournament.
  • Her 29 points were the most ever by an Aztec in the Mountain West Tournament and she became the first Aztec to ever have at least 29 points and six assists in a game in the Mountain West era (since 1999)
  • Her 20.3 points per 40 minutes is the fifth best by an Aztec in the Mountain West era and second best under head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson (13th season)
  • She scored 20 points in both games against second place UNLV.
  • Playing for the Philippine National Team at the FIBA Asia Cup over the summer, 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.

 

Nala Williams (Senior, Guard, Long Beach, Calif.)

Mountain West Player of the Year, All-Mountain West Team & All-Defensive Team

  • Nala Williams’ assist-to-turnover of 2.47 is the best by an Aztec in the Mountain West era (since 1999) and is 13th in the nation among qualified players.
  • In her career, she has 1,779 points, 636 rebounds, 459 assists and 352 steals in 122 games. She is one of two players in the nation with at least 1,700 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists and 350 steals (across all divisions).
  • She led the Mountain West in assists per game (4.3) in conference play.
  • Williams shot 46% from the field and 41% from three in conference play.
  • Her 352 career steals are the ninth most in the nation across all divisions among active players. She ranks 17th in steals per game (2.9) for a career.
  • She has scored double-digits in 91 of her 122 career games and has scored 20 or more 31 times. Her career-high is 42.
  • Nala Williams won Mountain West Player of the Week award twice this year, giving her nine total conference player of the week awards (seven times with Cal State Dominguez Hills)
  • 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 after helping 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.

 

Kaelyn Hamilton (Sophomore, Guard, McKinney, Texas)

Sixth Player of the Year

  • Kaelyn Hamilton averaged 8.2 points on 55% shooting from the field and 44% from three in just 18.8 minutes per game during conference play.
  • Hamilton is averaging 10.1 points per game over the last 13 games while setting a new career-high for points three times.
  • Her 7.5 points per game off the bench is the second most by an Aztec in the Mountain West era (since 1999).

 

Nat Martinez (Sophomore, Guard, San Leandro, Calif.)

  • Nat Martinez is averaging 17.6 points per game this season when playing a power-four program or second place UNLV.
  • In her five career games against power-four programs, she is averaging 17.0 points per game shooting 55% from the field and 58% from three.
  • She was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team a year ago and shot 41.9% from three, the fifth best in a single season in program history.

 

Bailey Barnhard (Sophomore, Forward, San Diego, Calif.)

  • Bailey Barnhard set career-highs for rebounds (9) and assists (5) vs. UC Irvine in the first round of the WBIT Thursday.
  • She shot 48% from the field and 49% (14-for-29) from three in conference play.

 

Kennedy Lee (RS Junior, Forward, Louisville, Ky.)

  • Kennedy Lee has two games this year making 5+ threes. Her seven made 3-pointers vs. CSUN tied for the second most ever made by an Aztec.

 

Postseason Notes

  • The Aztecs are 5-5 in non-NCAA tournament postseason play (1-2 AIAW, 3-3 WNIT 1-0 WBIT).
  • This is SDSU’s first appearance in the WBIT (3rd season).
  • Prior to Thursday, the Aztecs last postseason win was March 20, 2013 over Santa Barbara in the first round of the WNIT.
  • SDSU is 5-4 in the postseason when playing in San Diego.

 

Opponent Notebook (McNeese)

  • The Cowgirls are 29-5 and won the Southland regular season championship with a 21-1 record.
  • They have won 22 of their last 23 games.
  • They beat the No. 1 seed Texas A&M 68-48 in the first round of the WBIT Thursday.
  • They are 14-2 on the road.
  • They are top 10 in five NCAA statistical categories: 1st in turnover margin (13.73), 3rd in turnovers per game (10.6), 5th in scoring defense (52.9) and steals per game (15.1) and seventh in turnovers forced per game (24.36).
  • They have five players averaging between eight and 13 points per game, led by Dakota Howard’s 12.8.
  • Arianna Patton has made 89 threes and is shooting 40% from deep.
  • Head coach Ayla Guzzardo is in her first year at McNeese. She previously coached at Southern who had won two of the last three Southland conference championships.
  • The Aztecs have only played McNeese once before. SDSU won 101-55 in the 1990-91 season opener at the Saint Mary’s Invitational.
  • SDSU is 11-2 all-time against teams currently in the Southland with both losses coming against Stephen F. Austin.

 

Trending...

  • The Aztecs haven’t lost two games in a row since Feb 8 and 12 of last season.
  • SDSU is 24-2 when they hold their opponent under 70 points. They have held their opponents under 40% shooting 20 times and are 20-0 in those games.
  • The Aztecs are 24-2 when they score 60 or more points. They are also 24-2 when they shoot at least 40% from the field.
  • SDSU is 23-1 when they have more assists than their opponent.
  • The Aztecs are 19-0 when they outrebound their opponent.
  • SDSU is 15-2 when they have more paint points than their opponent.
  • The Aztecs are 22-1 when they lead at halftime and are 5-0 in games decided by five points or less.
  • SDSU is 19-3 when they have fewer turnovers, or the same amount, as their opponent.
  • The Aztecs are averaging 70.3 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.
  • SDSU is shooting 75.8% from the line this season, which would be a school record. The Aztecs’ top three free throw percentages seasons have all come within the last three years
  • Since the beginning of last year, SDSU is 38-3 when three or more players score in double-digits (17-1 this year).
  • No Aztec averages more than 30 minutes per game and all five starters have had a game with 20 or more points. 10 different Aztecs have had a game with 10+ points.
  • Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, the Aztecs are 83-12 (.874) when they score 60 or more (24-2 this year) and 53-7 (.883) when they score 70 or more (16-1 this year).
  • Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, SDSU is 52-13 (.800) in home games (15-1 this year).

 

Aztec Tidbits

  • This is the second straight season SDSU has had at least 25 wins. It’s just the second time in school history that has occurred.
  • This is the fourth straight season the Aztecs have at least 20 wins and their 96 wins over the last four seasons is their most in a four-year span in program history.
  • Since the start of the 2022-23 season, the Aztecs are 96-39 (.711) and they are 51-15 (.773) since the beginning of last year.
  • SDSU has beaten UNLV two times in each of the last two seasons. No other Mountain West team has ever beaten the Rebels twice in a season under head coach Lindy LaRocque (6th season).
  • This is the first time in program history SDSU didn’t return any scholarship upperclassman (who played last year). Six of the Aztecs’ nine rotation players are sophomores.
  • 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 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.
  • The Aztecs set new program records for single game and season long attendance this season. It’s the third straight year SDSU has set a new attendance record.
  • SDSU has 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.