SAN DIEGO – Boasting the best record in the nation and ranked No. 4, the San Diego State men's basketball team plays its penultimate home game of the 2019-20 season on Saturday afternoon against the UNVL Runnin' Rebels, a team it has defeated in 16 of the last 17 meetings.
OFF THE TOP (through games of Feb. 19)
-San Diego State puts its perfect record on the line Saturday afternoon when the Aztecs play host to UNLV at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. PT.
-Having secured a record 12th Mountain West Conference men's basketball championship (7th regular-season title), San Diego State will unveil the 2019-20 regular-season championship banner prior to the game. The Aztecs secured the outright title with an 82-59 win over New Mexico on Feb. 11.
-SDSU has clinched its seventh regular-season MW title this season (2006, 2011*, 2012*, 2014, 2015*, 2016 and 2020). * - indicates shared title
-For the first time since 1967, San Diego State leads the all-time series with UNLV. The Aztecs have won 16 of the last 17 games between the teams and lead the overall series, 37-36. At home, SDSU has won the last six encounters and is 16-13 all-time.
THE SERIES (through games of Feb. 19)
-As previously mentioned, the Aztecs own a 37-36 series lead. Saturday marks the first time the Aztecs enter this matchup with a series lead since the Aztecs enjoyed a 2-1 advantage entering the Dec. 27, 1968. A few pop culture items from that day:
Category Item
President Lyndon B. Johnson
No. 1 Song I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Marvin Gaye
Sports Illustrated Cover Sportsman of the Year Bill Russell
Time Magazine Cover Music from the Fifth Evangelist Johann Sebastian Bach
-SDSU once trailed the series, 26-6, but is 31-10 against the Rebels in the last 41 meetings.
-San Diego State is a remarkable 16-1 in its last 17 games against the Runnin' Rebels. During that span, the Aztecs have outscored UNLV, 1,197-1,013 (70.4-59.6). San Diego State has been remarkable on the defensive end during this 17-game stretch, limiting UNLV to 39.1 percent shooting, including 29.1 percent from three-point range. Also, the Aztecs own a +6.1 rebound margin.
-This marks the only time in Mountain West Conference history that any team has defeated another team 16 out of 17 times.
-Since the start of the 2013-14 season, San Diego State's 16 victories against UNLV are tied for the third most against any Division I opponent.
-Brian Dutcher has been on the SDSU sidelines for 33 of SDSU's 37 victories in the series. Those 33 wins have come against nine different UNLV head coaches (Bill Bayno, Max Good, Charlie Spoonhour, Jay Spoonhour, Lon Kruger, Dave Rice, Todd Simon, Marvin Menzies and T.J. Otzelberger).
CHAMPIONS (through games of Feb. 19)
-As previously mentioned, San Diego State clinched the outright regular-season title on Feb. 11. The Aztecs became the first team in the nation to clinch its regular-season title this season and became the first team in the nation to clinch its outright regular-season title with four games remaining since Steph Curry's Davidson team in 2007-08.
-San Diego State became the fourth team this century to clinch a regular season outright championship with four games to play.
Team Year Conference Gms. Remaining when Clinched Final Record NCAA Result
San Diego State 2019-20 Mountain West 4
Davidson 2007-08 Southern 4 29-7 Elite Eight
Stanford 2003-04 Pac-10 4 30-2 Second Round
Cincinnati 1999-00 Conference USA 4 29-4 Second Round
-San Diego State's 15-0 conference record is the best start for a Mountain West team in the history of the league.
-SDSU is one of five unbeaten teams in conference play [also: Baylor (13-0), Dayton (13-0), Gonzaga (12-0) and New Mexico State (12-0)].
-San Diego State has won its most recent two match-ups with every Mountain West Conference opponent.
-San Diego State is looking to become the first Mountain West team to go through the league campaign unbeaten. Below is a look at the best conference records in league history.
Rk. Team Season MW Record Pct. Top Scorers
1. San Diego State 2019-20 15-0 1.000 Malachi Flynn (16.7), Matt Mitchell (12.4), Yanni Wetzell (12.1)
2. Utah 2004-05 13-1 .929 Andrew Bogut (20.4), Marc Jackson (10.7)
3. San Diego State 2015-16 16-2 .889 Trey Kell (12.6), Jeremy Hemsley (12.0), W. Shepard (11.3)
San Diego State 2013-14 16-2 .889 Xavier Thames (17.6), Winston Shepard (11.6)
HOME COOKING (through games of Feb. 19)
-San Diego State is currently 13-0 at home this season with an average scoring margin of +18.8. Of the 13 home games, 12 have been decided by at least nine points.
-The Aztecs 13-game homecourt win streak is tied for the eighth-longest in school history and longest since the school-record 29-game win streak from Nov. 20, 2013 and ended Feb. 28, 2015.
-San Diego State is 20-1 in its last 21 home games dating back to Jan. 1, 2019.
-The Aztecs are 21-1 in its 22 Mountain West Conference home games since Jan. 24, 2018.
-San Diego State has never had an undefeated home season as a Division I program. The last time the Aztecs made it through the home portion of the schedule unscathed was 1966-67. That season, San Diego State went 16-0 at home en route to a 24-5 record. In the Division I era, SDSU has ended the home portion of its schedule with a single loss on six occasions (1977-78, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15).
THE HISTORIC START (through games of Feb. 19)
-San Diego State is the fourth team to open a season 26-0 since the start of the 2010-11 campaign. Of the previous three teams, two made the Final Four.
Best Start To A Season (since 2010-11) Season Wins To Open Season Tournament Result Final Record
1. Kentucky 2014-15 38 Final Four 38-1
2. Wichita State 2013-14 35 Round of 32 35-1
3. Gonzaga 2016-17 29 National Runner-Up 37-2
4. San Diego State 2019-20 26
5. Syracuse 2013-14 25 Round of 32 28-6
-SDSU's 26-game unbeaten streak to open the season is the longest by an NCAA team since Gonzaga started the 2016-17 campaign 29-0 (advanced to the national championship game).
-The final unbeaten team last season (2018-19) was Virginia. The Cavilers opened 16-0 and won the national championship.
-How hard is it to win 26 games in a row? Of the active 353 Division I head coaches, Brian Dutcher has become just the eighth coach with a win streak of at least 26 games.
Active DI Coaches w/26+ Game Win Streak Streak(s)
1. John Calipari, Memphis-Kentucky 38, 27, 26, 26
2. Gregg Marshall, Wichita State 35
3. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke 32
4. Bruce Weber, Illinois 29
Brad Underwood, Stephen F. Austin 29
6. Mark Few, Gonzaga 29
7. Brian Dutcher, San Diego State 26
Tubby Smith, Kentucky 26
-San Diego State's 26-0 record is the best start in school history, eclipsing the 20-0 mark set by the 2010-11 SDSU squad (Kawhi Leonard's sophomore, and final, season with the Aztecs).
-The last time a team made it into the postseason (NCAA tournament) unbeaten, was the 2015 Kentucky squad that entered the NCAA tournament 34-0.
ROAD WARRIORS (through games of Feb. 19)
-San Diego State is the only team not to drop a road/neutral site game this season (13-0).
-The Aztecs 13 road/neutral road wins are the most in the nation (2. Baylor, Gonzaga, Liberty at 12).
-San Diego State's 10-0 road record is tied for the best in the nation (Gonzaga, 10-0) and its 10 true road wins are tied for the third most in the nation (Gonzaga, 10-0, Stephen F. Austin, 10-2, and Vermont, 10-3).
-In road/neutral games this season, San Diego State leads the nation in scoring margin (+16.5), field goal percentage differential (+11.4), and three-point field goal percentage differential (11.6). On offense, the Aztecs are 2nd in field goal percentage (50.6), 4th in free throw percentage (79.6), 10th in three-point field goal percentage (40.1). While on defense SDSU ranks 10th in three-point field goal percentage (28.4), 5th in scoring (60.2) and 10th in field goal percentage (39.1).
-San Diego State is 9-0 in NET Quadrant 1 and 2 games. Eight of those nine games have come away from home.
SDSU CLIFF NOTES (through games of Feb. 12)
-San Diego State's metrics continue to pace at an elite level. As of Thursday, The Aztecs are currently 1st in NET (for a 22nd straight day and a national-best 41st non-consecutive day this season), 3rd in strength of record, 4th in KenPom (program best), 5th in Sagarin (season best) and 6th in BPI.
-The NCAA committee listed San Diego State as the fourth overall seed and placed the Aztecs as the No. 1-seed in the East Region last Saturday when they released the top 16 teams in the nation at that moment in time.
-San Diego State remained at No. 4 in the AP Poll for a fifth consecutive week. Now nationally ranked for a 11th-straight week, this ties the highest ranking in school history, originally set on Jan. 24, 2011.
-Prior to this week, the Aztecs had been ranked in the AP top 5 a total of four weeks in school history. San Diego State has spent each of the last five weeks ranked No. 4 nationally, passing the previous combined total prior to this season.
-San Diego State is enjoying its 77th appearance in the AP Top-25 Poll this week (all have occurred since the start of the 2010-11 campaign). Since the start of the '10-11 season, SDSU's 77 weeks in the top 25 are the 21st most nationally.
-San Diego State finds itself ranked among the nation's elite in several statistical categories, including 2nd in scoring margin (+17.7), 2nd in three-point field goal percentage differential (+10.3), 5th in scoring defense (58.2), 5th in field goal percentage differential (+9.9), 7th in field goal percentage defense (37.7), 6th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.42), 9th in three-point field goal percentage (38.6), 10th in three-point field goal defense (28.3), T-16th in turnovers per game (10.8) and 19th in field goal percentage (47.6).
-San Diego State has four players averaging 10 points or more and six players averaging 6.9 points or more. Six Aztec players have scored 18 or more points in a game this season.
-San Diego State leads the Mountain West Conference in many team stats, including scoring margin (+17.65), scoring defense (58.23), field goal percentage defense (37.7), turnover margin (+3.58) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.42), three-point field goal percentage (38.6) and field goal percentage (47.6).
-San Diego State is currently ranked 4th in KenPom and has top 10 efficiency ratings on both offense (7th) and defense (6th). The Aztecs join Kansas as the only teams in the nation that rank in the top 10 of both sides of the ball.
PLAYER TIDBITS
National Player of the Year Candidate
Junior guard Malachi Flynn - 16.7 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 37.7 3FG pct., 3.33 A/TO
-Only player in the nation averaging 16 points, 5 assists and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of at least 3:1.
-16 straight double-figure scoring games and 10+ points in 25-of-26 contests this season.
-Last 12 games: 18.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 46.4 (70-151) FG pct., 90.9 (50-55) FT pct.
-Leads the Mountain West Conference in assists, steals and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.33).
-The Sporting News midseason second-team All-American.
-Made 30 consecutive free throw attempts, streak was broken, currently made 56 of last 61 (91.8 pct.).
-22 straight games with a trey.
-3rd in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (min. 125 assists), 3.33.
-Has 1,224 career points.
-Made 14-of-27 FGA on shots taken with four seconds or less on the shot clock. His PPP in those situations is 1.300 and ranks 4th nationally among players with at least 30 possessions.
All-Conference Candidate
Junior forward Matt Mitchell - 12.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 40.7 3FG pct., 86.4 FT pct.
-Scored in double figures in five straight gms.; Last 5 gms: 17.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.8 spg, 62.0 (31-52) FG pct., 55.6 pct. (10-18) 3FG, 94.4 (17-18) FT Pct.
-Became the 34th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points with his 22-point effort against New Mexico (2-11-19).
-Scored 28 points (second highest output of his career) against Utah State (2-1-20).
-Despite coming off the bench in 13-of-26 games this season, Mitchell is second on the team in scoring and is third on the team in rebounding.
-He is averaging career-bests points, rebounds, three-point field goal percentage, steals and blocked shots.
-Scored 10+ points in nine of last 10 games and 11 of the last 13 contests.
-In 13 games as a starter: 14.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 53.6 FG pct., 43.5 3FG pct.
All-Conference Candidate
Senior forward Yanni Wetzell - 12.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 60.8 FG pct.
-Has 11 or more points in nine of last 11 games; Last 11 games: 14.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 64.4 FG pct.
-Last 23 games: 12.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 62.9 FG pct.
-Double-figures in 10 of his last 12 games.
-18-of-27 career double-digit scoring games have come this season.
-Was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and produced 17 points, four rebounds and two assists (became the fourth Aztec player during the Brian Dutcher/Steve Fisher era to make at least seven field goals in a game without a miss - joining Nathan Mensah, Aerick Sanders and Billy White).
-2-time Mountain West Player of the Week (1 of only 3 players this season; also: New Mexico's Joquan Lyle & Nevada's Jalen Harris).
Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-Conference Candidate
Senior guard KJ Feagin - 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 39.8 3FG pct.
-Has 15 or more points in three of the last five games; last 5 gms.: 14.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 22-41 FG (53.7 pct.), 18-33 3FG (54.5 pct.).
-Has three or more assists in seven of his last eight games (3.3 apg).
-Has 18 treys in his last five games (18-of-33, 54.5 pct).
-According to Synergy, in the 213 possessions in which the guy he is guarding has ended the possession, he has allowed just 51-of-178 field goal shooting (28.7 percent), and 0.648 points per possession. Among players with at least 200 defensive possessions, his defensive field goal percentage is sixth nationally.
All-Conference Candidate
Junior guard Jordan Schakel - 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 46.2 FG pct.,43.4 3FG pct., 92.1 FT pct.
-Reached double-figures in seven of the last eight games.
-Has eight or more points in 15 of his last 19 games (double figure in 13 of those contests).
-Not only is reaching double figures good for Schakel, it's good for the Aztecs. When Schakel scores 10 or more points in his career, SDSU is 25-2 with 18 straight victories.
-The Aztecs are 15-0 at Viejas when the he reaches double figures.
-The sharpshooter has made 56-of-129 attempts from bonus distance (43.4 percent). He is 22nd nationally in three-point field goal percentage (min. 55 3FG made).
No. 4 Men’s Hoops Host UNLV in Saturday Matinee
