SAN DIEGO – After three of its last four opponents bowed out of their meeting with the San Diego State men's basketball team due to medical issues, the No. 20 Colorado State Rams men's basketball team have come to town the in what is the most anticipated Mountain West game so far this season. The two will tip off at 1 p.m. PT in Viejas Arena on Saturday and the game will be broadcast on CBS.
OFF THE BOUNCE
San Diego State, the two-time defending Mountain West Conference regular-season champion, faces No. 20/19 Colorado State, the preseason favorite to claim this season's crown, in its Mountain West Conference home opener on Saturday.
The Aztecs learned they would face the Rams on Wednesday afternoon, after SDSU's original opponent, Nevada, had COVID-19 issues. Colorado State's original opponent, Boise State, had a similar situation.
Due to a pair of cancellations due to COVID-19 issues inside the opposition program, this will be just the second game in 17 days for San Diego State.
The Aztecs enter Saturday having won 15 consecutive games against Mountain West Conference opponents (includes tournament) and 12 consecutive regular-season conference games. The 12-game league win streak is three shy of the school record of 15 started on Dec. 4, 2019 and snapped on Feb. 22, 2020.
San Diego State has won a season-high four consecutive games overall.
San Diego State has won 15 consecutive home games. That is the seventh-longest homecourt win streak in school history and is the 11th longest active streak nationally.
San Diego State has won three of its last five games (3-2) against teams that were ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the game.
San Diego State has won its last four home games against AP Top 25 teams. That is a school record. San Diego State has won its last 10 home games against teams that were ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll, but outside the top seven.
Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, San Diego State is 7-6 against AP Top 25 teams at game time (regardless of location). The Aztecs are one of just 13 programs nationally that has a winning record against AP Top 25 teams during that span (min. 13 games played). Of those 13 programs, only San Diego State and Gonzaga reside in a "non-power" conference.
On Saturday, San Diego State's last home loss will be 371 days ago (Jan. 2, 2021), when Colorado State rallied from a 26-point deficit to claim its fourth all-time victory in Viejas (2000, 2003, 2017, 2021).
San Diego State leads the all-time series with Colorado State, 46-42. SDSU has enjoyed an advantage of late, winning six of the last seven (6-1, under Brian Dutcher) and 29 of the last 37 (29-8).
San Diego State has won its most recent encounter with every Mountain West Conference opponent.
Once again this season San Diego State ranks among the nation's best in defense. The Aztecs are 12th in scoring defense (58.2), 18th in field goal percentage defense (37.8) and 31st in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.5). In addition, the Aztecs are 6th in Kenpom adjusted defensive efficiency (88.4) and 9th in effective field goal percentage (42.8).
Last Saturday, despite playing without its second (Trey Pulliam, medical concern) and third (Lamont Butler, wrist) leading scorers, San Diego State traveled to Las Vegas and disposed of UNLV, 62-55. Remarkably, San Diego State improved to 12-1 in its last 13 road games at UNLV. Despite shooting a season low 33.8 percent from the field, the Aztecs limited UNLV to 29.7 percent field goal shooting (its lowest in 14 months) and SDSU posted a season best +13 rebound margin (55-42).
Junior forward Keshad Johnson, who earned Mountain West Player of the Week honors on Monday, recorded the first double-double of his career with 10 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. Johnson, who has 23 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots in his last two games, has scored in double figures in consecutive games for the first time in his 54-game career.
Senior forward Matt Bradley scored a game-high 17 points and added seven rebounds and two steals in the victory. SDSU's leading scorer this season reached double figures for a team-high 10th time this season and the 81st time in his career. He has scored 10 or more points in six consecutive games.
Senior forward Nathan Mensah had 10 points, seven rebounds and matched a season-high with four blocked shots. Defensively, according to Synergy Sports, Mensah did not allow a point with his defensive assignment going 0-for-6 from the field in 28:43 of action.
With two starting guards out, senior guard Adam Seiko stepped up and played the best game of his career to date. He was in the game for 38:06. Not only was it a career-high, but it was the most minutes played by an Aztec in a game this season. In addition to four points and seven rebounds, he dished out a team-high three assists. It marked the first time in his 98-game career that he has led the team in assists.
Senior forward Aguek Arop had nine points, eight rebounds and four steals in 22 minutes of action. He matched his season-high for points and set career-bests for rebounds and steals (tied).
San Diego State hopes to get sophomore guard Lamont Butler back Saturday. He has missed the last five games with a wrist injury.Butler, who had 11 points, three assists and three steals in the Long Beach State, prior to exiting the game with the injury, is averaging 9.7 points (3rd on the team), 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Senior guard Trey Pulliam missed last Saturday's game against the Rebels due to a "medical concern" is probable for Saturday. He has been sensational this season, averaging 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 rebounds while logging 33.1 minutes per game.
Brian Dutcher is in his fifth season as San Diego State's head coach and his 23rd season on the Aztec sidelines. In his four plus seasons as head coach, he has led the Aztecs to four conference titles, a 105-34 overall record and has already been named the national coach of the year and twice named Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. Among first time head coaches who started in the 2017-18 season, Dutcher's 105 wins are the most and he is the only head coach in the group to reach triple-digit