LAS VEGAS – The seventh-seeded Aztecs (15-15, 8-10) take on the No. 2 seed New Mexico Lobos (23-8, 14-4) in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament Monday at 6 p.m.
Aztec Tidbits
• SDSU lost both their meetings with the Lobos in the regular season, falling 75-72 in Albuquerque Jan. 9 and then 67-58 Jan. 29 in San Diego.
• The Lobos and Aztecs last met in the Mountain West Tournament three years ago when No. 7 SDSU upset No. 2 New Mexico in overtime.
• The Aztecs are 5-10 all-time in the quarterfinals of the MW Tournament and 3-7 against the No. 2 seed.
• With Sunday's win, SDSU set its highest win total (15) since the 2012-13 season.
• Sophia Ramos was an All-Mountain West honorable mention selection and Asia Avinger was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team.
• SDSU averages just 13.0 turnovers per game, their fewest per game in school history. The Aztecs also have their second-best assist-to-turnover ratio (0.92) in the Mountain West era.
• The Aztecs have four players averaging double-digit points: Sophia Ramos (14.8), Asia Avinger (12.1), Mallory Adams (10.4) & Mercedes Staples (10.4). This is just the second time in the Mountain West era (1999-present) that the Aztecs have had four players averaging 10 or more points.
• Sophia Ramos (San Antonio, Texas) has 1,536 career points, the fifth most on the SDSU's all-time scoring list.
• Ramos is the only Aztec ever to have at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in her career. She is currently in the top 10 in program history in nine statistical categories, including points (5th), made threes (5th), assists (6th), made free throws (6th) and three-point percentage (10th).
• Ramos is one of three active four-year players with career totals of at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals (Ohio's Erica Johnson & Florida's Kiara Smith).
• Mallory Adams (Frisco, Texas) shot 38.8 percent from three in conference play while making 2.4 per game, both are the second most in the Mountain West.
• Adams has over 850 points & 500 rebounds in her career and her 14 career double-doubles are the second most in the MW.
• Asia Avinger (Cerritos, Calif.) is one of four freshmen in the nation to average at least 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. (Notre Dame's Olivia Miles, USC Upstate's Rachael Rose & Pacific's Anaya James). Avinger leads all Mountain West freshmen in scoring and assists.
• SDSU has three active players in the top 10 all-time in career three-point percentage. Mercedes Staples is third at 38.6 percent (68-176), Isabela Hernandez is fifth (36.3%, 62-171) and Sophia Ramos is 10th (35.1%, 153-436).
• The Aztecs are 11-3 when they shoot at least 40 percent from the floor and 10-2 when they out-assist their opponent.
• SDSU finished their home schedule 10-5, their most home wins and best home winning percentage since the 2012-13 season.
Mountain West Tournament Notes
• The Aztecs are 17-20 all-time in the Mountain West Tournament.
• SDSU is 5-10 all-time in the quarterfinals.
• The Aztecs are 3-6 as the No. 7 seed.
• SDSU is 3-7 all-time against New Mexico.
• SDSU is 3-7 all-time against No. 2 seeds.
• 2019 was the last time the Aztecs were the No. 7 seed. They beat No. 10 Air Force and then upset No. 2 New Mexico before falling to No. 3 Wyoming in overtime in the semifinals. This was Sophia Ramos and Mallory Adams' freshman season.
• Three of SDSU's last five and four of their last seven MW Tournament games have gone to overtime.
• This is the Aztecs first time playing Boise State in the Mountain West Tournament.
Opponent Notebook (New Mexico)
• The Lobos are 23-8 overall and went 14-4 in conference play to earn the No. 2 seed.
• They are just 8-7 away from the Pit.
• They lead the conference with 76.9 points per game.
• They are fourth in the nation with 292 made threes and ninth in made threes per game (9.4).
• They shoot 35.7 percent from three (21st in the nation) and 45.9 percent from the field (9th).
• They made 21 three-pointers against Utah St. on Jan. 6, a new MW single-game record.
• Shaiquel McGruder, Jaedyn de la Cerda & Antonia Anderson all made the All-Mountain West Team.
• They are the only team in the conference with five players averaging double-digits in scoring (McGruder, de la Cerda, LaTora Duff, Latascya Duff and Anderson).
• Shaiquel McGruder is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (.621).
• Latascya Duff is 19th in the nation in made threes and 15th in 3-point percentage (.425).
• Head coach Mike Bradbury (6th season) is closing in on 300 wins for his career.
Series Notes
• New Mexico leads the all-time series 38-32.
• The Lobos have won the last four meetings. Prior to that SDSU had won four in a row.
• The Aztecs have played the Lobos more times than any other program.
• SDSU is 3-7 all-time against the Lobos in the Mountain West Tournament.
• Their first meeting was Jan. 18, 1992, a 91-44 Aztec win.
Notes from 2021-22 Meetings with New Mexico
75-72 New Mexico, Jan. 9, 2022 in Albuquerque
• The game featured 11 lead changes and eight ties.
• The Aztecs trailed by 14 points with 5:33 left and then scored 17 points in the final five minutes and nearly pulled off the incredible comeback.
• SDSU outrebounded the Lobos 53-35 including a remarkable 24-8 advantage on the offensive glass which led to a 16-1 edge in second chance points for SDSU.
• SDSU had three different players nearly record a double-double. Mallory Adams scored a then-career-high 21 points and had nine rebounds, Kim Villalobos had 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and Asia Avinger finished with 19 points, a career-high nine assists and seven rebounds.
67-58 New Mexico, Jan. 29, 2022 in San Diego
• SDSU trailed by 18 points with 9:28 left and then went on a scoring spree to pull within six points with 4:51 remaining before their cold shooting returned.
• SDSU began the game up 13-3 after hitting their first three threes, but the Lobos responded with a 9-0 run and held a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
• Sophia Ramos nearly scored half of SDSU's points and finished with 27 points and six made threes
• Mercedes Staples had 12 points and Mallory Adams had 11 points and nine rebounds. Kim Villalobos hauled in 11 rebounds but struggled from the field.
• Neither team had a bench player score.
No. 7 Aztecs vs. No. 2 Lobos Tonight
