SAN DIEGO - Putting a bow on its two-game road trip to the state of Colorado, the San Diego State men's basketball team looks to make it a clean sweep when it plays at the Air Force Academy on Saturday evening in Clune Arena, a venue that SDSU has emerged from with a win in 23 of 40 appearances.
OFF THE BOUNCE
San Diego State has won 22 of its 27 conference road contests (22-5) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, and overall has emerged the victor in 14 of its last 16 Mountain West games.
The Aztecs are battle tested having played the fifth toughest schedule in the nation based on its average opponent's NET rank. Only two schools in the AP Top 25 have played a tougher schedule than the Aztecs; No. 2 Kansas with the toughest schedule and No. 4 Alabama with the third most difficult schedule. Tonight's opponent, Air Force, has played the 272nd most difficult schedule.
Since the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign, San Diego State's 97-57 record in true road games is the sixth best in the nation and overall, the Aztecs' 346-113 record is the seventh best in the nation.
The last time out, San Diego State bounced back from its first conference loss of the season with an 82-86 overtime victory at Colorado State.
SDSU is 19-2 in its last 21 Mountain West home games since January 1, 2021.
SDSU is 50-1 in its last 51 games, and has won 38 straight games, in which it has shot at least 50.0 percent from the field which it last did against Nevada on January 10 in a 74-65 win.
With its 82-76 win at Colorado State in its last game, the Aztecs improved to 18-3 in their last 21 games immediately following a loss. In situations where a loss is followed immediately by a home game, San Diego State has won 24 consecutive games.
On Saturday evening, San Diego State and Air Force will meet for the 88th time overall and the second time during the 2022-23 campaign. The Aztecs own a 63-24 series advantage. At the USAF Academy, SDSU is 23-17, including wins in six of the last eight meetings there.
The last time San Diego State played at Air Force was in the 2020-21 season and in a pair of games at Clune Arena, blew the Falcons out by scores of 98-61 & 91-59.
San Diego State's calling card is defense, and it is playing it at an elite level, according to Kenpom, which has the Aztecs ranked No. 26 nationally in adjusted defense. In addition, the SDSU offense, which ended the 2021-22 campaign ranked No. 167 in adjusted offense, slots in at No. 61 through 18 games this year and SDSU is No. 29 in adjusted efficiency margin.
San Diego State has appeared in the Associated Press' Top 25 Poll for 94 weeks since the start of 2010-11 season. SDSU's 94 weeks in the top 25 are the 18th most nationally and are the most for any California school in that time.
SDSU enters tonight's game with a 14-4 record, with its losses coming against then No. 5 Arizona and No. 9 Arkansas at the 2022 Maui Jim Maui Invitational, Saint Mary's at the Jerry Colangelo Classic and New Mexico last Saturday night. All four are Quad 1 games played on either a neutral court, and with New Mexico, a game at Viejas Arena. The first three rank among the top-25 in Kenpom rankings. In addition, the Aztecs victory over Ohio State, No. 21 in Kenpom and receiving votes in the AP Poll, is also a Quad 1 game. The Ohio State, Arizona, Saint Mary's and Arkansas are Quad 1 games.
San Diego State, which in 2021-22 reached the Mountain West championship game for the fifth time in head coach Brian Dutcher's five seasons, looks for its unprecedented 15th Mountain West men's basketball title. Entering the 2022-23 season, San Diego State, the most successful program in conference history, has won eight regular season and six Mountain West tournament titles.
San Diego State owns a 90-20 record (81.8 percent) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign. That's the fifth best record in the nation, trailing only Gonzaga (106-10), Houston (101-19), Baylor (94-18), and Kansas (99-20).
Junior Lamont Butler led the Aztecs attack against Colorado State with a game-high 19 points. He led the team in scoring for the second time this season and the fourth time in his Aztec career. He has reached double figure scoring in three of the last four games. At CSU he was 7-of-14 from the field, including 2-of-4 from the bonus distance and made 3-of-4 from the line.
Junior Micah Parrish totaled 15 points at Colorado State, going 5-of-5 from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and the only shot he hoisted that didn't go in was a free throw, Finishing at 3-of-4 from the stripe. Parrish hit double figures for the fifth time this season and the 38th time in his college career. The game in Fort Collins, marks the first time he has made at least three 3-pointers without a miss in 77 games.
Senior Matt Bradley finished the CSU game with 14 points, all of which came with less than 10 minutes in regulation and the overtime period. It was the 11th time this season and 108th time in his career (135 games) he has reached double figure scoring.
Darrion Trammell, a senior guard, equaled his season-best with six assists and scored in double figures, 11 points, for the 58th time in his college career and the ninth time as an Aztec.
Brian Dutcher is now in his sixth season as San Diego State's head coach and his 24th season on the Aztec sidelines. In his five-plus seasons as head coach, he has led the Aztecs to four conference titles, five Mountain West championship game appearances, a 133-44 (.751) overall record, and has been named the national coach of the year and twice the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year.
Men’s Hoops at Air Force Saturday Night
