SAN DIEGO – Coming off its second worst beating of Fresno State in the 127-game series, a 27-point destruction of the Bulldogs, San Diego State looks to go 2-0 in Mountain West play when it hosts UNLV on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. PT at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena.
OFF THE BOUNCE
Coming off its second worst beating of Fresno State in the 127-game series, a 27-point destruction of the Bulldogs, San Diego State looks to go 2-0 in Mountain West play when it hosts UNLV on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. PT at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena.
The Aztecs and Runnin Rebels are meeting for the 80th time, with SDSU owning a 42-37 advantage in the all-time series.
Since the start of the 2019-20 season, SDSU has a 34-4 record in Mountain West home games and enters the game with a seven-game win streak against conference opponents at Steve Fisher Court.
Once again San Diego State's metrics rank among the best in the nation. Through the games of January 3, the Aztecs were ranked No. 21 in the NET, No. 26 in T-Rank, No. 21 in Kenpom, No. 18 in KPI and No. 42 in BPI. San Diego State RPI strength of schedule is No. 5 and its strength of record is No. 13.
The Aztecs are among the elite programs when it comes to winning, including on their home floor. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, SDSU's 63-5 (.926) home record is the fifth best in the nation and is 34-4 (.895) in conference home games in that time frame, the best in the Mountain West. In addition, since the start of the 2009-10 campaign, the Aztecs are 206-25 (.892) in home contests, No. 5 nationally, and 108-15 in league games, tops among Mountain West programs.
The Aztecs are among the elite programs in the country and that includes winning on their opponent's floor. Since the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign, SDSU has the fifth best road record in the nation, 103-61 (62.8 percent). Since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, SDSU has lost just 11 times in 43 road games (32-11, 74.4 percent), which is tied for the second fewest in the nation trailing only Gonzaga (5 losses) and tied with Baylor (11 losses) in that time frame.
The last time out, San Diego State defeated Fresno State 74-47 at Steve Fisher Court at Viejas Arena in each team's 2023-34 Mountain West opener. The 27-victory was the second worst beating the Aztecs have handed the Bulldogs in the 127-game series. It was SDSU's ninth straight win against Fresno State.
It took 10:34 for the Aztecs to score 23 points against Fresno State on Wednesday, compared to the 23 points it totaled by halftime in the last matchup between the program (Feb. 15, 2023).
In shooting 52.6 percent from the floor against Fresno State, its second consecutive game at 50 percent or higher, SDSU improved, under Brian Dutcher, to 56-1 and has won 44 straight when it is successful on at least half its field goal attempts.
Junior wing Reese Waters has been named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week and included on the USBWA's Oscar Robertson National Team of the Week for his 22 point, 5 rebound, 2 assist, and 2 steal effort without a turnover in the Aztecs' 84-74 victory at No. 13/16 Gonzaga (12/29).
SDSU is 135-9 the last 144 times it has shot better than its opponent and the Aztecs have won 30 straight games when scoring between 80-89 points.
San Diego State, which won both the 2022-23 Mountain West regular season and tournament titles and reached the league tournament championship game for the sixth time in head coach Brian Dutcher's six seasons, looks for its unprecedented 17th Mountain West men's basketball title. Entering the 2023-24 season, San Diego State has won nine regular season and seven Mountain West tournament titles.
San Diego State owns a 120-25 record (82.8 percent) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign. That is the third best record in the nation trailing only Gonzaga (130-17, 88.4 percent) and Houston (129-22, 85.4 percent).
Against Fresno State, senior forward Jaedon LeDee reached double figure scoring, 21 points, for the 13th time in 13 games this year. It was his 32nd career 10-plus point game in his college career, 24 of which have come in his 51 games as an Aztec. He finished the contest 9-of-12 from the field; the 11th game this season in which he has hit on at least 50.0 percent of his shots and the sixth time he has shot at least 62.5 percent in a game.
Senior wing Micah Parrish finished the Fresno State game with 11 points and led the team with 7 rebounds and added two assists. He reached double figure scoring for the ninth time in 13 appearances this year and for the 51st time in his college career. The Aztecs outscored the Bulldogs by 27 points when he was on the floor, tied for the largest plus/minus rating in the game.
Senior guard Lamont Butler totaled 11 points against Fresno State and added a game-high four assists. It was his fifth 10-plus point effort this season, second in the last three games and the 31st time in his career. It was the second time in the last three games he has scored at least 11 points with four assists and zero turnovers while shooting at least 50.0 percent in a game.
Brian Dutcher is in his seventh season as San Diego State's head coach and his 25th season on the Aztec sidelines. In his six-plus seasons as head coach, he has led the Aztecs to five conference titles, six Mountain West championship game appearances, a 163-49 (.769) overall record, the 2023 NCAA national championship game, has been named the national coach of the year, and twice the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year.
Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels Faceoff at Viejas
