SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State men's basketball team travels to Fresno, Calif., to face Fresno State on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT. The game, at Save Mart Center, will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
OFF THE BOUNCE
The Aztecs and Bulldogs are meeting for the 128th time, with SDSU holding a 71-56 advantage in the all-time series. In the Mountain West era, SDSU has a 17-8 lead in the series, is 26-33 in Fresno overall, but a robust 10-4 at Save Mart Center.
Entering the evening, San Diego State's 127 games played versus Fresno State are the most against any opponent in SDSU program history.
In its last 30 games immediately following a loss, the Aztecs are 27-3. In situations where a loss is followed immediately by a home contest, San Diego State has won 34 consecutive games, most recently its 71-55 win over Colorado State on Jan. 13.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, when the current slate of MW members was finalized, SDSU has an 58-36 (.617) record in Mountain West ROAD games, the best mark in the conference. Boise State has the second-best record 48-47 (.505).
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 seventh best road record in the nation, 105-66 (61.4 percent). Since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, SDSU has lost 16 times in 50 road games (34-16, 68.0 percent), which are the FIFTH fewest road losses in the nation trailing only Gonzaga (6 losses), Saint Mary's (12 losses) and Baylor & Houston (15 losses) and its 68.0 winning percentage in road games in that time frame is the SIXTH best in the nation.
San Diego State's seven losses have all come on the road against Quad 1 opponents, and six of its seven defeats have come by nine points or less. SDSU has lost by 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 & 18 points.
San Diego State is one of six programs nationally whose only losses this season have come against Quad 1 opponents (also: Houston, Purdue, Connecticut, Auburn and Florida).
With its 81-70 win over New Mexico (2-16-24), Brian Dutcher has at least 20 victories in all seven seasons as head coach. Dutcher extended his school record for most consecutive 20-win seasons to start his coaching career.
San Diego State owns a 128-30 record (81.0 percent) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign. That is the third best record in the nation trailing only Gonzaga (141-19, 88.1 percent) and Houston (139-25, 84.8 percent).
Once again San Diego State is one of the elite teams when it comes to challenging itself. According to Kenpom, through the games of Feb. 21, the Aztecs have the No. 10 strength of schedule rating, including the No. 9 rated non-conference schedule. SDSU has faced the No. 10 rated schedule in opponents adjusted offensive efficiency and the No. 16 rated schedule in opponents adjusted defensive efficiency.
Since the start of the 2013-14 season, when the current slate of MW members was finalized, SDSU has an 87-11 (.888) record in Mountain West HOME games, the best mark in the conference.
The Aztecs metrics rank among the best in the nation. Through the games of February 21, the Aztecs were ranked No. 18 in the NET, No. 18 in Kenpom, No. 26 in T-Rank, No. 14 in KPI and No. 32 in BPI. San Diego State's NET strength of schedule is No. 9.
Against New Mexico, the Aztecs won their 19th straight home game, the second-longest streak in program history. The 19-game home win streak is currently the second longest active streak in the country through the games of Feb. 21 (Houston and Drake have won 20 straight at home).
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.
Senior forward Jaedon LeDee recorded his fourth straight and 15th overall 20-point game of the season (SDSU is 11-4), totaling a team-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor and 7-of-9 from the line in the team's 63-68 loss at Utah State on Tuesday. Over the last three games, has totaled 73 points (24.3/game) and is shooting 67.6 percent (25-of-37) from the floor, 71.0 percent (22-of-31) from the line and 50 percent from the bonus distance.
With 11 points at Utah State, junior wing Reese Waters recorded his 16th double digit scoring game of the season (SDSU is 11-5) and 32nd of his college career (22-10). In addition, Waters led the team in assists for the first time this season and second time in his career.
Sophomore guard Miles Byrd scored in double figures, 10 points at Utah State, for the second time this year (and career) with both games coming on the road (also: at New Mexico - 1/13/24). In addition, he matched and season and career-best with two steals.
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 171-54 (.760) 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.