San Diego State’s men’s basketball team celebrates winning the Mountain West Conference title Saturday at Viejas Arena in San Diego.
Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State
The San Diego State Aztecs have met their expectations so far this season.
“I always tell our players they have to tell the new players coming in that we win titles at this university,” coach Brian Dutcher said Saturday night after his Aztecs clinched the Mountain West regular season title with a 67-50 victory over the Wyoming Cowboys. “If you leave here without one (a title) you are one of the few.”
San Diego State (24-6, 15-3), the No. 1 team in the final Nevada Appeal Mountain West men’s basketball rankings, heads into the conference tournament this week in Las Vegas as the No. 1 seed.
“Nothing gets old about Gatorade baths,” said Dutcher, who was drenched by his team after the win over No. 10 Wyoming. “Regular season titles are always the hardest because they take months of hard work.”
The Aztecs, though, started off last week with a disappointing 66-60 loss to the No. 3 Boise State Broncos (23-8, 13-5) on the road. Matt Bradley scored 16 points for San Diego State at Boise State but missed 9-of-15 shots. The rest of the Aztec starters scored just 16 points combined on 6-of-19 shooting.
“We just had to look in the mirror,” Bradley said. “We had a discussion as teammates and just said, ‘Man, they (Boise State) just got the best of us the last few minutes.’”
“Sometimes in college basketball you don’t get what you deserve,” Dutcher said. “But tonight (against Boise State) we got what we deserved.”
Boise’s Max Rice scored 26 points with five threes to help beat San Diego State. “You can never measure a guy’s heart or the intangibles that are so valuable to his team,” said Boise State coach Leon Rice of his son Max. “Max is willing to do anything to help the team win. Whatever it is he’ll find a way.”
Max Rice, though, didn’t find a way on Saturday, scoring 13 points in an 86-73 loss to No. 2 Utah State (24-7, 13-5).
“There was a lot of pressure on both teams in this game,” Utah State coach Ryan Odom said after beating Boise State. “Senior nights are very hard. You see your mom and dad and your loved ones and it gets in your thoughts.
“We told them whatever happens out there you (the seniors) left the Aggie jersey better than when you found it. Then I was looking at (senior) Sean (Bairstow) and he’s got tears in his eyes and I thought I probably should not have said that. But I asked everybody to take a deep breath and asked them, ‘How do you feel? Is your heart beating pretty fast? Do you have a little bit of nerves? That’s good because you care.’”
Utah State earlier in the week destroyed UNLV, 91-66, in Las Vegas behind 27 points from Steve Ashworth.
“Our character got challenged,” UNLV’s E.J. Harkless said. “But we came out and responded.”
The No. 7 Rebels (18-12, 7-11) responded by going to Reno and upsetting the No. 4 Nevada Wolf Pack, 69-67, in overtime at Lawlor Events Center. Harkless scored 24 points before fouling out in the final minute of regulation.
“Compete, we just competed,” UNLV’s Justin Webster said. “I have faith in these guys. I believed we would turn around real quick (after the Utah State loss).”
Jackie Johnson came off the bench to score seven points and had out two assists in the overtime against Nevada. The Rebels were missing starters Harkless, Keshon Gilbert (ejected in the first half) and Jordan McCabe (injured) in the overtime.
“Just take over,” Johnson said. “Just win the game. That’s all I was thinking, to do what I could to help the team win.”
Luis Rodriguez picked up a loose ball and drove the length of the court for a layup with 11 seconds in regulation to send the game to overtime.
“All I saw was the ball,” Rodriguez said. “Fortunately it came up to me and I had a chance to go the length of the floor.”
“It was really about licking our wounds (after the Utah State loss),” said UNLV coach Kevin Kruger, who is 4-0 against Nevada the last two years. “Everybody kind of had a feeling in their stomach because that (losing to Utah State) is not how the team has represented UNLV all year.”
Nevada (22-9, 12-6) also began the week with an eye-opening 80-71 loss to Wyoming on the road.
“I hate it for the guys,” Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford said after the loss to UNLV which ruined Nevada’s perfect (now 14-1) home season.
No. 5 San Jose State (19-12, 10-8), which plays Nevada on Thursday (2:30 p.m.) in the Mountain West tournament, beat Colorado State, 63-46, and Air Force, 63-61, last week. Omari Moore had 33 points against Air Force and 14 against No. 8 Colorado State (14-17, 6-12).
No. 6 New Mexico (21-10, 8-10) outscored Fresno State, 94-80, and was outscored by Colorado State, 92-84, last week. Morris Udeze had 25 points in each game for the Lobos. John Tonje had 24 for the Rams against the Lobos.
No. 10 Wyoming (9-21, 4-14) followed its win at Nevada with a loss to San Diego State at home Saturday. San Diego State held Cowboys guard Hunter Maldonado to three points on 1-of-11 shooting after Maldonado had 25 points against Nevada.
“That’s what makes them regular season champs,” Wyoming coach Jeff Linder said of San Diego State. “Their starting five is great but they don’t take a big step back when they go to the bench.
“They maintain a level of physicality, skill and talent (from the bench) that really nobody else in the league has.”
The final Nevada Appeal’s Mountain West men’s basketball rankings this season and Mountain West tournament schedule:
1. SAN DIEGO STATE (24-6, 15-3): Last week: Boise State 66, San Diego State 60 (Feb. 28), San Diego State 67, Wyoming 50 (March 4).
2. UTAH STATE (24-7, 13-5): Last week: Utah State 91, UNLV 66 (March 1), Utah State 86, Boise State 73 (March 4).
3. BOISE STATE (23-8, 13-5): Last week: Boise State 66, San Diego State 60 (Feb. 28), Utah State 86, Boise State 73 (March 4).
4. NEVADA (22-9, 12-6): Last week: Wyoming 80, Nevada 71 (Feb. 27), UNLV 69, Nevada 67, OT (March 4).
5. SAN JOSE STATE (19-12, 10-8): Last week: San Jose State 63, Colorado State 46 (Feb. 28), San Jose State 63, Air Force 61 (March 4).
6. NEW MEXICO (21-10, 8-10): Last week: New Mexico 94, Fresno State 80 (Feb. 28), Colorado State 92, New Mexico 84 (March 3).
7. UNLV (18-12, 7-11): Last week: Utah State 91, UNLV 66 (March 1), UNLV 69, Nevada 67, OT (March 4).
8. COLORADO STATE (14-17, 6-12): Last week: San Jose State 63, Colorado State 46 (Feb. 28), Colorado State 92, New Mexico 84 (March 3).
9. FRESNO STATE (11-19, 6-12): Last week: New Mexico 94, Fresno State 80 (Feb. 28), Fresno State 108, Chicago State 72 (March 4).
10. WYOMING (9-21, 4-14): Last week: Wyoming 80, Nevada 71 (Feb. 27), San Diego State 67, Wyoming 50 (March 4).
11. AIR FORCE (14-17, 5-13): Last week: San Jose State 63, Air Force 61 (March 4).
MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT
WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas.
TELEVISION: Mountain West Network (Wednesday), CBS Sports Network (Thursday, Friday), CBS (Saturday).
RADIO: Nevada Wolf Pack games on 94.5 FM.
SEEDS: 1: San Diego State. 2: Boise State. 3: Utah State. 4: Nevada. 5: San Jose State. 6: New Mexico. 7: UNLV. 8: Colorado State. 9: Fresno State. 10: Air Force. 11: Wyoming.
WEDNESDAY (Match 8): Colorado State vs. Fresno State, 11 a.m.; UNLV vs. Air Force, 1:30 p.m.; New Mexico vs. Wyoming, 4 p.m.
THURSDAY: San Diego State vs. Colorado State- Fresno State winner, Noon; Nevada vs. San Jose State, 2:30 p.m.; Boise State vs. UNLV-Air Force winner, 6 p.m.; Utah State vs. New Mexico-Wyoming winner, 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY: Semifinals, 6:30 p.m., 9 p.m.
SATURDAY: Championship, 3 p.m.