San Diego State vs. UNLV
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Viejas Arena
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 760-AM
Records: SDSU is 19-10 general and 13-6 in Mountain West play; UNLV is 16-14, 11-8
Series historical past: SDSU leads 45-40 however has misplaced three of the final 5, together with 77-76 in additional time at Viejas Arena final yr. The Aztecs received the primary assembly 82-71 in Las Vegas on Jan. 24.
Rebels replace: It’s been an up-and-down season in Josh Pastner’s first yr, going 7-7 in Quad 3 and Quad 4 video games however sweeping first-place Utah State. They righted the ship after a four-game dropping streak and are 6-2 since. At 11-8, they’re in a four-way logjam for fifth place, which means they might find yourself with the No. 5, 6, 7 or 8 seeds within the convention match. Illinois switch guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is making a case for Mountain West Player of the Year, main the convention in scoring at 20.6 factors. During a nine-game stretch between Jan. 30 to Feb. 28, he averaged 29.7 factors, together with 42 towards rival Nevada. In the primary assembly towards SDSU, he had 27 and would have had extra if he didn’t shoot 1-for-7 behind the arc. Kimani Hamilton (12.7) and Tyrin Jones (11.5) each common in double figures. Howie Fleming Jr. is fifth within the convention in rebounding (6.2) and sixth in assists (3.9). The lengthy, athletic Jones leads the convention in blocks at 2.0 per game however went 2 of 10 on the line towards SDSU. The Rebels are 107 in Kenpom, which initiatives an 83-72 Aztecs win.
Senior Night takes on added meaning as Aztecs face uncertain future
Aztecs replace: They are nonetheless alive for a share of the regular-season Mountain West title, however can’t get the No. 1 seed. More possible is the No. 2 or 3 seed in the event that they beat UNLV, and the No. 4 seed in the event that they lose and end tied for third with Grand Canyon (which holds the tiebreaker based mostly on its season sweep). Of these choices, the 4 seed is preferable due to the afternoon game within the quarterfinals and early-evening game within the Friday semis. The No. 2 and three seeds feed into the late semi, which doesn’t tip till 9 p.m. (and generally later) with a ridiculous turnaround for a 3 p.m. closing on Saturday. Coach Brian Dutcher is hoping to have a full roster however admitted Elzie Harrington and Reese Dixon-Waters didn’t apply on Wednesday or Thursday. Normally, he may need rested legs on Wednesday however opted to apply — and mentioned his gamers needed to — after Tuesday’s 86-77 loss at Boise State during which they trailed by 21 and had been crushed on the boards. The Aztecs are nonetheless 44 in Kenpom and 45 in NET however plummeted in the important thing metrics of energy of file (67) and WAB (57).
Next up: Thursday on the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas.
— MARK ZEIGLER
