In a dominant performance on Senior Night, the San Diego State Aztecs sealed an 80-61 victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack at Viejas Arena, clinching the fourth seed in next week’s Mountain West Tournament.
Four Aztecs scored in double figures, led by Nick Boyd with 18 points, while Miles Heide added a career-high 14, Pharaoh Compton matched his career-best with 13, and BJ Davis chipped in 10. San Diego State shot a sizzling 54.5 percent from the field, their best shooting performance since February 16, 2024, against New Mexico.
SDSU wasted no time in asserting control, jumping out to an early lead and never relinquishing it. After a tight start, the Aztecs embarked on a 24-3 run that spanned nearly nine minutes, building a commanding 32-10 lead with 5:59 left in the first half. By halftime, SDSU was firmly in control, up 43-21—their largest halftime lead of the season.
Head coach Brian Dutcher praised his team’s balanced performance, especially on defense, which helped fuel their offensive success.
“Good team victory tonight,” Dutcher said. “We wanted to make sure we established our defensive pressure right away. They are a really good offensive team, so anything we could do to disrupt the timing a little bit, we tried to do. Pressure the ball, so the passes weren’t on time. We created some turnovers that led to fast-break baskets. We shot over 50 percent from the field and had 19 assists. A good offensive performance with good defense, and you come out here with a nice team victory.”
The Aztecs’ defense was suffocating from the outset. Nevada struggled to find any rhythm, shooting just 21.4 percent in the first half. Meanwhile, San Diego State’s offense was clicking, particularly in transition, where they capitalized on Nevada’s turnovers for easy points.
SDSU also made it a priority to get everyone involved.
“It starts from the practice we put in this week,” said senior guard Wayne McKinney III. “We were dialed in on the offensive end. Our defense helped us get to our spots on offense. We’re getting transition points by emphasizing trying to get to the paint and kicking out. It was great for everybody to touch the rock and swing it around, get assists and paint touches, and kick outs and threes. My teammates found me in good open spots, and I’m thankful for that.”
With a 22-point lead at the break, San Diego State extended it to 28 points early in the second half, but Nevada wasn’t finished. Behind Tyler Rolison’s 19 points and a 16-point performance from Nick Davidson, the Wolf Pack fought to trim the deficit. They pulled within 14 points, 59-45, with 9:56 remaining, but SDSU responded with a key 8-1 run to quell Nevada’s momentum.
“Not a specific moment, but that first half was special to watch,” Ferrari said. “It’s a culmination of all our hard work, and to set the tone like that in a must-win game speaks to all the work we’ve put in.”
The Scarlet and Black offense came alive in the second half, with Boyd’s clutch three-pointer extending their lead and putting the game out of reach.
The successful win wasn’t just about the offensive explosion. The team’s ability to limit turnovers, committing only six in the game, was key to their victory. The Aztecs also dominated on the boards, assisted on 19 baskets, and stole the ball five times.
“This team was gritty and tough all year,” Dutcher reflected. “We don’t make excuses. We lace the shoes up, tie them tight, and go to work every day. I’m proud of the way the team handled adversity and found ways to win important basketball games all season.”
SDSU’s final victory in front of a sold-out White-Out crowd at Viejas Arena was a fitting way to honor their six seniors—McKinney III, Ferrari, Jared Coleman-Jones, Desai Lopez, Demarshay Johnson Jr. and Ryan Schwarz. The seniors took part in a pregame ceremony, and the team delivered a performance worthy of the occasion.
“It was great to see how proud everybody was of each other,” he said. “We’ve been in the gym and the weight room day and night. To see everything come together for Senior Night, to go hard and get a win, the whole night was picture perfect.”
With the win, San Diego State improved to 21-8 overall and finished the regular season with a 14-6 conference record. The Aztecs will enter the Mountain West Tournament as the 4-seed and face 5-seed Boise State in a quarterfinal matchup on Thursday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m. PT. SDSU has defeated Boise State twice this season and is looking to extend its successful run.
