Coming off a narrow loss to UCLA in their first exhibition game on Oct.17, the San Diego State men’s basketball team entered their matchup against the University of San Diego eager to remind everyone why they were the unanimous preseason pick to win the Mountain West Conference.
They did just that, cruising to a dominant 87–54 victory over their cross-town rivals.
The Toreros opened the scoring with a quick bucket from Dominique Ford, but it was the only time they would lead all night. The Aztecs immediately responded with a basket from guard Taj Degourville, followed by a thunderous alley-oop dunk from forward Pharoah Compton that gave them the lead for good. From there, it was all Aztecs.
Despite missing starters Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath, San Diego State controlled the game from start to finish, building a lead that stretched to as much as 38 points. Offensively, they dictated the tempo with rapid ball movement and efficient shooting. Defensively, they smothered the Toreros, forcing 11 turnovers and racking up six blocks as a team while holding San Diego to just 29.3% from the field.
Reese Dixon-Waters led the team in scoring for the second straight game after missing last season with a stress fracture in his left foot. He finished with 17 points and three rebounds, while Latrell Davis and freshman Elzie Harrington added 13 and 12 points, respectively. In total, 11 different Aztecs scored, including 7’1’’ freshman and fan favorite Thokbor Majak, who brought the crowd to its feet with his first collegiate score.
Head coach Brian Dutcher is enthusiastic about his team’s makeup as they head into the season.
“The strength of this team is its depth,” Dutcher said. “We can keep fresh legs and fresh bodies on the floor. I think that will be an advantage for us all season.”
The Aztecs enter the year not only as favorites to win the Mountain West, but also as legitimate contenders to make a deep NCAA Tournament run, with nine players returning from last year’s squad.
Key contributors Byrd and Gwath, both projected to be 2026 NBA Draft picks, headline the returning core. Alongside Dixon-Waters, they form a formidable trio that will only strengthen when Gwath returns from his knee injury in the coming weeks. All three were named to the Preseason All–Mountain West Team.
Dutcher acknowledged the importance of continuity to the Aztecs’ success.
“We have a lot of continuity and we have a lot of returning players who have played a lot of time together,” he said. “And that makes a difference.”
San Diego State looks to build on last season’s 21–10 campaign, which ended with a First Four exit in the NCAA Tournament. With a deep, veteran roster, the Aztecs appear poised for a strong run under Brian Dutcher and his staff in 2025.
They’ll tip off the regular season on Nov. 4 at Viejas Arena against Long Beach State, the first of three straight home games to open the year, before heading to Las Vegas for the Players Era Championship on Nov. 24.
