As the regular season winds down, every game grows more significant for San Diego State. With the Mountain West Tournament and NCAA Tournament approaching, there is little room for error, and Saturday night was no exception.
The Aztecs delivered in a must-win situation, defeating conference rival Nevada 71–57 to maintain their position near the top of the Mountain West standings.
San Diego State held the lead for 33 minutes and 10 seconds of game time, but the headline of the night was the return of star center Magoon Gwath. Playing after sitting out six games, and for the first time all season without a knee brace, Gwath looked every bit like the highly touted prospect and future NBA player he’s been advertised as.
Gwath finished the night with 13 points, 3 rebounds and a staggering 5 blocks in just 14 minutes of play.
“It’s great having him back,” said Head Coach Brian Dutcher. “Hopefully, he continues to enjoy good health and plays himself back into game shape where he can play lots of minutes for us.”
His impact was felt immediately on both ends of the floor, particularly on defense, where his rim protection disrupted Nevada’s offensive rhythm and anchored the Aztecs on that end of the floor.
In addition to Gwath’s promising performance, BJ Davis and Reese Dixon-Waters provided additional scoring. Davis finished with 14 points, while Dixon-Waters led the team with 20 points to help seal the victory and complete the season sweep of Nevada.
SDSU entered the matchup in second place in the Mountain West with a 12–2 conference record. Nevada, sitting in fourth place at 9–4, arrived at Viejas looking to close the gap in the standings. Instead, the Aztecs defended their home court and strengthened their hopes of finishing atop the conference.
For much of the night, San Diego State appeared firmly in control. The Aztecs built a lead of as many as 16 points in the first half and entered the break ahead 36–25. However, a familiar issue resurfaced. Blowing leads.
Nevada stormed back early in the second half, tying the game at the 15:39 mark. It was another example of a season-long challenge for the Aztecs. The issue is maintaining focus and composure once momentum has been built.
“We had a 20-point lead and kind of let it go away,” said Dixon-Waters after the game. “So I think that’s the biggest thing (that needs to improve), just holding our lead and just playing like the team we are.”
Despite the lapse, SDSU responded. The Aztecs quickly regained control, tightened up defensively and put the Wolfpack away for good in the second half. Still, the pattern of allowing opponents back into games is a concern that could prove costly against tougher competition.
And tougher competition is exactly what awaits.
The Aztecs now face arguably their most challenging stretch of the season, with six straight conference games on deck. The toughest test may come when they host the current conference leader, Utah State. With the regular season title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament at stake, it’s likely SDSU will need to win out to finish atop the Mountain West standings.
Saturday’s victory was an important win, but if the Aztecs hope to accomplish their postseason goals, they’ll need to pair their talent and depth with consistency.
Their next test comes in just three days, when Grand Canyon University comes into town on Tuesday, Feb. 17, looking to knock the Aztecs down a notch in the conference ladder.
