San Diego State and UNLV have always had an intense rivalry against one another, and Thursday night’s matchup delivered another intense chapter.
The Lady Rebels have won the last four Mountain West Tournament Championships, with the exception of last season, with the Aztecs taking home the trophy.
UNLV has been a standard in this conference and has represented that over the years. The intensity between these top two teams in the league generated a high level of energy heading into the game.
Expectations were high on the court, with a fast-paced start that stayed throughout the whole game. The ball was moving quickly on both sides, keeping the whole arena up and roaring for the Aztecs.
The student turnout in the section was higher than normal, and head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson challenged the Aztecs as well. The crows did not disappoint, cheering on the Aztecs as they displayed their incredible athletic skills with plays that kept them engaged.
Not only did students show out, but players of the SDSU football team also came out to show their support for our women in sports.
“I want to give a shoutout to our head coaches who brought their teams in. It’s just really great to see the support, and it feels great to be a part of an athletic department that supports each other as well,” said Terry-Hutson.
Viejas Arena was loud and proud, cheering, celebrating and supporting our Aztecs. The crowd’s energy was recognizable to everyone, keeping everyone up and ready for the next half.
“It was so cool to see a really big student section for us because it does make a difference, but just overall, really grateful it truly has an impact when we have a crowd with us,” said Naomi Panagniabn.
The fans were engaged not only during the game but also through the brief prompts between timeouts and halftime. With performance by the SDSU dance team and twirlers. On Friday, Feb. 13, the women’s basketball social media team posted activities to increase attendance and boost student engagement.
The stakes were high going into this last period, but the Aztecs dominated the quarter with plays by Panagniabn, Lee, and Martinez, capped by an unremarkable 3-pointer from deep that sent the whole crowd to their feet and into a frenzy, leading the Aztecs to the win.
“Our community came in and showed out. We hit that deep 3, and that place felt like the roof came off. It was so loud, and it meant a lot to these young ladies because they work hard every day, and they deserve this support for playing fantastic basketball,” said Terry-Hutson.
Not only was that a celebration, but Terry-Hutson also earned her 200th career win. Since the start of the 2022-2023 season, she has led the Aztecs to a 90-38 record and is 44-14 since the beginning of last year, demonstrating her contributions to this phenomenal program.
It was an amazing night to be an Aztec; the community and fans showed their love and support, celebrating the win and the team getting the first spot in the Mountain West Conference.
