The NCAA Tournament begins on Thursday with 64 teams competing for the chance to be crowned national champions. For San Diego State, the program is already looking toward the 2026-27 season after the team did not receive a tournament bid and declined an NIT invitation.
SDSU finished this season as the runner-up in the Mountain West Tournament after the 73-62 loss to Utah State in the championship game on March 14. With a record of 22-11 (14-6 MW), SDSU fell just short of receiving a tournament bid, being listed as one of the first four teams out. Before this season, the Aztecs hadn’t missed an NCAA Tournament since 2019, when the team finished 21-13 (11-7 MW).
“We lose one game, and it might be the difference, and we can’t lose a game we’re supposed to win,” head coach Brian Dutcher said. “Our metrics were pretty close to what they were a year ago, but we didn’t have the marquee win against Houston as we did a year ago… so we know the margin for error is very small.”
“Any other year, this resume is enough,” Dutcher said.
With the hopes of securing a tournament bid in the past, Dutcher and his staff are now fully invested in building a roster for next season that he says will compete at the highest level.
“I’m 100% engaged in next season putting a team together that will win at a high level that will have our ultimate goal of playing for a national championship again, and we are doing all of that daily and will not rest until that happens,” Dutcher said.
Dutcher wants guys who want to come back and want to be here at SDSU, adding that he’s not going to convince anybody to stay.
The transfer portal doesn’t open until April 7, after the national championship game; however, Dutcher made it clear that it’s unofficially open right now.
“Obviously, the portal doesn’t officially open until after the final four, but if you just look online, there are kids going in the portal every day through social media, and then there are agents behind the scenes reaching out all over the country,” Dutcher said. “Everybody’s in the portal; if they have an agent, they’re in the portal, so they’re entertaining offers from everywhere.”
When Dutcher was asked about what he’s looking for in the portal, the answer was clear. Rebounding.
“I have to recruit a rebounder. I have to get someone who can go get the ball, or these guys have to become drastically better at it,” Dutcher said.
The Aztecs could look into the European market for a big man, with Dutcher saying he’s been in contact with guys from Europe. Still, the difficulties in getting those players to the U.S. stem from paperwork, contract buyouts and the salaries required to pay them, which may turn them off to European players.
The SDSU roster will have lots of turnover this offseason, with seniors Miles Byrd, Reese Dixon-Waters, Cam Lawin, Sean Newman Jr. and Jeremiah Oden all leaving The Mesa. For those who could come back, questions loom about the futures of Magoon Gwath, Elzie Harrington, Tae Simmons, Pharaoh Compton, BJ Davis, Taj DeGourville and Miles Heide.
Gwath had an up-and-down season for the Aztecs, playing in 25 games and averaging 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Gwath battled hip and knee injuries throughout the season but found his rhythm in the Mountain West Tournament, where, over a three-game stretch, he averaged 12 points and 5.6 rebounds.
“You’re encouraged to think, wow, if he can stay on this path and stay healthy, he’s gonna have an opportunity to be special,” Dutcher said. “But he has to grow his game also, he has to stay healthy, he has to continue to put his work in, and he’ll have a chance to reach his potential.”
The freshman duo of Simons and Harrington both had great individual seasons on The Mesa. Harrington played in 23 games, starting 17, averaging 8 points on 47% shooting from the field and 43% from three. Harrington missed time battling a lower leg injury in the later part of the season and was shut down to end the season.
Simmons played in 32 out of 33 games for SDSU, where he averaged 5.3 points and 3.4 rebounds on 64% shooting from the field. Simmons’ big frame, physicality and motor made him an impactful player on the floor for the Aztecs as he quickly became a fan favorite.
“I would hope they want to be back, but as I said, they’ll be valued because of what they did this year as freshmen,” Dutcher said. “Those two played enough; they know they’re valued here.”
Dutcher touched on guard Latrell Davis, who the Aztecs redshirted this year after he transferred over from San Jose State to join SDSU last season.
“He’s extremely talented, and he has a skillset that some players I had on the team didn’t have this year,” Dutcher said. “I think if we had him and played him this year, we’d be in the NCAA Tournament.”
The unknowns surrounding the SDSU roster going into next season loom until the transfer portal officially opens in April and news about which current Aztecs will be leaving and which will be staying is released. Dutcher made it clear to his team during his exit meeting that if guys don’t think they can win here, they don’t need to stay.
“I told them in the team meeting yesterday, if you don’t think this is a program that can continue to fight and play for the national championship, then you don’t need to be in this locker room, you don’t need to be in this meeting,” Dutcher said.
