SDSU vs. Boise State
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Viejas Arena
On the air: CBS Sports Network; 760-AM
Records: SDSU is 16-6 (9-4), Boise State is 17-7 (9-4)
Series history: SDSU leads 19-13 but Boise State has won six of the last eight meetings, including two of the last three at Viejas Arena. The Aztecs won 76-68 in Boise on Jan. 4.
Aztecs update: It’s probably too early, and too simplistic, to call this an elimination game for the Mountain West’s third (and likely final) at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. But the Broncos have been surging in recent weeks and the Aztecs fading, and a Broncos win could pull them even. Jared Coleman-Jones returned to the starting lineup in Tuesday’s 69-66 squeaker at San Jose State and responded with nine points in the second half. He practiced the last two days with a bandage over his right eye that was cut open when he was aggressively stripped of the ball with 37 seconds left (and the officials swallowed their whistles). Miles Byrd sprained his right (non-shooting) thumb Tuesday and has it wrapped. With the win, the Aztecs are now 37-4 in their last 41 games following a loss. They have had scoring runs of 10-0 or greater 11 times this season and are undefeated in those games. Since 2020-21, they are 74-8 when they have one. In the win at Boise State, Byrd had 22 points on 8 of 14 shooting, but the big revelation was freshman Taj DeGourville, who had 13 points – many of them in key moments down the stretch. Magoon Gwath, who is averaging close to a double-double in his last five games, had only four points and four rebounds in 26 minutes.
Broncos update: They are 9-0 against teams below them in the Mountain West standings, and 0-4 against the four teams tied or above them (SDSU, Colorado State, Utah State and New Mexico). This starts a key stretch that will determine their postseason fate. After the Aztecs, they play New Mexico (13-1), at Nevada and Utah State (12-2). Boise State, SDSU and Colorado State are all tied for third at 9-4, with a 2½-game cushion to sixth. Since the 2015-16 season, Boise State and SDSU are the only two Mountain West teams with winning road records in conference play. The Broncos have allowed 62 or fewer points in their last four games and are 10-0 on the season when they do so. San Jose State transfer point guard Alvaro Cardenas from Spain is one assist shy of tying the school season record of 165, held by Canyon Hills High alum La’Shard Anderson. Senior forward Tyson Degenhart is second in the Mountain West in scoring (17.8) and eighth in rebounding (6.0). He needs 156 points to Tanoka Beard as the all-time leader in Boise State history. The game matches the conference’s top offensive rebounding team (SDSU) against its top defensive rebounding team (Boise State). In the first meeting, the Aztecs collected 15 offensive boards that they converted into 21 points. The Broncos are 44th in Kenpom but projected as 3-point underdogs.
Next home: Tuesday vs. Fresno State (8 p.m., CBSSN)
–MARK ZEIGLER
