San Diego State’s and New Mexico’s final showdown as Mountain West rivals was one for the ages.
The Aztecs’ and Lobos’ third meeting of the season came in the Mountain West Tournament semifinals on Friday. The game was tied until San Diego State guard BJ Davis drove to the hoop through multiple defenders and got a floater to drop, giving the Aztecs a two-point lead with 2.1 seconds left.
Jake Hall, the top 3-pointer shooter in the conference, got a contested shot up as time expired, but it ricocheted harmlessly off the backboard, securing the Aztecs’ 64-62 victory and their spot in the Mountain West Tournament championship game. They also may have earned themselves a sixth-straight NCAA Tournament bid.
Second-seeded San Diego State (22-10, 14-6 MWC) will have to win the title today against No. 1 Utah State to guarantee itself a spot in the big dance, but picking up a quad 1 win this late in the season certainly helps the Aztecs’ chances. They are very much a bubble team just like New Mexico, which is likely out of contention for the NCAA Tournament.
San Diego State and Utah State (27-6, 15-5) split their series this season. The Aggies won, 71-66, in Logan, Utah. The Aztecs won the rematch, 89-72, in San Diego.
Seven-foot sophomore Magoon Gwath, who missed five games with a hip injury late in the season, had his best game in recent weeks against the Lobos. The former Mountain West Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year led the Aztecs with 17 points and added six rebounds and two blocked shots.
Davis finished with 12 points, while 6-foot-6 freshman Tae Simmons added eight points and eight rebounds, and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Miles Byrd finished with seven points, seven rebounds, and four steals.
Utah State is coming off a 79-66 win over No. 5 Nevada in the semifinals. The Aggies led most of the game and put it basically out of reach after opening the second half on a 19-5 run. The Wolf Pack cut the lead to 11 points late, but that’s as close as it could get.
The Aggies played one of their best defensive games of the season. They held Nevada to 5-of-19 from 3-point range and forced 15 turnovers, which they turned into 22 points.
Freshman Adlan Elamin led the way with 15 points and six rebounds. Senior point guard Drake Allen added 12 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Vanderbilt transfer MJ Collins Jr. finished with 12 points and a season-high seven rebounds. Mountain West Player of the Year, Mason Falslev, chipped in with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Utah State vs. San Diego State Odds
Utah State is a 1.5-point college basketball betting odds favorite on BetMGM as of this writing, and the Over/Under is 146.5 points.
The Moneyline is at -120 for the Aggies and +100 for San Diego State.
Utah State vs. San Diego State On TV
The Mountain West Tournament championship game between Utah State and San Diego State will be televised on CBS.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
Utah State vs. San Diego State Prediction
I predict San Diego State wins, 76-72, claiming its eighth Mountain West Tournament championship since 2002. Utah State is looking for its third tournament title since 2019.
Two teams that know one another well will play their final Mountain West game in what is certainly the Aztecs’ biggest game of the season. The Aggies are in the NCAA Tournament no matter what.
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San Diego State has to win to guarantee its spot in the Big Dance, and that makes the Aztecs dangerous. The fatigue factor could also work in their favor. The Aggies have been showing some wear in recent games, especially Falslev, who has taken some big spills the past two games.
Both teams have a ton of talent and experience in the backcourt. The difference in this one could be Gwath. If he puts together another game like the one he had in the semifinals, it will be the Aztecs riding off into the sunset with one last Mountain West title.
Either way, San Diego State’s and Utah State’s rivalry will continue in the new Pac-12, which both teams are expected to officially join in July.
