When: 3 p.m. Saturday
The place: Thomas & Mack Heart, Las Vegas
On the air: CBS; 760-AM
Information: New Mexico is 25-9, SDSU is 24-9
Collection historical past: New Mexico leads 50-45. They break up their two conferences this season, the Lobos profitable 88-70 in Albuquerque and the Aztecs profitable 81-70 at Viejas Enviornment. They haven’t met within the Mountain West match because the 2018 ultimate, which the Aztecs gained 82-75.
How they received right here: New Mexico beat Air Power 82-56, Boise State 76-66 and Colorado State 74-61; SDSU beat UNLV 74-71 in additional time and Utah State 86-70.
Lobos replace: After some shaky moments in February, together with a Quad 4 residence loss in opposition to Air Power, the Lobos are rolling. They’ve gained all three video games on the Mountain West match by double digits, trailing for less than 42 seconds of 120 whole minutes. Within the semis in opposition to Colorado State, they led 11-0 and by no means seemed again. Jaelen Home led them with 19 factors, eight assists, no turnovers and two steals. Even with a pair of Quad 1 wins right here, some bracketologists aren’t satisfied the Lobos are within the 68-team NCAA subject, placing them smack on the bubble due to a nonconference schedule ranked 272nd nationally regardless of in any other case sturdy metrics (23 in NET, 25 in Kenpom). There is also the specter of a number of “bid stealers” that win their convention tournaments and achieve automated berths that push out bubble groups. “I simply don’t get it,” coach Richard Pitino mentioned of the bid uncertainty. “It boggles my thoughts. The largest factor we’re attempting to do is management what we are able to management. However I might be very stunned if we didn’t make it.” The Lobos can be enjoying their fourth sport in lower than 70 hours, and guards Donovan Dent and Jamal Mashburn Jr. have each been battling the flu. “There’s no time to be drained,” Pitino mentioned. “You simply mentally and bodily need to struggle via it.”
Aztecs replace: They’re superb at reaching the Mountain West championship sport, much less stellar at profitable it. They’re 3-8 of their final 11 finals, though they’ve gained two of the final three (together with 62-57 final yr in opposition to Utah State). After some irritating video games to shut the common season, the Aztecs appear to have hit their March stride. Lamont Butler (16 factors), Micah Parrish (15) and Reese Waters (11) all broke out of capturing slumps within the semifinal win in opposition to top-seeded and 18th-ranked Utah State. That elevated their Kenpom metric to 18, but it surely nonetheless may not be sufficient to get them to the 4 seed line within the NCAAs (and the geographic safety that comes with it). Most bracketologists nonetheless have them as a 5, which suggests they may very well be shipped to any of the eight first-round websites, 5 of that are within the Japanese time zone. A 4 seed would preserve them within the West (Salt Lake Metropolis or Spokane, Wash.). Probably the most generally projected 4 seeds are Illinois, Auburn, Alabama and Kansas. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Duke as a substitute of Illinois (which he has as a 3), then charges BYU and SDSU as the highest 5s. Potential 12 seeds SDSU may face as a 5 are Princeton, South Florida, McNeese State, James Madison and VCU. The Aztecs had been a 5 seed final yr.
Subsequent up: Choice Sunday (3 p.m., CBS)
Join U-T Sports activities each day e-newsletter
The most recent Padres, Chargers and Aztecs headlines together with the opposite prime San Diego sports activities tales each morning.
It’s possible you’ll often obtain promotional content material from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Comply with Us
Aztecs
March 15, 2024
Aztecs
March 15, 2024
Aztecs
March 14, 2024
Aztecs
March 14, 2024
Aztecs
March 13, 2024
Aztecs
March 13, 2024
Aztecs
San Diego State coach Sean Lewis says music at follow ‘helps create a efficiency setting that’s high-energy, that creates enthusiasm’
March 14, 2024
College
USD’s power of schedule ranks thirteenth within the nation coming into sequence at Michigan; UC San Diego rides nine-game profitable streak into Huge West play
March 14, 2024
Aztecs
Aztecs have gained 3 video games in as many days, organising Wednesday’s showdown with the Rebels in Las Vegas
March 13, 2024
College
Arizona’s Caleb Love edges out Utah State’s Nice Osobor for one of the best participant within the West; coach of the yr competitors is shut
March 13, 2024
Aztecs
San Diego State will play No. 21 UNLV on Wednesday evening for an automated berth within the NCAA Event
March 12, 2024
Aztecs
New coach’s first follow louder, sooner than Aztecs had been used to underneath former coach Brady Hoke
March 12, 2024
March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
Feb. 23, 2024
March 15, 2024
March 16, 2024
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Sign Up For Our Newsletters
Site Map
Comply with Us
MORE
