College basketball analyst heaps praise on San Diego State's 2025-26 roster

Jon Rothstein believes San Diego State could be the best non power conference team in 2025-26

San Diego State Aztecs guard Miles Byrd. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Brian Dutcher and the San Diego State Aztecs finished the 2024-25 season on a sour note, losing badly to North Carolina in a play-in game ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

Things have been trending upward for the Aztecs since then, however, after the program managed to keep star guards Miles Byrd and Reese Waters, as well as high upside center Magoon Gwath, while making key additions in the transfer portal to reshape the roster heading into the 2025-26 campaign — the program's last in the Mountain West.

CBS reporter Jon Rothstein discussed San Diego State on his Inside College Basketball podcast on Thursday, expressing his belief that the Aztecs have a real chance to be the best non-power conference team in the country.

"I have been bullish on San Diego State teams in the past, and I am bullish on San Diego State this year because of retention of the core pieces of this roster," Rothstein said. "Miles Byrd flirted heavily with staying in the 2025 NBA draft. He didn't, he comes back, he's a Mountain West Player of the Year candidate. Reese Waters everybody forgot was a guy who was a double-digit caliber scorer and All Mountain West guard. He didn't play last season due to a foot injury, San Diego State still made the NCAA Tournament...And then there's Magoon Gwath, the Mountain West Freshman of the Year, the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, he is going to be a household name in college basketball this season. He is going to break out."

Byrd was the team's second leading scorer last year at 12.3 points per game, and he'll take on an even bigger role following the loss of Nick Boyd, who transferred to Wisconsin, as well as graduated guard Wayne McKinney. Waters being back will help a ton, too, as well as the return of key rotation pieces, BJ Davis, Pharaoh Compton, and Taj DeGourville.

Dec 21, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard BJ Davis (10) dribbles against California Golden Bears guard Christian Tucker (22) during the first half at SAP Center. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Gwath might be the most significant returner for the Aztecs, though, after he entered both the NBA draft and the transfer portal at the conclusion of the season. The 7'0 big man averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and a conference-leading 2.6 blocks per game as a true freshman last year, and he could be among the best defensive bigs in all of college basketball now that he has a year of experience under his belt.

SDSU also added a key piece in the transfer portal in guard Sean Newman Jr from Louisiana Tech, who was one of the most prolific passers in all of college basketball last year and projects as an ideal fit in coach Dutcher's system.

"There's a lot of good vibes right now at Viejas Arena," Rothstein continued. "I don't know if it's going to be as good as the team that went 30-2 before COVID shut down the NCAA Tournament, I don't know if it's going to be as good as the team that went to the Final Four and lost to UConn in the national title game in 2023, but I do know this: San Diego State, unequivocally, will be in the discussion to be the best non power conference team in college basketball during the 2025-26 season."

San Diego State will begin the process of proving Rothstein right on Tuesday, Nov. 4, when it hosts the Long Beach State 49ers to open up the 2025-26 season.