How did the most disappointing season in San Diego State basketball history happen?
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The signs of trouble started early for the San Diego State Aztecs.
The Aztecs entered this season with perhaps their highest expectations in the last 25 years, or basically the entirety of the Steve Fisher-Brian Dutcher era. They were the unanimous preseason pick to win the Mountain West regular-season title in their final year in the league, and then make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
There was motivation, for sure. It still stung that they were routed by North Carolina in the First Four last season, and guard Miles Byrd and 7-footer Magoon Gwath withdrew from the NBA Draft for another shot at March Madness. Additionally, guard Reese Dixon-Waters was back after missing last season with a foot injury, plus there were highly regarded freshmen.
And then it took only three games before their NCAA resume started taking a hit.
The Aztecs finished 22-11 after losing the MW tournament title game to Utah State on Saturday. They were among the First Four Out on Selection Sunday and declined invitations to the NIT and The Crown.
It was a humbling end for a program that played for the national championship just three seasons ago and will now miss the tournament for the first time in six seasons.
Here’s what happened to the Aztecs on the way to an NCAA snub.
Where did home-court advantage go?
Viejas Arena has developed a reputation as one of the toughest places to play, at least on the West Coast, if not nationally. It’s loud and lively, with nearly 13,000 fans filling the place for every game.
On Nov. 18, in the final game of a season-opening, three-game homestand, Division II Troy came in and punched the Aztecs in the nose in a 108-107, double-overtime victory. In a sign of another disturbing trend, the Aztecs trailed by 12 points with 3 ½ minutes to go in regulation before closing the gap on a night when Gwath made his season debut after rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee.
Byrd swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, but the Aztecs couldn't put away the scrappy Trojans.
It went down as a Quad 3 loss, and immediately raised concerns that the Aztecs could be in trouble unless they won the MW tournament and claimed the league’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
There was another close call on Jan. 3 against Boise State, which pushed the Aztecs to three overtimes before SDSU prevailed 110-107.
Then came a crippling home loss to MW newcomer and SDSU nemesis Grand Canyon on Feb. 17, when the Antelopes won 73-63. That was the first loss in a span of four defeats in five games that pushed the Aztecs firmly into bubble territory.
The Aztecs certainly have lost home games before, but when they had no margin for error, the losses to Troy and GCU will stand out as helping to derail the high expectations.
Troy, on the other hand, will play in March Madness after winning the Sun Belt tournament. It is seeded No. 13 in the South Region and will face No. 4 Nebraska in the first round.
Lack of a marquee win
Dutcher lined up a challenge non-conference schedule, with an appearance in the Players’ Era Festival in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving week and a neutral-court game against Arizona in Phoenix on Dec. 20.
The Aztecs were routed by 40 points by Michigan in the opener of the Players Era Festival, rebounded to beat Oregon and then lost to Baylor. No shame in losing to the Wolverines, who won its three Players Era Festival games by 40, 30 and 40 points, and earned the No. 3 seed overall in March Madness. But Baylor finished 16-16 and will play in the crown.
Arizona beat the Aztecs by 23 points. It is the No. 2 seed for the NCAAs and will play LIU on Friday at Viejas Arena.
SDSU finished 3-8 in Quad 1 wins in the NCAA NET Rankings systems, with the wins coming against MW foes Nevada, New Mexico and Utah State, which swept the regular-season and tournament titles.
What about that supposedly tough defense?
The Aztecs started raising eyebrows around the country during the Players Era Festival, when they allowed 94 points to Michigan, 91 to Baylor and even 80 in their win against Oregon, which finished 10-20.
The problem popped up again late in the season. The Aztecs allowed more than 80 points in four of their final five games, including in an 83-74 loss at Colorado State and in an 86-77 loss at Boise State in which they were outrebounded 37-15.
Dutcher called SDSU’s defense “inconsistent” and said it was the second straight year rebounding hurt the Aztecs more than anything, which limited second-chance opportunities.
The roster
Dutcher went with an 11-man rotation early, raising questions about whether he was trying to keep too many players happy. Gwath and freshman Elzie Harrington missed time during the conference season with injuries.
Dutcher said on Tuesday that he felt the Aztecs would have been an NCAA team if transfer guard Latrell Davis had not redshirted this season. He said that based on what he saw from Davis during practice after he decided to redshirt, he would have been an everyday player.
What’s next
The Aztecs declined invitations to the NIT and The Crown because of injuries to Harrington and Miles Heide and Dutcher said he’s focused on next season, when the Aztecs begin play in the new-look Pac-12.
He said he would certainly love to welcome back Byrd and Gwath, but knows nothing is a given in the world of NIL and the transfer portal. Or, in Byrd’s case, if he wants to give the NBA Draft a go.
-bd678ba4dbad4f453246f539ee56a3b4.jpg "Bernie Wilson")
Bernie Wilson recently retired from The Associated Press after nearly 41 years, including stops in Spokane, Los Angeles and, for the final 33 years, San Diego. He grew up in Coeur d'Alene and graduated from the University of Idaho.