San Diego State back in ESPN Bracketology’s Field of 68

Aztecs jump from First Four Out to Last Four In in latest projection

San Diego State Aztecs forward Pharaoh Compton. | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

The San Diego State Aztecs are still on the bubble in NCAA Tournament projections but are back in the Field of 68 in the latest ESPN Bracketology.

Bracket expert Joe Lunardi moved the Aztecs (17-6, 11-2 Mountain West)  from the First Four Out to the Last Four In in his Tuesday update.

Lunardi alluded to his intentions on Monday. In the new projections, he has the Aztecs as No. 67 and slotted for a First Four date with Texas, with the winner getting the No. 11 seed in the South Region and a first-round matchup with No. 6 BYU.

Lunardi had dropped the Aztecs out of the bracket altogether despite their 72-63 home win against Wyoming on Feb. 3. The Aztecs then went on the road and routed last-place Air Force 88-54, which was enough for Lunardi to put them on the right side of the bubble. 

Lunardi continues to project Utah State as the MW’s automatic qualifier. He’s moved them up one seed line for the second straight week, putting them at No. 7 in the West with a projected first-round date with No. 10 USC in Oklahoma City. 

The MW is back to having three projected bids.

Lunardi lists New Mexico in the First Four, with a projected matchup against Miami, and the winner getting the No. 11 seed in the Midwest and a game against No. 6 Arkansas in Philadelphia. He has the Lobos as the last team in the tournament following consecutive losses, by one point at home to Boise State, which followed a 20-point home loss to Utah State. 

Utah State escaped Laramie with a two-point win and hosts Fresno State on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game homestand. 

SDSU and USU head into Tuesday tied atop the MW at 10-2. The Aztecs have a midweek bye, so the Aggies can take a half-game lead with a win against the Bulldogs. 

The Aztecs return to action against Nevada at home on Saturday night. They hope to get 7-footer Magoon Gwath and freshman Elzie Harrington back from injuries. SDSU won 73-68 in Reno on Jan. 6 in the first meeting of the season between the teams.

The Aztecs were the unanimous preseason pick to win the MW regular-season title in their final season in the league before moving into the Pac-12 along with Utah State, Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State. 

The Aztecs have moved up to No. 42 in the NCAA NET Rankings, which areused by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for March Madness.