San Diego State back on bubble in latest ESPN Bracketology

Aztecs dropped into Last Four In after loss at Utah State

San Diego State Aztecs guard Miles Byrd. | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

A loss at Utah State cost the San Diego State Aztecs sole possession of the Mountain West lead and dropped them back into bubble territory in the latest ESPN Bracketology projections. 

Bracket expert Joe Lunardi on Tuesday dropped the Aztecs from the No. 10 seed in the East Region to the Last Four In, which means being projected to play in the First Four for the second straight season. 

Additionally, Lunardi is back to projecting Utah State as the automatic qualifier from the MW, which requires winning the tournament in Las Vegas in March. 

The Aztecs are projected to face Southern California in a First Four game, with the winner getting the 11th seed and facing No. 6 Clemson in a first-round game in Tampa. 

SDSU was sent to the First Four last year, where it was routed by North Carolina. 

The Aztecs lost 71-66 at Utah State on Saturday. They blew an 11-point first-half lead, went back ahead in the second half but then faltered badly in the last five minutes. 

They dropped into a first-place tie with the Aggies and New Mexico Lobos at 9-2.

SDSU (15-6 overall) returns to action Tuesday night at home against Wyoming (13-9, 4-7). Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and the game will air on CBS Sports Network. 

Lunardi is projecting three Mountain West teams in the field. He still has Utah State as a No. 9 seed, but moved the Aggies from the Midwest to the East and has them facing No. 8 Villanova in Greenville. 

Lunardi has moved New Mexico into the main bracket as the No. 10 seed in the East and facing No. 7 Saint Louis in St. Louis. 

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. 

Their resume took a big hit during non-conference play, when they lost big to No. 1 Arizona and No. 3 Michigan, and an eyebrow-raising 108-107 home loss to Troy in double overtime.

They bounced back with a seven-game winning streak. The loss at Utah State was just their second in 11 games. 

The Aztecs’ NCAA NET Ranking is No. 45. The NET Rankings are used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for March Madness.