San Diego State edges UNLV 89-86 to keep Mountain West title hopes alive

BJ Davis and the San Diego State Aztecs kept alive their chances for sharing the Mountain West regular-season title by holding off UNLV 89-86 in a wild one on Friday night at Viejas Arena.

Now they need to sweat out Saturday’s New Mexico-Utah State game to find out if they will share the title in their farewell season.

Davis hit two clutch 3-point shots in the closing minutes and scored a career-high 30 points for the Aztecs. He also came up with the defensive play of the game, stealing the ball from Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn in the final seconds to prevent the hot-shooting UNLV guard from getting off a final shot. Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 32 points, including making five 3-pointers.

The Aztecs (20-10, 14-6 MW) can share the title with New Mexico and Utah State if the Lobos (13-5) beat the Aggies (14-5) in Logan on Saturday. If the Aggies win, they’ll be the outright champion.

Davis took over the game in the second half to hold the Runnin’ Rebels (16-15, 11-9) at bay.

Reese Dixon-Waters had a big Senior Night with 19 points for the Aztecs.

SDSU snapped a two-game losing streak and won for just the second time in six games.

The regular-season finale was also the last MW game for the Aztecs, other than next week’s tournament in Las Vegas. The Aztecs are heading to the new-look Pac-12 next season, along with Boise State, Utah State, Colorado State and Fresno State.

Big picture

SDSU’s run in the Mountain West will conclude with the tournament starting Thursday at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center.

The Aztecs won’t get the No. 1 seed, but can get the No. 2 or 3 seed. All eyes will be on the Lobos-Aggies matchup that tips off at 1 p.m. PT.

Get 🆙 @magoongwath #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/Z3eGp67gtP
— San Diego State Men's Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) March 7, 2026

The Aztecs have clinched a bye into the MW quarterfinals on Thursday. With their NCAA Tournament at-large chances snuffed by their late-season swoon, they need to win three games in as many days to advance to March Madness for the sixth straight season.

Game action

Dixon-Waters hit a 3-pointer with about six minutes left for a 72-70 lead.

Davis hit a 3 with about four minutes left for a 77-74 lead and then hit another one a few moments later to make it 80-77.

The Runnin’ Rebels built a 17-11 lead on the strength of Gibbs-Lawhorn’s three 3-pointers in the opening minutes.

The Aztecs used an 11-0 run to take a 22-19 lead. That run included Jeremiah Oden’s fast-break slam dunk after Pharoh Compton’s blocked shot and a bank shot by Taj DeGourville.

The swat and the SLAM #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/nHaAn8u4fV
— San Diego State Men's Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) March 7, 2026

Gibbs-Lawhorn hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to pull UNLV to 42-39 at halftime.

Up next

The Aztecs will open play in their final MW tournament on Thursday in the semifinals. They’ll know their seed and opponent after Saturday’s action.