San Diego State holds off Boise State 110-107 in triple overtime

Aztecs blow 24-point, first-half lead before eventually taming the Broncos

San Diego State Aztecs guard BJ Davis (10). | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

That gigantic exhale you might have heard late Saturday night came from Viejas Arena, where the San Diego State Aztecs dodged what could have been one of the worst losses in program history. 

The Aztecs survived a wild comeback by Boise State and then needed three overtimes to finally turn back the Broncos, winning 110-107.

There was plenty of drama in front of another big, loud crowd at Viejas Arena, which fell quiet late in the second half after the Aztecs had blown all of a 24-point lead they had built by late in the first half. 

The final margin came courtesy of a free throw by Reese Dixon-Waters with 39 seconds left and then two free throws by freshman Elzie Harrington with 12 seconds left. BSU’s Andrew Meadow missed a 3-pointer with two seconds left and BJ Davis gathered the rebound to end it. 

Davis scored 22 points and Harrington 20 to lead five players in double figures for SDSU (9-4, 3-0).

Javan Buchanan had a game-high 29 points to lead five players in double figures for BSU (9-5, 1-2). 

The closing stretch in regulation

Each team had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, when the Aztecs and their fans must have been feeling awfully nervous. The Aztecs don’t have any room for error after losing three marquee games in non-conference, and they seemed to be about to lose their normally airtight home-court advantage.

After BSU tied it at 79 with 10.2 seconds left, Davis missed a shot. The Broncos rebounded and Dylan Andrews had a chance to win it, but his jumper from the free-throw line rimmed out. 

The overtimes

Boise State was up by six points twice in the first overtime. Davis had a shot blocked, but the ball bounced to Harrington, who drained a 3 to 93-90 with 10.8 seconds left. 

The Broncos tried a long inbound pass, but Davis intercepted, set up a shot and then hit a long 3 with 0.4 seconds left to force a second overtime. 

After BSU tied it at 98 on Meadows’ 3-pointer in the second overtime, Davis was playing for a final shot when he turned it over. 

BSU then scored the first five points of the third OT before Jermiah Oden hit a 3 and Harrington a jumper. 

Miles Heide hit two big shots for the Aztecs.

The Aztecs then finished it off with free throws. 

The first half

The Aztecs had to have been feeling good about themselves after racing to a 42-18 lead with 3:10 left in the first half. They led 50-29 at halftime and appeared to be on their way to one of their best performances of the season after making 19 of 29 shots for 65.5%.

They used a 25-3 run to jump out to a 39-18 lead with more than four minutes left, capped with a steal and a slam dunk by Miles Byrd.

Expecting another physical matchup between the teams, Dutcher started Jeremiah Oden in place of 7-footer Magoon Gwath.

Up next

The Aztecs head back out on the road to play at Nevada on Tuesday night. They’ll be back in Viejas Arena next Saturday night to face Fresno State.