San Diego State unveils full men’s basketball schedule
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San Diego State basketball fans already knew the Aztecs would play marquee games against Michigan and Oregon in Las Vegas, as well as against Arizona in Phoenix this season.
Now that they know the rest of the schedule for the season, Brian Dutcher’s squad hopes to cap with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The schedule released Monday includes 20 Mountain West Conference games as the league returns to an unbalanced schedule, 10 non-conference games and home exhibitions against UCLA and San Diego.
The schedule includes at least 13 games against opponents who competed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and six of those will be played at Viejas Arena, including the UCLA exhibition.
San Diego State played in the NCAA First Four last year, where it lost to North Carolina.
The opening homestand
The Aztecs will open with five straight games at home, including exhibitions against UCLA on Oct. 17 and USD on Oct. 29. Teams used to play one scrimmage behind closed doors, but thanks to an NCAA rules change, that can now be an exhibition game in front of paying fans.
The proceeds from the UCLA game will benefit San Diego State’s men’s basketball program’s retention and recruiting fund. The Aztecs and Bruins, who lead the series 16-7, have met just twice since the 1992-93 season. SDSU won both games, including 73-58 on Nov. 25, 2020, in the empty Viejas Arena due to COVID-19 restrictions.
USD will make its first appearance on Steve Fisher Court since Dec. 5, 2018, when it defeated the Aztecs 73-61. The series will be renewed for the first time since SDSU won at Jenny Craig Pavilion, 66-49 on Nov. 20, 2019.
The regular-season opener is against Long Beach State on Nov. 4, followed by home games against Idaho State on Nov. 9 and Troy on Nov. 18.
The marquee games
The Aztecs then head to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival during Thanksgiving Week, where they’ll open against Michigan on Nov. 24 and then Oregon the next night. SDSU will be looking to avenge a loss to Oregon at last year’s Players Era Festival. SDSU’s third opponent will be determined by results of its first two games, and will be played either Nov. 26 or 27.
After returning home for three games, the Aztecs will head to Phoenix to play Arizona on Dec. 20.
The MW schedule
With the addition of Grand Canyon to the MW this season, the league is going back to an unbalanced schedule, meaning home-and-home games with nine teams and single games against two teams.
This is SDSU’s final season in the MW before it jumps to the reconfigured Pac-12 next season, so it will be the final year competing against longtime rivals Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV and Wyoming.
The MW opener will be at home against Air Force on Dec. 17, the final game of a three-game homestand that includes Utah Valley and Lamar.
After the game at Arizona, the Aztecs will host Whittier College on Dec. 22 before swinging back into MW play at San Jose State on Dec. 30.
SDSU will host Boise State on Jan. 3. The Aztecs won the regular-season series last year but the Broncos beat the Aztecs in the Mountain West Tournament quarterfinals.
The Aztecs will make their final visits to two high-altitude arenas when they play at Wyoming’s Arena-Auditorium (elevation 7,165 feet) and New Mexico’s Pit (5,312 feet) on Feb. 28. Their last regular-season visit to UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center will be on Jan. 24.
With the unbalanced schedule, the Aztecs won’t play at Fresno State or host San Jose State.
Until the league’s TV partners select the games they will broadcast, the dates listed for league games are subject to change, with tip times still to be announced.
The full schedule
Here is SDSU’s full schedule, with conference game dates subject to change.
Oct. 17 – +UCLA
Oct. 29 – +SAN DIEGO
Nov. 4 – LONG BEACH STATE
Nov. 9 – IDAHO STATE
Nov. 18 – TROY
Nov. 24 – ^vs. Michigan
Nov. 25 – ^vs. Oregon
Nov. 26/27 – ^vs. TBD
Dec. 3 – UTAH VALLEY
Dec. 10 – LAMAR
Dec. 17 – *AIR FORCE
Dec. 20 – #vs. Arizona
Dec. 22 – WHITTIER COLLEGE
Dec. 30 – *at San Jose State
Jan. 3 – *BOISE STATE
Jan. 6 – *at Nevada
Jan. 10 – *FRESNO STATE
Jan. 13 – *at Wyoming
Jan. 17 – *NEW MEXICO
Jan. 20 – *at Grand Canyon
Jan. 24 – *at UNLV
Jan. 27 – *COLORADO STATE
Jan. 31 – *at Utah State
Feb. 3 – *WYOMING
Feb. 7 – *at Air Force
Feb. 14 – *NEVADA
Feb. 17 – *GRAND CANYON
Feb. 21 – *at Colorado State
Feb. 24 – *UTAH STATE
Feb. 28 – *at New Mexico
March 3 – *at Boise State
March 7 – *UNLV
Note: home games are listed in ALL CAPS
+ - exhibition; ^ - Players Era Festival (Las Vegas, Nev.); # - Naismith Hall of Fame Series (Phoenix, Ariz.); * - Mountain West game
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-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.