What San Diego State basketball coach Brian Dutcher and the players said after routing Division III Whittier

The San Diego State Aztecs had a laugher against Division III Whittier, as expected, but were able to work on a few things in their final non-conference game.

The 121-59 victory on Monday afternoon came less than 48 hours after the Aztecs (7-4) had a miserable performance in a 68-45 loss to No. 1 Arizona in Phoenix.

“Great performance tonight. The thing I liked best was the selfless nature in which we played,” coach Brian Dutcher said after the Aztecs dispatched the Poets, who counted the game as an exhibition. “You could see it. You could see from the stands. You can see it from the bench, that everybody was playing for somebody else. They moved the ball freely.”

Dutcher was able to empty the bench, and every player but one scored at least two points.

“They wanted to get guys shots, even to the end where they wanted Cam (Lawin), Raymar (Gonzales), and Thokbor (Majak) to get baskets. They weren't out there hunting their own numbers, they were hunting team numbers. If that continues, we have a chance to have a really good season. They played that way on defense.”

Here are the highlights of Dutcher and the players’ news conference:

Dutcher on the defense

“There are no moral victories, but I thought we took a step forward against Arizona, especially in the first half. I thought our defense was better. We played more connected. I didn't want to take a step backwards against a Division III team that was 7-2, to the point where Aguek Arop did the scouting, but I did the presentation. I watched. I got done with Arizona, and I started on Whittier that night. I continued that next morning.”

Dutcher on facing a D3 team after a delay getting home from Phoenix

“We were delayed. We got in at 3 o'clock (Sunday afternoon), walked through a game plan yesterday, showed up at 8 a.m. today and put our work in and treated them with great respect that they deserve. We didn't take anything for granted. We wanted to continue our positive momentum going into a short break, and I think we did that. We feel good about ourselves. We feel good about where we are as a team right now, and that gives us a chance to be good in the Mountain West.”

Dutcher on Jeremiah Oden’s performance

“Jeremiah didn't get to play as much against Arizona, because I thought Tae (Simmons) was a better matchup that game with their physicality, but when we play teams that have stretch fours that aren't really trying to post and dominate in the paint, I think J.O. is a good matchup for us to throw out there and stretch the floor. He did a good job. He made threes, but at the same time, he attacked the basket off the bounce and he finished around the rim. He had a productive game, and I'm not surprised by it. He's a sixth-year senior that knows how to play.”

Dutcher on the team’s defensive performance

“It's all about guarding ball screens with only two guys. When you play shooting teams, if they draw another defender in, they're going to kick it out and shoot threes. We knew they took 30, and I thought they might take 40 against us. We did a pretty good job staying extended and trying to guard ball screens with just two players, whether we're switching or helping and recovering. The key to the season will be how we defend ball screens and how connected we are doing it, and then staying extended on shooters. We did a good job of that tonight.”

Sophomore Forward Pharaoh Compton on making progress as a defense

“We’re most definitely making progress, and the coaches are seeing that as well. We can't wait for conference play to start up and have those games over and over again so we can prepare for each matchup.”

Compton on what it’s like seeing the bench players’ success

“We were telling them from the start to stay in the game because you never know what’s going to happen. The whole team was glad to see that. We were going crazy on the bench.”

Freshman forward Tae Simmons on the team’s performance

“We played for ourselves, played together. We have the mentality that it doesn't matter who the opponent is on the other side, we are just going to play hard. We weren't sitting there sulking over Arizona. I feel like we played well against Arizona. It was more of, ‘Let's come out and play hard because you can't dwell on the past.’ We were playing for each other, and we had fun doing it.”