What San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher and the players said after three-overtime thriller against Boise State

It looked like the San Diego State Aztecs were headed to a dominant win, and then it looked like they were heading toward what would be one of the worst losses in school history. They ended up with a thrilling 110-107 triple overtime win against Boise State on Saturday night at Viejas Arena.

The Aztecs led by 24 points late in the first half, but the Broncos made up all that ground and appeared to be taking control late in the game. Both teams had chances to win it at the end of regulation, but it ended up going three extra periods.

“Boise State versus San Diego State is an instant classic,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “I've been through enough of them in 20-some years, and Coach (Leon) Rice has been there for 16. You should never expect anything less than tonight’s game.

“Both programs are super competitive and super tough-minded. When we were ahead at halftime, I told the guys that if we were down 21, I would still feel we were in the game, and trust me, they do too. They're a good team, and it's a game of runs, so they're going to go on a run. I didn't want them to go on a run all the way back and tie the game, but that's what happened. We moved much better in the first half, and I kept trying to tell them that, but they saw opportunities to attack, and they were attacking early.”

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

Dutcher on why the Aztecs struggled

“We got stagnant offensively, and it got frustrating at times, but we found a way to fight through the play. BJ [Davis] made one of the finest shots this year, where he stole the ball at three-quarter court and dribbled it down into a 3 to send it to a second overtime. That's an incredible play on his part, and we put the ball in his hands a lot, but when you look at the end of the game, it was freshman Elzie [Harrington] who was making all the big baskets down the stretch. We have a deep, talented team, and we needed everybody today, and we came out with a really hard-fought win against a good Boise team.”

Dutcher on the strong first half

“Our offense was really spread in the first half, when we moved so well that we attacked the rim like crazy, and that was really fun to watch. In the second half, they tightened up defensively. We couldn't get into the paint as easily. When we did, they were blocking shots and walling up, so everything got harder, and so we went small. I'm trying to run different plays with a small lineup versus a big one, and I'm picking and choosing what I think will be effective. It was an easy game to call from an offensive standpoint, to try to get the rhythm back. Once you lose rhythm, it's always hard to get back. We just gutted it out, and I have a gutty team. They showed that today. We've got some fight about us, so I'm pleased with that. Now we just have to get better with execution in certain parts of the game.”

Dutcher on battling against Boise State’s comeback

“It was incredible. They had an incredible comeback, and then we got down in overtime and came back. Then we got ahead in overtime and lost it, but in the final overtime, we spurted at the end. Elzie [Harrington] had a big steal at the basket, and they -more- had a chance to try to get a three to tie it again, and we didn't follow because there was too much time on the clock. It was an incredible game, and a hard-fought game. This game was gritty and tough. There was a certain level of toughness out there that unless you sat there and witnessed it, no stats can show how both teams were extremely tough and gutted out three overtimes, which is the first triple overtime win in San Diego State's history. It's a classic that I'm sure we'll all remember.”

Junior guard BJ Davis on his 3-pointer to send the game to a second overtime

“I knew we needed a 3, so I saw how he was going to guard me. I went to the right, and I was watching how he played it. I went back left and saw he gave me a little space, and I pulled it. That was just a one-on-one checkup. Park basketball. We've been doing that since we were kids.”

Davis on not letting emotions and fatigue get to him

“By having a play-by-play mentality. I missed the free throw that could have sealed the game, and I could have let that get me down. I just kept telling myself: ‘Next play.’ Just win the game with the next play. That's all we can do. Having that mindset moving forward will help us.”

Freshman guard Elzie Harrington on improving the team’s consistency

“Consistency starts in practice. I think sometimes that problem happens in practice. We start great, but sometimes when it gets to the end, we lose our focus. Hopefully, we learn from today and improve on it in practice.”

Harrington on his performance in the third overtime

“It’s just basketball, and sometimes it's all you can do as a basketball player. My shot was just the one going in. I’m grateful my coaches trust me to be in the game to make plays, especially in a competitive game like that.”