What San Diego State's Brian Dutcher said after loss against Boise State in Mountain West Conference Tournament
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San Diego State (21-9) dropped Thursday’s Mountain West Conference Tournament quarterfinal game, falling to Boise State 62-52.
The Aztecs had not lost their opening game in the tournament since 2007 and had previously won 17 straight quarterfinal round games. San Diego State led 33-22 in the final minute of the first half before Boise State closed with six straight points and added seven more in the second half to take the lead.
The game was tied at 49 with 5:56 to play before Boise State closed out the game with a 13-3 run, likely punching their ticket into the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs were limited to 25 percent shooting in the second half with Nick Boyd making four of the team’s five shots over the final 20 minutes. San Diego State will now await the selection committee’s decision as we move closer to Selection Sunday.
Here’s everything San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher said after the loss.
Opening statement:
My thoughts on today are right before tip, I had my third granddaughter born back in San Diego, so I'm happy about that. At least something makes you happy. The game, if I were just to read the numbers, defensively, our opponent shot 33 percent from the field and 27 percent from three. I think we'd have a pretty good chance to win. But the thing we put on the board before the game and the thing we said at halftime had to happen is we had to rebound. Because San Diego State and Boise, always comes down to rebounding, and I think that's the key to the game. Those second-chance opportunities were the difference in the game, and we didn't get enough of them. So, we missed shots and didn't get second-chance opportunities, and they missed shots and found ways to run down long rebounds. You shoot 40 threes, there are going to be a lot of long rebounds. So, then it's just try to beat them to that rebound, run it down, get there before they get there. There were some around the glass we didn't get. But at the end of the day, it came down to rebounding, and that was the difference.
On who was the physical team:
Yeah, both teams are physical. That was the main thing. It's like when we played New Mexico the second time. We felt like we got pushed around in the pit, and we beat them twice so I'm sure like they felt they needed to be more physical, and they were. Most of that happens on the glass. They did a good job rebounding the ball and running it down, and there were short ones where we didn't hit body, and there were long ones they beat us to, and the offensive rebounding was the difference in the game. Our numbers are great, defensive numbers. 33 percent from the field and 27 from three, you're going to win those games. But they ran them down and got more shots than us, I think nine more shots and made four more threes, and that was the difference in the game.
On rebounding:
I think we had a rebounder. Unfortunately, he hasn't played the last six games. His name is Magoon Gwath, and he was Freshman of the Year in the Mountain West. First Defensive Player of the Year. We've done a good job playing without him. It's not easy but we don't make excuses, but obviously everybody knows we're a better team with him on the floor. We have a rebounder, and we were hoping to use him this weekend. He warmed up, was not able to go, said it felt good, pain-free, but we always err on the side of caution. So, our intention is to have him ready for the first game in postseason, so whether it's the NCAA Tournament or not, time will tell, but I think everybody would fear playing the Aztecs with the Freshman of the Year on the court.
On San Diego State’s recent success in the Mountain West Tournament:
Yeah, we play our best basketball in March. That's what we always do. This is my first time -- this is my eighth time, and I've been in the championship game seven times. Unfortunately, I'm 3-4, but I've made the game. This is the first time we've bowed out early, and it's unfortunate, but that's basketball. We lost to a very good team, a team that we have great rivalry with, a team that is always hard fought. We know each other. It's a good rivalry. That's the thing I like best about the Boise rivalry, is that it's good. Teams respect each other. There's not a lot of trash talking. It's just two teams playing hard, and they played harder than us on the glass tonight, and that's why they got the win.
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-770033d1c5c4820fdbde4ecf2452e810.jpg "Bodie De Silva")
Bodie DeSilva has been covering sports in San Diego for more than a decade. He previously covered San Diego State athletics for Scout/Fox Sports.