Aztecs take on top-seeded Lobos in a must-win scenario on Tuesday night at Viejas Arena. 

The San Diego State Aztecs return home from Logan knowing they have an opportunity to create havoc in the Mountain West. Head coach Brian Dutcher and his team came up short at Utah State, but credit is due as the team overcame early obstacles and played competitive basketball till the final buzzer.

There is no need to beat around the bush. Losing Magoon Gwath two minutes into the game affected the outcome, but the Aztecs did not just pack it in. The bench stepped up and shot a collective 11-17 from the floor with 29 points. Miles Heide, Kimo Ferrari, and Pharaoh Compton did not miss a shot.

Get UP, @PharaohCompton!!

@CBSSportsCBB pic.twitter.com/qkCXKGqzaD

— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) February 23, 2025

The Aztecs played a much better second half by scoring 45 points. However, the Aggies scored 14 of the final 16 points to win by eight. The Aztecs failed to make a field goal in the final 3:42 of the contest. Dexter Akanno scored a season-high 26 points on 9-12 shooting to propel the Aggies to a win.

“We show what we always show,” Dutcher said after the Utah State loss. “We’re gutty, we’re gritty, and we fought back from a seven-point deficit. We took the lead early in the second half. They built it up again, and we fought back. They got to the rim, they found the matchup they wanted and they drove the ball. We didn’t have the shot blocking we normally have in there to protect the rim, and that hurt us. But that’s neither here nor there. We have what we have. I thought we played well enough to win, but we didn’t make enough game-time plays to win. It was a gutty performance against a really good Utah State team. We had chances to win and just could not make the final plays to get it done.”

The results of Gwath’s MRI is expected soon. Here is what Dutcher had to say about the matter after the game.

“Right now, we’re calling it a sprain. That’s what it will be until we get back and get an MRI and have a better idea of what we’re dealing with. I think having him ready for Tuesday would be a stretch. It’s not what you want to see. I feel awful for Magoon. But as bad as I feel for him and support him, my job is to get whoever we have available ready to play on Tuesday against New Mexico and then down the stretch in a very good Mountain West.”

San Diego State will need players to step up on Tuesday night. One of those players must be Miles Byrd. The “Byrd Man” is not playing at the level he is capable of, and he knows it. There is a lot of pressure on him right now. He is the team’s best all-around player, but it is not easy to carry a load like that as a sophomore.

Byrd struggled against Utah State. He shot 2-12 and 1-9 from beyond the arc. He ended with just eight points and for only the third time this season, he ended without a block or steal. Over his last five games, Byrd has scored a total of 42 points. Just two months ago, Byrd was scoring in double figures almost every game and even scored 25 against Colorado State in a big win at Steve Fisher Court. If the Aztecs want a shot at beating the top-seeded Lobos on Tuesday night, then Byrd must respond with a statement performance and use the home crowd’s energy to get him going. When Byrd leads, the rest follow.

First Matchup

The Aztecs do not want a reminder of how the first matchup against New Mexico went at The Pit. NM defeated the Aztecs 62-48 in one of SDSU’s worst performances of the campaign. SDSU played well enough on defense to not allow the Lobos to blow them out, but the Lobos dominated that contest. Nothing went right for the Aztecs in the first half of that game, and it started with a dreadful scoring drought. SDSU cannot afford a lengthy scoring drought this time around.

Donovan Dent finished with 16 points, leading the team, and Byrd led the Aztecs with 14. Neither team could shoot the ball well, and it’s expected to be another type of low-scoring affair in a game with a lot at stake. The Aztecs still have a chance to move up in the conference standings and could avoid playing CSU and Boise State in the first round of the MW Tournament if they win their final four games.

Keeping Up with the Lobos

New Mexico recently defeated Utah State at home but then turned around and lost at Boise State last time out. The Lobos did not have Mustapha Amzil, but the Broncos showcased their best performance of the season at home and won at a crucial time. We are down to the nitty-gritty of the season, and every win matters. It is almost certain that Boise State, CSU, and SDSU will finish in the top five but will likely be 3-5. That order is up for grabs, and becoming the three-seed is crucial for matchup purposes.

New Mexico is 22-5 overall and 14-2 in the conference. They are not guaranteed to win the conference outright but do have the tiebreaker over Utah State if needed. After SDSU, they take on Air Force, Nevada, and UNLV. It is their conference to lose.

Amzil injured his foot a few weeks back and then played just 17 minutes against Wyoming on Feb. 12. He hasn’t played since. He is the team’s third-leading scorer at 12.1 points per game and adds 5.5 rebounds. The senior from Finland is questionable for Tuesday night.

Dent continues his Mountain West Player of the Year caliber season. The junior is, without a doubt, the best offensive player in the conference, as he averages 19.6 points on 49.0% shooting and is tied for 10th in the nation with 6.5 assists per game. Against SDSU earlier in the year, he ended with 16 points, five rebounds, and three steals. On the season, Dent averages 1.6 steals per game.

Nelly Junior Joseph is second on the team in scoring at 13.8 points and leads the team in rebounds at 10.6 per game. JJ is 9th in the nation in rebounds and offensively, shoots 55.4% from the field, and even averages 1.2 assists per game. The Aztecs defended him well in the first matchup, scoring just six points. Without Magoon Gwath protecting the paint, Junior Joseph could be set for a big night.

Key to Victory

San Diego State’s strong defense will be what leads them to a victory against New Mexico. If the Aztecs can keep the Lobos below 60 points, then they will have a chance to win. SDSU recently held Boise State to 47 points at Viejas Arena. The Aztecs must feed off the energy from the crowd and defend harder than they ever have. Neither Dent nor Junior Joesph played well in the first matchup. The Aztecs know that they have a chance if that happens again.

The crowd needs to be loud all night long. This game has massive playoff implications and a win like this would be highlighted on Selection Sunday. The Aztecs’ biggest advantage is their home court.

Protect it.

Chris Spiering

Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and now covers San Diego State Men’s Basketball. He also contributes regularly about the Padres. Chris is an athlete and is a huge fan of San Diego sports.