Aztecs aim for home-and-home sweep over Bulldogs following 84-74 win at The Kennel in 2023

One of the biggest games ever at Viejas Arena will take place on Monday night. No. 4 Gonzaga will travel to Viejas Arena for just the second time.

The San Diego State Aztecs are fresh off a dominant win over Division III Occidental, 100-49. Without veteran players Miles Byrd and Reese Waters, the Aztecs played together as a team and saw a lot of success go their way.

“We made a lot of good shots against man early and then against zone late,” head coach Brian Dutcher said postgame after the win. “I think that builds confidence. If you are a shooter and it starts going in (and everyone was making them), you start feeling good about yourself. So, in that regard, it’s real positive going forward that guys that might have been struggling with their shot have now got good confidence as we head into this big stretch in November.”

The Aztecs are hoping to have Miles Byrd back for this game. It’s safe to say that his presence on the court gives the team a much better chance.

“At the very end of practice he came down and landed on a foot and turned his ankle,” Dutcher said. “The hope is that he will be back by Monday. Now, whether that happens or not, he is in a boot and it’s bothering him right now. So, we will treat him and hope and pray that he will be available on Monday.”

Dutcher continued on with his statement about Byrd.

“We won’t throw him out there injured. It’s a November game and we have a big season to play for. But if he is healthy and ready to go, then that is a huge plus because Byrd is a dynamic player and this is an important game.”

San Diego State-Gonzaga History

San Diego State and Gonzaga have met five times, and the Aztecs are 3-2. SDSU is on a two-game winning streak in the series. The Aztecs’ latest victory came last season in the first of a home-and-home series. The last time this happened was back in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

Gonzaga won the initial meeting in 1949. SDSU won the second in 2010. That contest, dubbed “The Billy White Game” for the forward’s 30-point performance on 14/18 shooting, placed the Aztecs on the national radar. They have not left it since.

Gonzaga won the 2016 matchup, but the following year, SDSU hosted and defeated Gonzaga, 72-70, in a closely fought contest. A capacity crowd of 12,414 saw the game and that will be the expected number of spectators on Monday.

Getting to Know the Bulldogs

Gonzaga opened the season by defeating No. 8 Baylor 101-63 in a massacre. Baylor is one of the top teams in the country and proved it by defeating John Calipari and No. 16 Arkansas in a neutral site game five days after losing to the Bulldogs.

Gonzaga’s following game was at The Kennel against Arizona State. In a game that was tied at the half, the Bulldogs slowly pulled away and won 88-80.

Gonzaga is 3-0 after defeating UMass Lowell 113-54 this past Friday night.

The offense looks very good early on. Gonzaga averages 9.3 turnovers per game. They are tied for 31st in the country in that category compared to SDSU, who is 24th in the nation at 9.0 per game.

“Last year when we beat them, it was the greatest thing in the world,” Dutcher said at a press conference on Thursday. “I’m not sure it’s so great with them coming here, I think they will have a long memory. This has been a great series. We don’t play them every year but when we do it’s really competitive and it’s been a lot of fun.”

Through three games, graduate student Khalif Battle is leading the team in scoring. He averages 17.3 points per game and also averages 5.3 rebounds. Braden Huff is second with 16.0 points on 62.9% shooting.

The local star Nolan Hickman, who is a senior from Seattle, is the team’s third-leading scorer at 13.3. He did not play well against ASU after leading the team in scoring against Baylor. Hickman is second on the team in minutes per game at 30.0.

Gonzaga has multiple players who can score off the dribble and run in transition. The Aztecs will have a lot on their plate on the defensive end.

Player to Watch: Ryan Nembhard

The younger brother of rising NBA star Andrew Nembhard, Ryan Nembhard, is making a name for himself as well. Not only has his availability been pristine, the guard is building a resume for the NBA. He has started in every game he has played in his collegiate career, and the senior is second in the nation in assists per game at 10.0.

Nembhard’s brother Andrew also played at Gonzaga after transferring there from Florida. Ryan followed in his footsteps by transferring in after two great seasons at Creighton. Last season, Nembhard saw his points, assists, and field-goal percentage increase.

He is averaging 10.7 points per game, which is 5th on the roster. Nemhbard has accounted for just about half of the team’s assists this season and also leads the team in minutes per game at 31.0. He also contributes with 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

Nembhard will be all over the court on Monday night, and the Aztecs need to make sure he does not facilitate at the level he has in three games.

About last night 💯#GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/x7xPMw1mqF

— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) November 14, 2024

Keys to the Game

For the game earlier this week against Occidental, my two keys for the game were to start hot offensively and to limit turnovers. Both happened as SDSU started the contest scoring the first 18 points and were up 25-2 early in the first half. The Aztecs shot 57.9% from the floor in the first half. They ended the game with just four turnovers.

Against Gonzaga, there are two keys to victory that stand out, and they are both offensive once again. The Aztecs need to continue shooting the three-ball at a high level. They won’t make 18 as they did against the Tigers, but Gonzaga can score the rock, and the Aztecs may be forced to try and keep up. Furthermore, the team needs to attack the basket often.

Nick Boyd should see much success driving to the rim against the Bulldogs. Gonzaga doesn’t have any shot blockers. They are averaging just 3.7 blocks a game as a team that is guard-heavy. Boyd loves to attack the basket and is elite at putting himself in positions to do so.

Now, these two keys contradict each other but if the Aztecs are able to run in transition, they should focus on attacking the basket. They will get plenty of good looks from beyond the arc and if they make them early, that will set them up for success in the paint.

Monday night will be a great test for the Aztecs.

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.