SDSU takes down CBU by just six points after leading by as much as 19 in the second half

The San Diego State Aztecs hosted California Baptist University for the very first time in program history.

SDSU improved to 7-2 on the season and will take ten days off to prep for Cal Berkeley for the San Jose Tip-Off.

“Wouldn’t basketball be great if you could only talk about the good things like our offense,” head coach Brian Dutcher said postgame. “Whoa, our offense was great. It was elite tonight. I think we shot 55% from the field with 19 assists and only seven turnovers. We shot a high percentage from three, and everything we ran was working.”

Magoon Gwath got the party started for the Aztecs with a finish in the paint over the double team. Then, Nick Boyd’s triple put SDSU up 5-2. CA Baptist does not defend the three-ball well as one of the worst teams in the country in triples allowed.

Pharaoh Compton once again checked into the game three minutes in for Gwath. Dutcher’s trust in the freshman is showing early in the season. However, right after Byrd evened the game at 10 with a triple, Compton picked up his second personal foul, and Miles Heide replaced him with 14:35 remaining in the first half. Compton did not return in the half.

The game continued on with a back-and-forth pace. There were eight lead changes through eight minutes. CBU brought their scoring with them. Dominique Daniels Jr. and Kendal Coleman helped the Lancers shoot 70% from the field in the first eight minutes of action. SDSU shot at a 60% rate. CBU led 19-18.

“Just trying to contain him,” Miles Byrd said postgame about defending Daniels Jr. “He scores the ball at an insane clip, not to mention how fast he is. With a player like that, I mean, you are not going to hold him to zero points. Just contain him as much as possible. He got his average, but other guys didn’t get to their average. So, that helped us out.”

AJ Braun was hit with a flagrant foul on Boyd, and then Byrd proceeded to go 1-2 from the line to take a 22-21 lead. Moments later, the Lancers’ top player Daniels Jr. picked up his second foul. He remained in the game for CBU. Wayne McKinney III, who is the only Aztec with experience playing CBU, immediately attacked Daniels for a contested layup, trying to get him to commit his third foul.

The Aztecs’ defense started to really pick up the pace. CBU went over six minutes without a field goal. BJ Davis stole the ball for a transition layu,p and then Byrd locked down Tylen Riley and kept the Lancers from getting a shot up for a shot-clock violation.

Demarshay Johnson Jr. scored his first basket of the game on a fadeaway floater. He got early minutes because Dutcher did not put Compton back in due to foul trouble.

Moments later, Gwath hit his second triple of the game to put his team up double digits for their largest lead of the game. SDSU started the game going 4-5 from beyond the arc.

Boyd then hit another three for the Aztecs’ fifth of the game. CBU could not defend it well at all. Their rotations were late and hardly ever put a hand up for a contested shot.

SDSU took a 7-point lead into the half, 40-33. Both teams ended the half shooting 50% from the floor.

Coleman opened the second half with a triple but Byrd responded with a deep three to put them back up seven. Coleman and Daniels Jr. had 25 of the team’s 36 points.

Byrd swished yet another three to make it seven for the game for the Aztecs. The redshirt sophomore then assisted with abehind-the-backk pass to Compton for a dunk. Byrd didn’t even look at Compton on the pass attempt.

OH MY GOODNESS @_mbyrd21 ➡️ @PharaohCompton

📺 Mountain West Network pic.twitter.com/bM9yJIjVLL

— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) December 12, 2024

Byrd continued to take over the game. He stole a pass and slammed it home on the fast break to erupt Viejas Arena into a frenzy. SDSU led 66-49 for their biggest advantage of the contest.

HERE COMES @_mbyrd21!!

📺 Mountain West Network pic.twitter.com/kQ5VwA1rEt

— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) December 12, 2024

CBU battle right back. They cut the lead down to five after they hit a couple three-pointers. SDSU went on a scoring drought where they scored only five points in five minutes of play. That came at the wrong time as crunch time approached.

CBU went on an 8-0 run to bring the score to 75-70 with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Byrd hit two free throw,s followed by another CBU triple to cut the lead to just four.

Dutcher proceeded to call a timeout and was not happy with his players whatsoever.

Just 1:46 remaining,g and the Aztecs desperately needed a basket to hold on for the win.

Boyd hit a layup for the final made field goal of the game. They needed to hit free throws to hold on for the win. In fact, CBU had a chance to respond quickly by fouling and forcing the Aztecs into a 1-and-1 situation. Instead, CBU did not foul and let 30 seconds waste off the clock. When they did foul, Boyd missed,d and CBU had a chance to cut it within three points. That did not happen,n and the coaching error by CBU head coach Rick Croy proved to be costly.

The Aztecs held on for the win in a contest that was much closer than it should have been.

“I think we just gotta keep our foot on the pedal,” Byrd said postgame about CBU’s late run. “I feel like our team got a little content. With a team like that, they play with a lot of confidence, and they shoot the ball well. We gotta stay at it and keep the foot on the gas.”

The next game for the Aztecs will be on December 21 in San Jose for the San Jose Tip-Off against Cal Berkeley.

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.