On Saturday night, the San Diego State Aztecs lost to the Utah State Aggies, 79-71.

SDSU fell to 18-6 on the year and 11-5 in the conference.

Standout forward Magoon Gwath went down with a right knee injury in the first two minutes. Gwath went up to block a shot and landed awkwardly under the rim. The action continued for another two possessions, which left head coach Brian Dutcher furious as no whistle was blown to stop for injury.

The seven-footer was unable to put weight on his right leg as the director of player development, Aguek Arop, and a Utah State training staff member helped him head back to the locker room. 

Gwath would not return. Jon Schaeffer reports that Gwath will have an MRI on his knee once the team is back in San Diego. Early indications are that it is a knee sprain. 

SDSU was held scoreless for three minutes, and their first bucket took five minutes as forward Miles Heide took a pass from the high post and found forward Pharaoh Compton in the dunker spot for a layup.

Guard Miles Byrd and Heide each picked up a frustration foul as SDSU fell behind early.  Things continued to unravel as the offense had committed three turnovers and three field goals while guard Nick Boyd drove baseline and was called for his second foul halfway through the first half.

SDSU started to pick up some offense when Byrd knocked down his first bucket, followed by BJ Davis connecting on a corner 3-pointer coming off an exit screen.

Boyd and Byrd combined for just four points with four minutes to go in the first half.

SDSU trailed by as much as 14 and created a 7-0 run to hang around. 

In the second half, Davis connected on back-to-back 3-pointers, and SDSU took its first lead. Utah State responded with a seven-point advantage, as guard Dexter Akanno connected on a pair of 3-pointers. Averaging eight points a game, Akanno torched the Aztecs, scoring a game-high 26 points and hitting a season-high seven three-pointers.

During Utah State’s burst, SDSU’s best on-ball defender, Davis, reached into the gaps and was called for his fourth foul with 14 minutes to play.

The Aztecs tied the game again at 65 when Boyd drilled a step-back 3-pointer.

Later, with three minutes to play, while in defensive transition, Davis picked up his fifth foul while contesting a 3-pointer with three minutes to play. A bucket from Compton and Boyd rejecting a screen to get to the cup to put SDSU up four.

Utah State answered with an 8-0 run, including a three-pointer and three free throws made by guard Ian Martinez.

Down four, Boyd went up and under and missed badly off the glass, and from there, the Aggies knocked down their free throws to close out SDSU.

SDSU came in second in opponents’ field goal percentage (37.1) tonight, and Utah State was third in field goal percentage, making half their shots.

The Aztecs hold a 4-4 record against quad one teams.

Dutcher has won at least 21 games in every season since he took over the program. He will have to guide the team to win three of their last four to reach that mark for the eighth straight year. 

Mac Pham

Mac Pham, a San Diego State alum, graduated with a distinction in Cum Laude and a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications. He formally served as the vice president for SDSU’s Asian American Journalist Association chapter.