Aztecs suffer third home loss of season against UNLV, 76-68

Credit: Don De Mars/ EVT Sports

Aztecs fall to UNLV at home in yet another miserable loss
Offense came at a premium to begin this contest. Neither side could find a rhythm until around the 12-minute mark. It was a back-and-forth game until UNLV lit a spark.
UNLV led for the majority of the first half. However, the Aztecs did not let UNLV pull away. The Runnin’ Rebels largest lead reached nine after a 9-0 run toward the end of the half.
The biggest reason why UNLV had a lot of success was due to the Aztecs’ seven turnovers and UNLV’s eight points off those TOs. SDSU also shot just 27% in the first half and finished 3-16 from beyond the arc.
Jailen Bedford and Brooklyn Hicks combined for 16 first-half points for UNLV. Dedan Thomas Jr. scored seven and added an assist.
The Rebels led 31-23 at the break.
The Aztecs needed someone to get them back into the contest, and Miles Byrd stepped in on that role. After not scoring a single point in the first half, he scored 16 points with around three minutes left in the game.
Two BIG buckets for @_mbyrd21
📺 @CBSSportsCBB pic.twitter.com/K4A1y7kecV
— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) January 19, 2025
His play kept the team in the game when they needed him the most. Nick Boyd converted an and-one finish to cut the lead to five with around two and a half minutes left.
After a couple of Thomas free throws, Byrd hit his fourth triple of the game to cut the lead to four.
Just under two minutes remained. The Aztecs needed a few more stops on defense to give them an opportunity to win this game and complete the comeback.
Down five with 42 seconds left, UNLV turned the ball over after the inbound pass, and the Aztecs had one last opportunity to get back within one possession.
The Aztecs went to Byrd for the three but could not hit the shot. Thomas nailed more free throws to seal the game. The Rebels played well enough to win on the road but there is no doubt that this result is a shocker.
Byrd’s efforts should not be dismissed. The game could have been a blowout for UNLV if it had not been for Byrd stepping up in the second half.
SDSU will take on Air Force on the road on Wednesday night at 8:00 pm.
StatsÂ
- SDSU shot 40% from the floor to UNLV’s 44%.
- UNLV led for 32 minutes
- 37-32 rebound advantage for UNLV
- Byrd ended with 21 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
- Nick Boyd with 16 points (14 in the second half), 5 rebounds, 1 assist
- Thomas Jr. ended with 19 points (10-10 from the line) and 5 assists
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.