Aztecs release 2026-27 Non-Conference Basketball Schedule
SDSU
The San Diego State men’s basketball team hopes to hit the hardwood running in the new-look Pac-12 as the program begins an exciting new era.
The program officially unveiled its 2026-27 schedule Monday, and there is no shortage of must-see matchups to circle before the Aztecs tip off the season on Nov. 3. San Diego State will take on Arizona, USC, and Long Beach State for three exhibition games ahead of the regular season.
SDSU kept much of its non-schedule quiet leading up to the official release, although several notable matchups had already been revealed. Let’s take a look.
What We Already Knew:
Cal State Fullerton — Nov. 3 — Viejas Arena
San Diego State will open the 2026-27 season against Cal State Fullerton at Viejas Arena. Dedrique Taylor returns for his 13th season leading the Titans after an 18-16 campaign, with All-Big West Second Team selection Joshua Ward and Honorable Mention Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro among the players to watch.
Bill Walton Classic: Colorado — Nov. 7 — Pechanga Arena
The Aztecs will face Colorado in the inaugural Bill Walton Classic, giving SDSU an early matchup against a Big 12 opponent. Tad Boyle enters his 16th season leading the Buffaloes. Colorado finished 17-16 last season and enters 2026-27 with plenty of new faces, making this an interesting early test for both programs.
Interesting fact: Former Colorado star and current Boston Celtics guard Derrick White joined the program this offseason as its first President of Basketball Strategy.
Bethune-Cookman — Nov. 11 — Viejas Arena
This will be the first of two games between the Scarlet and Black and members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 2026-27 season. The Wildcats went 17-15 last season, including 14-4 in conference action, and won their first SWAC regular-season title, but lost in the quarterfinal of the league tournament.
Compete 4 Cause Classic: New Mexico State — Nov. 15 — Frontwave Arena (Oceanside)
San Diego State will also face New Mexico State; analyst Rocco Miller was the first to report it. The Aggies finished 16-16 last season but proved capable of pulling off an upset, including a victory over rival New Mexico. This game will be played up north in Oceanside for the Compete 4 Cause Classic in a neutral-site contest.
Players Era: Iowa State — Nov. 24 — Michelob ULTRA Arena
SDSU will open the Players Era in Las Vegas against Iowa State in one of its biggest early-season tests. The winner advances to face either Tennessee or Maryland on Thanksgiving Day before the event eventually concludes with its championship game on Nov. 28.
This will be the seventh meeting between SDSU and Iowa State, with the Cyclones holding a 4-2 advantage. Their only previous neutral-site meeting wasn’t particularly close, as Iowa State defeated the Aztecs 87-57 in the fifth-place game of the 2018 Maui Invitational.
Iowa State will be ranked in this matchup.
Players Era: Tennessee/Maryland — Nov. 26 — Michelob ULTRA Arena
The second Players Era matchup will be November 26 against either the Tennessee Volunteers or the Maryland Terrapins. The Aztecs’ third opponent, on Friday, November 27, will be based on the outcome of their first two games and will be either the Louisville Cardinals, Oregon Ducks, St. John’s Red Storm, or Texas Tech Red Raiders. If it qualifies as one of the top two teams after three games, SDSU would compete for the championship in a game on Saturday, November 28.
UNLV — Dec. 5 — Viejas Arena
The Aztecs and Runnin’ Rebels will play the first of a home-and-home series in San Diego before returning the favor in 2027. This rivalry should be played almost every season with the number of non-conference games SDSU will have at the beginning of this Pac-12 era. This meeting will be the first non-conference game for these two programs since the 1992-93 season.
Montana State — Dec. 11 — Viejas Arena
Montana State will visit Viejas Arena after finishing 18-14 last season. The Bobcats also have Gonzaga, BYU, and Colorado State on their nonconference schedule, but this should be one of the more manageable games on SDSU’s slate and one the Aztecs will expect to win at home.
BYU — Dec. 19 — Acrisure Arena
An old rivalry returns when San Diego State and BYU meet in Palm Desert as part of the Acrisure Series. The programs have met 77 times, including 67 times as conference opponents, giving this neutral-site matchup considerably more history than the typical December nonconference game.
It should also be one of the biggest games on SDSU’s schedule. The Aztecs have won the last three neutral-site meetings with BYU, including a memorable double-overtime victory at the 2014 Maui Invitational.
Remaining Non-Conference Dates:
Texas Southern — Nov. 18 — Viejas Arena
San Diego State is 4-0 against Texas Southern, aiming for a clean five-game sweep. The Tigers finished 12-18 last season.
LIU — Dec. 22 — Viejas Arena
LIU is secretly a very solid program. LIU finished with a 24-11 record and went 15-3 in the Northeastern Conference, won its conference tournament to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, but fell to Arizona in its opening-round game last year.
UCLA — Dec. 29 — Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles)
Another matchup to circle. SDSU is 0-10 against the Bruins in Los Angeles, but has not been to Pauley Pavilion since the 1990-91 season. The two programs played an exhibition game last year, but now will play a real non-conference game against a former Pac-12 program. SDSU has won the last two games against UCLA. 78-69 at the 2012 John Wooden Classic in Anaheim and 73-58 in the 2020-21 season opener at Viejas Arena.
This will be the first of a home-and-home series, sources tell EVT.
Life Pacific — Dec. 31 — Viejas Arena
San Diego State finishes off the 2026-27 non-conference slate on Thursday, December 31, with a non-Division I game against the Life Pacific Warriors. Life Pacific, which is in San Dimas, Calif., is an NAIA program that competes in the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC). The Warriors posted a 13-15 record last year, including a 4-12 mark in the GSAC.
Pac-12 Opponents (Home & Away Dates Not Set)
Boise State — Matchups TBD
One of San Diego State’s biggest rivalries will follow the Aztecs from the Mountain West to the Pac-12. SDSU and Boise State have felt like natural partners in conference realignment for years, and while the Pac-12 looks much different than it once did, these are two programs capable of becoming cornerstones of the league’s new basketball identity.
Leon Rice has consistently built competitive teams at Boise State, and the Broncos should once again present a difficult challenge for the Aztecs. Julian Bowie is one player to watch this season as a key returner.
Colorado State — Matchups TBD
Colorado State could be one of the sleepers in the Pac-12 after struggling last season. The Rams remained one of the country’s better 3-point shooting teams despite their overall record, and a strong group of returning players gives them an opportunity to make a significant jump.
Carey Booth will be one of the names to watch. His combination of size and skill gives him a chance to become a dominant presence for the Rams.
Fresno State — Matchups TBD
Another familiar Mountain West opponent makes the move alongside SDSU, keeping the California matchup alive in the new Pac-12. One of the more interesting storylines will be Brian Amuneke, who began his collegiate career at Fresno State before spending a season at Wichita State and eventually returning to the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga — Matchups TBD
Gonzaga immediately becomes one of the marquee opponents on SDSU’s conference schedule, and Mark Few has assembled another loaded roster in Spokane. The Bulldogs added plenty of talent through the transfer portal and should once again enter the season with expectations of competing on the national stage.
For SDSU, having Gonzaga as a conference opponent provides the type of high-level matchup that can immediately elevate the new Pac-12’s basketball reputation.
Oregon State — Matchups TBD
Oregon State enters the new Pac-12 with a new head coach after hiring Justin Joyner in March. Joyner spent the previous two seasons as an assistant at Michigan and helped the Wolverines win the national championship last season before officially taking over in Corvallis.
Josiah Lake II gives him an important building block. Lake earned All-WCC First Team honors last season after leading Oregon State in assists and averaging 13.1 points per game.
Texas State — Matchups TBD
SDSU owns a 2-1 all-time record against Texas State, although the programs haven’t played since 1997. The Bobcats could face an adjustment period moving into a stronger basketball conference, but joining the Pac-12 gives the program an opportunity to build toward competing with teams like SDSU and Gonzaga.
Utah State — Matchups TBD
San Diego State and Utah State won’t have to say goodbye to one of the Mountain West’s best basketball matchups. The Aggies have developed into one of SDSU’s most important conference opponents in recent years, and now the rivalry gets an opportunity to continue in the Pac-12.
The two programs have produced plenty of meaningful games over the years, and changing the conference logo shouldn’t change the intensity when they meet again.
Washington State — Matchups TBD
SDSU and Washington State have only met once on the basketball court, with the Cougars winning that matchup in 2017. However, longtime Aztecs fans might remember another connection between the programs involving 6-foot-10 center Valentine Izundu.
Washington State and then-head coach Ernie Kent initially blocked Izundu from transferring to San Diego State in 2016 amid concerns about potential tampering. The restrictions were eventually lifted, allowing Izundu to join Steve Fisher and the Aztecs for his final collegiate season.
Now, a decade later, Washington State and SDSU are conference opponents.
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.