New year, same old Aztecs! The 13th ranked San Diego State Aztec basketball team stayed unbeaten improving to 14-0 on the season with a 61-52 win against Fresno State in front of a sellout crowd at Viejas Arena.
San Diego State and Auburn are the only two undefeated teams remaining in the nation.
Malachi Flynn led SDSU with 16 points and also had a historically significant game. With just over 12 minutes remaining, Flynn scored on a layup giving him his 1,000th career college point, which includes his time at Washington State before transferring to SDSU.
Matt Mitchell starting in place of center Nathan Mensah, who missed the game with respiratory issues, scored 15 points and helped SDSU gain control with a serious of baskets in the middle of the second half.
The Aztecs went old school in this game, doing it with defense. SDSU held Fresno State to just 17 first half points on 25% shooting, Fresno scored just 5 points in the final 11:33 of the half. SDSU also forced 12 first half turnovers and continually made Fresno work late into the shot clock. It was a defensive performance reminiscent of how Steve Fishers great teams played, and how the program was built.
San Diego State closed the first half with a 10-0 run to take a lead they would never give up. K.J. Feagin sparked the run with a pull up jumper, then a nifty reverse layup that had the Viejas crowd rocking.
San Diego State will look to improve to 15-0 on Jan. 4th when they travel to play Utah State.
