It will be remembered as one of the greatest runs by any team in the history of San Diego sports. Alas, the Aztecs ran out of magic on Monday night in Houston.
San Diego State lost the National Championship game to Connecticut 76-59 at NRG Stadium, a disappointing end that should in no way tarnish a truly remarkable season.
The Aztecs knew they'd have to shoot the ball well to beat the Huskies and started off doing just that. SDSU hit four of their first five shots and took a 10-6 lead. Then everyone lost their shooting touch at once.
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They went 6:10 without a point, a streak that was finally snapped by a pair of Keshad Johnson free throws. But, they didn't make a field goal for a whopping 11:08. During that run the Huskies ran out to a 30-17 lead that swelled to as many as 16 points. By halftime UConn's advantage was 12 points.
SDSU was able to use their stellar defense to get overcome a 14-point deficit in the national semifinal against Florida Atlantic. Connecticut is a different beast. The Huskies had won every NCAA Tournament game by double digits and outscored their opponents by an average of 13 points in the 2nd half alone. Letting a team like that get a lead with 20 minutes to try and catch them is asking for trouble.
However, the Aztecs are also a different beast. They didn't just keep it from getting out of hand, they made it an exciting game.
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Jaedon LeDee hit a couple of short jumpers, Keshad Johnson nailed a 3-pointer, Darrion Trammell and Lamont Butler both had steals that led to layups and all of a sudden the lead was down to five with 5:19 to play. Jordan Hawkins, who has an NBA future ahead of him, knocked down a 3-pointer to spark a 9-0 run and snuff out the comeback attempt. Connecticut wins its 5th national championship, tying the Huskies with Duke and Indiana for 4th-most all-time behind North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA.
The Aztecs finish their season 32-7, a truly phenomenal year for a program that just keeps getting better. Something tells me this may have been the first time they've played for a national title but it won't be the last.
