The San Diego State Aztecs men’s basketball team will play top-seeded Utah State in the Mountain West Tournament championship game on March 14. The matchup follows victories over Colorado State and New Mexico, with the final set for a 3 p.m. PT tipoff and broadcast on CBS.
This appearance marks the Aztecs’ third time reaching the title game as a No. 2 seed, having previously won in 2011 and finished as runner-up in 2015. The team’s consistent performance under head coach Brian Dutcher is highlighted by their ninth consecutive quarterfinal start and their record-setting seventeenth appearance in the tournament’s championship game.
San Diego State has excelled in conference tournaments, boasting a 19-5 record over its last 24 Mountain West tournament games since Dutcher became head coach during the 2017-18 season. Their total of 38 conference tournament wins since the 2008-09 season leads all teams nationally, surpassing Gonzaga’s tally of 37.
The Aztecs have accumulated an event-best winning percentage of nearly 71 percent (46-19) in Mountain West Tournament play, with their total of 46 wins being unmatched by any current or former league member. Their success extends to neutral venues as well; they have recorded more victories at Thomas & Mack Center than any other school has achieved at a non-home venue over the past eighteen seasons.
Individual achievements also stand out, such as Magoon Gwath moving into ninth place on San Diego State’s career blocks list after his performance against New Mexico. The team held New Mexico to just a .328 field goal percentage—the Lobos’ second-lowest mark this season and their lowest ever in a Mountain West Tournament game since March 2000.
Looking ahead, San Diego State aims to secure its eighth tournament crown and add to its unprecedented sixteen Mountain West titles when it faces Utah State for the championship.
