Aztecs Dominate Bulldogs, Extending Winning Streak in Mountain West Opener
San Diego State opened its Mountain West Conference season with a commanding 84-62 victory over Fresno State Wednesday night, extending its winning streak against the Bulldogs to 11 straight games.
Freshman forward Magoon Gwath delivered a career performance for the No. 24 Aztecs, pouring in a game-high 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Gwath, a towering seven-foot presence, shot a blistering 10 of 13 from the field, knocking down three of the Bulldogs’ seven 3-pointers and swatting away two shots. BJ Davis added 13 points to the Aztec attack, while Wayne McKinney III chipped in 12.
Fresno State, which struggled mightily offensively all night, was paced by Mykell Robinson, who recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Bulldogs shot a dismal 27% from the field (18 of 66), unable to find any consistency against the Aztecs’ stifling defense.
Crucial Second Half SurgeLifts Aztecs
Despite trailing by five points at halftime, San Diego State seized control of the game with a decisive 13-3 run early in the second half. Alex Crawford’s five consecutive points at the end of the first half cut Fresno State’s deficit to 29-24 going into the break. Elijah Price opened the second half scoring with a layup, narrowing the margin to 29-26. But the Aztecs quickly responded, suffocating Fresno State’s offense and pushing the lead to double digits.
San Diego State’s stifling defense forced Fresno State into cold streaks throughout the game. The Bulldogs missed 10 of their first 13 fielding attempts in the second half, struggling to find any rhythm offensively.
Shooting Woes Plague Fresno State
“We’ve got to get better. It’s as simple as that,” said Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson. “We weren’t converting on open looks, and that really hurt us.
Fresno State’s offensive struggles continued a recent trend. The Bulldogs’ 62-point total was their lowest output since a 74-56 loss at Cal State Bakersfield on November 16th. They have now dropped three consecutive games.
Looking Ahead
San Diego State, who entered the game 2-1 against ranked opponents, improved to 5-2 on the season. The Aztecs have won three of their last four games and will look to extend their winning streak in upcoming non-conference matchups against San Diego and Cal Baptist. After those games, the Aztecs will travel to San Jose to take on California on December 21st.
Fresno State falls to 3-5 on the season and will attempt to snap its losing streak on the road. The Bulldogs will face Santa Clara on Saturday before traveling to BYU.
How does the coach ensure that the Aztecs, despite their recent dominance over Fresno State, remain prepared and avoid complacency in future matchups?
## Aztecs on Fire!
**Welcome back to Aztec Sportszone! Tonight we have a special guest, Coach [Insert Coach’s Name here], to discuss the Aztecs’ commanding victory over Fresno State! Coach, welcome to the show!**
**Coach:** Thanks for having me!
**That was an impressive performance by the Aztecs tonight. How would you describe the team’s mentality going into their first Mountain West Conference game?**
**Coach:** We’ve been working hard all season, and the guys were really focused coming into conference play. We know every game in the Mountain West is tough, so we wanted to come out strong and set the tone.
**Magoon Gwath had a phenomenal game, putting up a career-high 25 points! Can you talk about his performance? **
**Coach:** Magoon was fantastic tonight. He’s been working incredibly hard in practice, and it’s great to see it paying off. He was a force on both ends of the court, scoring at will and playing stifling defense.
**The Aztecs’ defense was stifling all night, holding Fresno State to just 27% shooting. What was key to your defensive strategy?**
**Coach:** We wanted to make it tough for them to get into any kind of rhythm offensively. We pressured the ball, contested every shot, and rebounded well. It was a real team effort defensively.
**This win extends the Aztecs’ winning streak against Fresno State to 11 games. What’s the secret behind this dominance?**
**Coach:** We respect Fresno State, but we always come prepared to play. Our guys are hungry for success, and they believe in what we’re building.
**Looking ahead, what are the Aztecs’ focuses as they continue through conference play?**
**Coach:** We need to stay focused and continue to improve every day. Every game in the Mountain West is a challenge and we need to be ready for anything.
**Great insights, Coach! Thanks for joining us tonight. The Aztec faithful are certainly excited for what’s to come this season! **
