Can the Aztecs' Paint Domination Forecast More Success at UNLV?

The San Diego State Aztecs, ranked 20th, continued their impressive season with another victory over the unranked Spartans from San Jose State. The final score read 72-64 in favor of the home team. The Aztecs now boast a record of 23-4, while the Spartans sit at a less fortunate 7-20.

In front of a packed Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl with an attendance of all 12,414 seats filled, the game saw both teams locked in a competitive battle. The first half ended with the Aztecs slightly ahead at 29-22. However, it was in the second half where they truly shone by adding another 43 points to their tally compared to the Spartans' more aggressive but less efficient push of 42 points.

The San Diego State team's performance was marked by their control inside both ends of the court. They outscored their opponents significantly in paint points with an impressive total of 40 against Spartan's respectable but lower count of 30. This inside dominance was further highlighted by shooting percentages; while both teams shot above fifty percent from two-point range – San Diego State at fifty-three and San Jose State at fifty-six – it was free throws where there was clear daylight between them: seventy-seven percent for SDSU compared to only fifty for SJSU.

Defensively, SDSU also showed superiority by collecting more rebounds (40) than SJSU (31), which included eight offensive boards contributing to eleven second-chance points. Moreover, they managed five steals and four blocks throughout the game that helped them maintain control despite three times being tied and experiencing five lead changes during play.

A key aspect that stood out for SDSU was their teamwork and ball distribution; they tallied eighteen assists which is almost double that of SJSU's ten assists count. This facilitated an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.8 for SDSU against SJSU’s ratio which stood just above one.

Looking ahead after this conference game win, fans can mark their calendars as The San Diego State Aztecs will next face off against UNLV Runnin' Rebels on March 5th at Thomas & Mack Center located in Las Vegas, NV. This upcoming match is scheduled for an evening tip-off at eight o'clock Pacific Time and will be broadcasted live on CBS Sports Network for fans who wish to follow along as these two teams clash on court.