Aztecs' Effort Falls Short Against Ranked Lady Rebels in Mountain West Championship

49-66, a score that reflects the outcome of a hard-fought battle where the San Diego State Aztecs faced off against the 21st-ranked University of Nevada, Las Vegas Lady Rebels in the Mountain West Championship. The Aztecs entered the game unranked and concluded with an overall performance that saw them trailing at Thomas & Mack Center.

The San Diego State Aztecs started strong, outscoring the Lady Rebels 12-10 in the first quarter. However, momentum shifted as they struggled to keep pace, adding only 8 points to their tally in the second quarter compared to UNLV's 10. The third quarter proved pivotal for UNLV as they surged ahead with 22 points while holding SDSU to just 17. In a final push, both teams scored 12 points each in the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough for SDSU to close the gap.

Statistically speaking, San Diego State's shooting was not at its best; they finished with a field goal percentage of just 36 percent and were similarly challenged from beyond the arc with a three-point shooting percentage of 33 percent. Despite these challenges, they excelled at free throws by making all five attempted shots.

The Aztecs showed resilience on defense with two blocks and four steals but were outmatched by UNLV's five blocks and eight steals. On offense, SDSU distributed well among players totaling fifteen assists but suffered from turnovers which amounted to sixteen instances – nearly matching their total rebounds count at thirty-three.

A notable effort came from within paint where San Diego State managed sixteen points but this was overshadowed by UNLV's dominant thirty-eight paint points which contributed significantly to their victory margin. Additionally, while both teams had low fast break scoring with two points each; it was clear that UNLV capitalized more effectively on turnovers scoring fourteen points off them compared to SDSU’s eight.

For fans looking forward towards future broadcasts featuring San Diego State Aztecs' games can stay tuned for updates on schedules and matchups as they prepare for upcoming challenges following this championship encounter.