SAN DIEGO — The San Diego State men's basketball team has surged to second place in the Mountain West Conference standings with a 17-6 overall record and an 11-2 mark in league play, trailing only Utah State (21-3, 12-2) as the conference race enters its final stretch.
The Aztecs have won seven of their last eight conference games, including a 72-63 victory over Wyoming at Viejas Arena on February 3 and a road sweep that saw SDSU knock off UNLV 82-71 in Las Vegas. Miles Byrd led the way in the UNLV victory with 23 points, while BJ Davis hit a go-ahead jump shot with 10 seconds remaining in a thrilling 83-79 win over New Mexico on January 18.
Final Mountain West Season
This season carries added significance for the Aztec faithful, as it marks SDSU's final year in the Mountain West before the program officially moves to the Pac-12 Conference on July 1, 2026. The Aztecs have been conference members since 1999 and have won multiple Mountain West regular season and tournament titles during that span.
The 2025-26 season also features an expanded 20-game conference schedule — a first in Mountain West history — following Grand Canyon's addition to the league. The Aztecs were unanimously picked to win the conference in the preseason coaches' poll, receiving all 26 first-place votes.
Key Players
Reese Dixon-Waters leads the team in scoring at 12.4 points per game, while Miles Byrd contributes 10.6 points and a team-high 2.7 assists per game. Pharaoh Compton has been remarkably efficient, shooting 76.4 percent from the field in his minutes off the bench.
As a team, the Aztecs are averaging 80.2 points per game while allowing just 69.9, a differential that ranks among the best in the conference. With remaining home games against Nevada, Grand Canyon, Utah State, and UNLV, the Aztecs control their destiny in the race for the regular season title.
March Madness Push
SDSU has appeared in the AP Top 25 this season and is firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble. A strong finish to the regular season and a deep run in the Mountain West Tournament — which the Aztecs won last year — would likely secure their spot in March Madness for the second consecutive season.