San Diego State Aztecs' Slow Start Dooms Loss to No. 12 UCLA in Viejas Arena
The San Diego State Aztecs' recent performance has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. After a devastating loss to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament's First Four, trailing by 40 and losing by 27, the team was picked up right where they left off.
In a preseason exhibition against No. 12 UCLA at Viejas Arena, the Aztecs struggled early on, with the score reading 0-17 after just 7½ minutes. Coach Brian Dutcher saw this as an opportunity to evaluate the team's strengths and weaknesses, and it certainly revealed a lot.
The Aztecs had a lot of work to do, but they also had a lot to build on. The game started with a bang, as the hosts missed their first nine shots and had 10 turnovers. It wasn't until Sean Newman Jr., a guard not known for his shooting, drained a 3-pointer from the left side with 12:15 left in the half that the Aztecs finally got on the board.
Despite the slow start, the Aztecs showed resilience. They stayed together as a team, even when they were down 17-2. Once their first bucket went in, it was a wake-up call, and they picked up the pace. The second half saw a 17-5 run by the Aztecs, cutting the lead to three with seven minutes to go.
However, UCLA regrouped and held on for the win. The final score was 67-60 in favor of the Bruins, but the Aztecs showed significant improvement in the second half, outscoring UCLA 37-28.
It's worth noting that the Aztecs were without their 7-foot sophomore, Magoon Gwath, who hasn't been cleared for live game action yet. Additionally, Miles Byrd, a junior wing, didn't start after missing most of the last two weeks with an abdominal strain. Despite these setbacks, the Aztecs found some deficiencies and strengths, and they have a lot to work on.
Coach Dutcher was pleased with the team's performance, especially their shooting percentage in the second half (57.1%) compared to the first half (26.9%). He emphasized the importance of playing at a higher level and getting back to their fundamentals to win games. The Aztecs will have nearly two weeks before their next game, an exhibition against USD on October 29th, with the regular season opening on November 4th against Long Beach State.
The game was intense, with both teams fouling out (Newman and Pharaoh Compton for SDSU) and a total of 38 fouls. UCLA's coach, Mick Cronin, praised the Aztecs' effort, saying they played with heart and physicality, which is what he expected from a game like this.
