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- For information on all San Diego State University sports, see San Diego State Aztecs
| San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
 | ||||
| University | San Diego State University | |||
| First season | 1921–22 | |||
| All-time record | 1,485–1,125 (.569) | |||
| Head coach | Brian Dutcher (7th season) | |||
| Conference | Mountain West | |||
| Location | San Diego, California | |||
| Arena | Viejas Arena (Capacity: 12,414) | |||
| Nickname | Aztecs | |||
| Student section | The Show | |||
| Colors | Scarlet and black[1] | |||
| Uniforms | ||||
| ||||
| NCAA tournament runner-up | ||||
| 2023 | ||||
| NCAA tournament Final Four | ||||
| 2023 | ||||
| NCAA tournament Elite Eight | ||||
| 1957*, 1967*, 2023 | ||||
| NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 1957*, 1967*, 2011, 2014, 2023, 2024 | ||||
| NCAA tournament round of 32 | ||||
| 1957*, 1967*, 1968*, 1975, 1976, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2023, 2024 | ||||
| NCAA tournament appearances | ||||
| 1957*, 1967*, 1968*, 1975, 1976, 1985, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 *at Division II level | ||||
| Conference tournament champions | ||||
| Mountain West: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 WAC: 1985 PCAA: 1976 | ||||
| Conference regular season champions | ||||
| Mountain West: 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2023 PCAA: 1977, 1978 | ||||
The San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball team is the men's college basketball program that represents San Diego State University. The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW). The team plays their home games at Viejas Arena.
The Aztecs have been to sixteen NCAA Division I tournaments since joining NCAA Division I in 1969, last appearing in the tournament in 2024. In the 2023 NCAA tournament, they reached the Final Four for the first time in program history, losing to UConn in the championship game. In the Mountain West Conference, the Aztecs have won seven tournament championships and nine regular season titles.
Notable alumni include NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Tony Gwynn, who played both basketball and baseball for the Aztecs.
Team history
The Aztecs first began play during the 1921–22 basketball season. The team played that season, as well as the next three, as part of the Southern California Junior College Conference due to proximity to other schools, despite the fact that that SDSU (then known as San Diego Normal School) was not a junior college itself.[2] The Aztecs joined the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in 1926 following a season as an independent, and competed in the NAIA until 1956, when they transitioned to the newly founded NCAA Division II. They competed in six NAIA Men's Basketball Championships. Finishing as runners up in 1939 and in 1940, the Aztecs finally prevailed and won the 1941 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament.[3] After competing in NCAA Division II from 1956 until 1969 they became an NCAA Division I school in the fall of 1969. The Aztecs moved from the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA), which is now known as the Big West Conference, to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 1978.[4] In 1999, the Aztecs left the WAC and became a charter member of the Mountain West Conference.[5] Prior to entering the Mountain West, the team had been to three NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments. During their time in the MWC, the Aztecs have won several conference championships and have been to nine NCAA tournaments and four NIT tournaments.[5] In the 2010–11 season, the Aztecs were ranked as high as 4th in the nation and won their first ever games in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet Sixteen.[6] Following the 2013–14 season, the team reached its second Sweet Sixteen. In the 2019–20 season, the Aztecs finished with a 30–2 record for their best winning percentage in team history. The team spent seven straight weeks in the top 5 of both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll, finishing the season at #6 in both polls. The 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was cancelled at the end of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2022–2023 season, the Aztecs reached their third Sweet Sixteen, first Elite Eight with a win over #1 Alabama, and first Final Four. The win over Creighton on March 26 in the South Region Final gave them their first Region championship in program history. On April 1, they became the first team from the Mountain West Conference to reach the National Championship after defeating FAU 72–71 on a buzzer-beating shot by point guard Lamont Butler. In the 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game, the Aztecs were defeated by the University of Connecticut Huskies by a score of 59–76.[7]
Rivalries
The Aztecs have three rivalries, the UNLV Rebels, the USD Toreros, and the BYU Cougars. The rivalry with the Rebels was especially fierce between the years 2010–2013, however the rivalry has cooled down significantly due to the one-sided nature of the affair. San Diego State has won 22 of 24 games against UNLV from 2014 to 2024. The USD Toreros are the Aztecs' crosstown rivals and play them near-annually in the City Championship. The Aztecs' rivalry with the BYU Cougars has been partially dormant since 2011, when the Cougars left the MWC for the WCC. The teams still play occasionally in non-conference games.
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Facilities
Viejas Arena
Viejas Arena (officially Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl) is a multi-purpose arena located in San Diego, California on the campus of San Diego State University. The arena opened in 1997 and seats 12,414 for basketball and up to 12,845 for concerts.
Viejas Arena is the home of the San Diego State Aztecs men's and women's basketball teams. The arena also hosts the San Diego Mojo of the Pro Volleyball Federation. The arena features an "open-air" concourse design that allows fans to experience breaks, concessions, and event activities for games, concerts, and other events outdoors.
Prior to the opening of the arena, men's basketball played its home games primarily at Peterson Gymnasium (located across the street from Viejas Arena and the current home to the Aztec women's volleyball team), and, for more than 30 years, played on-and-off at the San Diego Sports Arena.[8][9][10]
Jeff Jacobs JAM Center
In 2015, the San Diego State Athletics Department opened an on-campus state-of-the-art practice facility, The Jeff Jacobs JAM Center, for the Aztec men's basketball and women's basketball teams.[11]
Head coaches
As of the 2022 Media Guide
| Name | Seasons | Record | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| C.E. Peterson | 1921–1926 | 70–30 | .700 |
| Tom McMullen | 1926–1929 | 23–17 | .575 |
| Morris Gross | 1929–1942 | 190–85 | .690 |
| Don DeLauer | 1942–1943 | 14–9 | .609 |
| Alex Alexander | 1943–1945 | 17–26 | .395 |
| Charlie Smith | 1945–1948 | 45–36 | .563 |
| George Ziegenfuss | 1948–1969 | 316–229 | .580 |
| Dick Davis | 1969–1974 | 65–67 | .492 |
| Tim Vezie | 1974–1979 | 77–62 | .554 |
| Smokey Gaines | 1979–1987 | 112–117 | .489 |
| Jim Brandenburg | 1987–1991 | 52–87 | .356 |
| Jim Harrick Jr. (Interim coach) | 1992 | 0–7 | .000 |
| Tony Fuller | 1992–1994 | 20–37 | .351 |
| Fred Trenkle | 1994–1999 | 55–83 | .399 |
| *Steve Fisher | 1999–2017 | 386–209 | .648 |
| Brian Dutcher | 2017–Present | 151–46 | .766 |
- Through April 2nd 2023.
Postseason
NCAA Division I tournament results
The Aztecs have appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament 16 times, with a combined record of 13–16. They have reached the Sweet Sixteen four times, in 2011, 2014, 2023, and 2024; in 2023 they reached the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and the National Championship, all for the first time. Additionally, at 30–2 and ranked in the Top 10 they were considered a virtual lock for the 2020 NCAA Tournament, which was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | N/A | Round of 32 | UNLV | L 80–90 |
| 1976 | N/A | Round of 32 | UCLA | L 64–74 |
| 1985 | 13 | Round of 64 | (4) UNLV | L 80–85 |
| 2002 | 13 | First Round | (4) Illinois | L 64–93 |
| 2006 | 11 | First Round | (6) Indiana | L 83–87 |
| 2010 | 11 | First Round | (6) Tennessee | L 59–62 |
| 2011 | 2 | First Round Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen |
(15) Northern Colorado (7) Temple (3) Connecticut |
W 68–50 W 71–64 2OT L 67–74 |
| 2012 | 6 | First Round | (11) NC State | L 65–79 |
| 2013 | 7 | First Round Round of 32 |
(10) Oklahoma (15) Florida Gulf Coast |
W 70–55 L 71–81 |
| 2014 | 4 | First Round Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen |
(13) New Mexico State (12) North Dakota State (1) Arizona |
W 73–69 OT W 63–44 L 64–70 |
| 2015 | 8 | First Round Round of 32 |
(9) St. John's (1) Duke |
W 76–64 L 49–68 |
| 2018 | 11 | First Round | (6) Houston | L 65–67 |
| 2021 | 6 | First Round | (11) Syracuse | L 62–78 |
| 2022 | 8 | First Round | (9) Creighton | L 69–72 OT |
| 2023 | 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship |
(12) Charleston (13) Furman (1) Alabama (6) Creighton (9) Florida Atlantic (4) UConn |
W 63–57 W 75–52 W 71–64 W 57–56 W 72–71 L 59–76 |
| 2024 | 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen |
(12) UAB (13) Yale (1) UConn |
W 69–65 W 85–57 L 52–82 |
NCAA Tournament seeding history
The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1978 edition with the present seeding format beginning the following year.
| Years → | '85 | '02 | '06 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '14 | '15 | '18 | '21 | '22 | '23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds → | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
NIT results
The Aztecs have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) six times, with a combined record of 8–6.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | First round | UC Irvine | L 69–70 |
| 2003 | First round Second Round |
UC Santa Barbara Texas Tech |
W 67–62 L 57–48 |
| 2007 | First round Second Round |
Missouri State Syracuse |
W 74–70 L 64–80 |
| 2008 | First round | Florida | L 49–73 |
| 2009 | First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
Weber State Kansas State Saint Mary's Baylor |
W 65–49 W 70–52 W 70–66 L 62–76 |
| 2016 | First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals |
IPFW Washington Georgia Tech George Washington |
W 79–55 W 93–78 W 72–56 L 46–65 |
NCAA Division II tournament results
The Aztecs appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament three times, with a combined record of 5–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight |
Chapman Regis Cal State Los Angeles |
W 75–56 W 81–78 L 55–57 |
| 1967 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight |
Portland State Nevada Southern Illinois State |
W 101–73 W 88–71 L 76–77 3OT |
| 1968 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game |
UC Irvine UC Davis |
L 69–78 W 79–72 |
NAIA tournament results
The Aztecs have appeared in the NAIA tournament five times. Their combined record is 15–4. They were NAIA national champions in 1941.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship |
Northern State East Texas State Manchester Peru State Southwestern (KS) |
W 49–25 W 41–36 W 49–41 W 49–39 L 31–32 |
| 1940 | First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship |
East Central State (OK) Appalachian State Pittsburg State Delta State Tarkio |
W 36–35 W 48–46 W 32–30 W 30–28 L 42–52 |
| 1941 | First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship |
Western Montana Culver–Stockton Texas Western West Texas State Murray State |
W 46–29 W 46–41 OT W 44–42 W 43–40 W 36–34 |
| 1942 | First round Second Round |
Chadron State Bemidji State |
W 36–29 L 32–41 |
| 1956 | First round Second Round |
Alderson Broaddus Gustavus Adolphus |
W 77–64 L 60–69 |
Retired jerseys
On January 16, 2020, the Aztecs announced that they would be retiring former small forward Kawhi Leonard's number 15 jersey on February 1, 2020. Following Leonard's jersey retirement, some confusion circulated regarding statements that Leonard was the first player in Aztecs history to have his jersey retired, as the school ceremoniously retired former power forward and center Michael Cage's number 44 jersey in 1984.[12]
On December 29, 2023, the Aztecs announced that they would be retiring three more jerseys in a "Return to the Rafters" ceremony on January 17, 2024.[13] The players honored were Milton "Milky" Phelps, Judy Porter, and Michael Cage. This ceremony resolved the prior confusion regarding Cage's jersey retirement.
| San Diego State Aztecs retired numbers | |||||
| No. | Player | Pos. | Career | Year ret. | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Kawhi Leonard | SF | 2009–2011 | 2020 | [12][14] |
| 22 | Milton Phelps | C/PF | 1937-1941 | 2024 | [13] |
| 44 | Michael Cage | C/PF | 1980–1984 | 2024 | [15][13] |
Team records
All-time record vs. current MWC teams
Official record (including any NCAA imposed vacates and forfeits) against all current MWC opponents as of the completion of the 2022–2023 season: