0-

“Aztecs Basetball-Put Up or Shut Up”

-0-

Now we get to see what a good college basketball team looks like, and it’s not San Diego State.

They’ve had good games, and bad games. They’ve seldom gotten hot. And now it has become crunch time.

San Diego State basketball has been streaky all year. Now Wednesday night, State faces nationally ranked Nevada-Reno at Viejas Arena.

That is a (24-1) basketball team that comes to town. The Wolfpack started (13-0), lost at New Mexico, and now have reeled off 11-more straight wins.

Nevada has stormed thru the Mountain West Conference…with 10-wins of 10-points or more in the league….and victories by 33-39-40 point margins against the weak teams in the league.

Jordan Caroline and Caleb Martin are averaging 37-points a game between them. The team has hit 218-3’s, and isa averaging 81-points a game this year.

They have non conference wins over Utah-Arizona State-USC and Loyola.

For the Aztecs, there can be no letdowns, that would lead to a blowout.

The Wolfpack start 5-seniors, and their top 6-players are all transfers, a real challenge for a somewhat young SDSU front line.

They are loaded with veteran talent.

Coach Brian Dutcher’s comments.

—————–

…Nevada is capable of being a Final 4-team this year.
…We have to set a defensive game plan to slow them down
…They are a downhill team with all their players
…Free flowing-aggressive style with a talented coach

…We beat them pretty good last year-they have circled us on the calendar.
…Not just taking away a player or two…it’s a battle every possession.
…They can hurt you from every position..game to game
…All capable of scoring…they go with hot hands..could be Caroline-Martin
…They are not governed by set plays

…They play hard for 40-minutes every night…great effort
…They are never out of games they play hard…they don’t let

…The physical nature-egressive-would have been challenge to play us early
…Our young players have games under their belt…now we feel good
…Playing them late in schedule helps our young players
…Home court helps us a lot…the crowd will get into it

…Need to get stops…being efficient on offensive
…Loss to New Mexico…Lobos hit 14-3’s…zoned them and got hot in Pit

…Nevada loaded with transfers…entire starting lineup 5th year seniors.
…They have recruited quality players via transfers
…Only team ranked in country with 5-transfers this year
…They run set plays vs zones..very good with spacing…they don’t get rattled

…Nathan Mensah has some back issues-limited in practice

…Known Eric Musselman along time
…Eric is super intense-sometimes over the top-he is not his father
…We had (34-3) team that was pretty good…these guys are the equal to that
…We get to tourney it becomes matches….he wants favorable seeding
…Nevada does not want to drop from 3rd or 4th seed going to final weeks season
…Wolfpack have been good…they’ve turned it up a notch since early in th year

…Jordan Caroline is huge presence -plays bigger than frame
…Caroline a huge physical presence-fierce rebounders both ends of floor.
…Wolfpack have hit 218-3’s this year…not fraud to launch it.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Please follow and like us: