LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 26: San Diego State Aztecs forward Pharaoh Compton (5) dunks the ball during a game against the Creighton Bluejays at the Players Era Festival on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Before the college basketball season started new San Diego State point guard Nick Boyd said he wasn't sure when the Aztecs were going to click but when it happened ... "it'll be scary."
SDSU may have hit the click on Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Aztecs opened the Players Era Festival, an elite 8-team tournament with millions of dollars of Name, Image, Likeness money on the line, with an impressive 71-53 win over #21 Creighton that featured one of the best 2nd halves of basketball we've seen from SDSU.
The Aztecs led 32-28 at halftime then, fueled by their backcourt, they went bonkers after the break. With the lead at 47-40 sophomore B.J. Davis hit a jumper, two of his game-high 18 points, and fellow sophomore Miles Byrd (16 points) buried a 3-pointer to spark a 9-0 run that put SDSU on top 56-40. When they get a lead like that it's hard for anyone to come back.
The program that prides itself on defense put on a vintage performance against All-American center Ryan Kalkbrenner. The 5th-year senior only scored two points in the 1st half and finished 11, a far cry from the 49-point outburst he had just five games ago. Creating most of the problems for Kalkbrenner was redshirt freshman Magoon Gwath, a fellow 7-footer who played easily the best game of his young collegiate career.
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Gwath had a pair of blocks, one of them to deny Kalkbrenner, and showed off his offensive skill set by connecting on a 3-pointer that put the Aztecs on top 67-50 and sent the San Diego State bench into hysterics. The Aztecs played nine guys and all nine of them scored ... in the 2nd half alone.
The Aztecs put that, as Boyd might say, scary depth on the floor again on Wednesday afternoon against Oregon. If they win that they'll advance to Championship Saturday and be guaranteed at least a $1.1 million NIL contribution.
