![](https://media.nbcsandiego.com/2025/01/7az098vPnPMyjFxHd39y4GrRKvjHLXwEoFxSpyzs.webp?resize=320%2C180&quality=85&strip=all)
San Diego State has had a flair for the dramatic this season, a trend that continued Tuesday night with their largest comeback in eight years.
Brian Dutcher's team clawed back from a 21-point first half deficit to beat San Jose State 71-68 at Viejas Arena. It's the program's largest comeback since they beat UNLV after trailing by 21 on March 8, 2017.
Turnovers were a big reason for the slow start. San Diego State gave it away 10 times in the game's first 11:02, with turnovers on seven straight possessions at one point.
A Latrell Davis three-pointer put the Spartains ahead 33-12 with 7:03 remaining in the half.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Freshman seven-footer Magoon Gwath responded with seven unanswered points. As a team the Aztecs scored 11 straight. They trailed 41-29 at the half.
Another outburst in the second half put SDSU in control for good. Top scorer Miles Byrd hit three three-pointers and helped spark an 18-0 run. Point guard Nick Boyd contributed six points as they went form trailing 62-50 to leading 68-62.
Boyd finished with 11 points and five assists, with one going to a cutting Byrd who hit an acrobatic up-and-under reverse layup in the final minute to help salt away the comeback.
Local
Byrd scored all 13 of his points in the second half. Gwath finished with 24 points, 14 of which came in the first half.
The dramatic win came six days after Wayne McKinney scored on a coast-to-coast layup at the buzzer to avoid a devastating loss at Air Force.
San Diego State hosts Wyoming Saturday.