San Diego State entered the 2025-26 basketball season as heavy favorites to win the Mountain West Conference and make its sixth straight trip to the NCAA men’sbasketball tournament.
The team ended the regular season with a 20-10 record (14-6, MWC), which is not exactlyshabby, but far from elite. Two other MWC teams, Utah State (25-6) and New Mexico (22-9) had more wins than San Diego State. The Aztecs split the season series with each team.
But after an up-and-down regular season, SDSU finds itself looking up in the standings at another team, Utah State. They lost three of their last five and five of their last 10. What went wrong?
The Aztecs’ struggles can be attributed mainly to two things: rebounding and defense. Or tobe more precise, a lack thereof.
Although they have two seven-footers on the squad, sophomore Magoon Gwath and redshirtfreshman Thokbor Majak, it’s six-foot-nine junior Miles Heide and six-foot-six junior guard Miles Byrd who lead the team in rebounds per game with 4.5. Gwath is third at 4.1 per contest, while Majak, who’s listed at seven-foot-one, averaged 1.6 rebounds in 29 minutes total spread over eight regular season games.
Rebounds are very much on head coach Brian Dutcher’s mind.
“We have to continue to work on rebounding, because it is going to be the key to our seasonas we go into the Mountain West conference tournament,” Dutcher remarked following theteam’s last regular season game, a Friday 89-86 home win against UNLV.
And after his team lost to Boise State on March 3, Dutcher said, “Defense and rebounding win championships, so that’s why we’re not going to win a title this year in the regular season.”
The road to the title is set.We'll see you in Vegas for the Credit Union 1 MW Men's Basketball Championship ? pic.twitter.com/YhyDjfBMHK
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) March 8, 2026He spread the blame though.
“Sometimes it’s easy to blame the bigs, but it’s all five guys that have to hit someone and rebound,” he said.
The team’s issues aren’t all defensive in nature, however.
Regarding the team’s offense, one big concern is a lack of playmaking. San Diego State’sleader in assists is sophomore guard Taj DeGourville, with just three per game, followed by Byrd with 2.7.
Although the team has three players averaging double digits in points – senior guard ReeseDixon-Waters at 13.2, junior guard BJ Davis at 10.9 and Byrd at 10.6 – the team lacks a playerwho’s a guaranteed bucket and can take over down the stretch.
An encouraging sign, however, was Davis’ career high of 30 points against UNLV, including two clutch 3-point shots in the closing minutes as well as a steal that sealed the game.
“BJ was incredible,” Dutcher said. “He made big, important shots, he attacked the basket andhe made important plays. He is a player who, when they go any place like that, he makes us alllook good. March is for players, and he stepped up in March basketball. If he plays that way inMarch, we will have a chance to continue to win something.”
So, despite their issues, the Aztecs have reason for optimism. Friday’s victory establishedsome positive energy that might carry over once the Mountain West tournament begins Wednesday in Las Vegas. And, with Utah State’s win over New Mexico Saturday, they secured the No. 2 seed. New Mexico fell to No. 3.
SDSU is set to play at 6 p.m. Thursday, taking on the victor in Wednesday’s matchup of No. 7 seed Colorado State and No. 10 seed Fresno State.
If they’re able to take the tournament by winning three games in three days, an NCAAtourney berth is automatic. If they don’t secure an automatic berth, the consensus among analysts is that they’re on the bubble to be selected for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
They suffered blowout losses to two Top 5 teams, Arizona and Michigan, during the season, but also scored quality wins against tough conference opponents – Utah State and New Mexico. As of now, winning the MWC championship is the only guaranteed path they have to move on in March Madness.
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