Aztecs Defy the Odds, Topple Bruins in Preseason Showdown

In a surprising turn of events, the San Diego State Aztecs, plagued by injuries and a youthful roster, managed to overcome the odds and secure a 72-67 victory over the preseason No. 22 UCLA Bruins in a closed-door scrimmage on Sunday afternoon. This unexpected triumph has left Aztecs fans both confounded and encouraged, as the team demonstrated its resilience and potential despite the challenges it faces.

Aztecs Prove Their Mettle Against Bruins

Injury-Riddled Roster Rises to the Occasion

The Aztecs were missing five scholarship players, including their projected starting backcourt of Nick Boyd and Reese Waters, as well as USD transfer Wayne McKinney. This left head coach Brian Dutcher with only eight healthy bodies, six of whom are freshmen or sophomores. However, one of those sophomores, guard BJ Davis, seized the opportunity and delivered a standout performance, torching the Bruins for 28 points on an impressive 8-of-9 shooting, including 6-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc. Davis also contributed six rebounds, the second-highest on the team, in 34 minutes of play. This was a remarkable turnaround for the player, who had only 14 total points in his entire freshman season.

Aztecs' Balanced Effort Overwhelms Bruins

Despite the Aztecs' injury woes, they managed to outperform the Bruins in several key areas. The team shot a sizzling 54.5% overall and 42.9% from 3-point range (9-of-21), while also dominating the boards with a 35-27 advantage and outscoring the Bruins 26-6 in the paint. The Aztecs' defense also held UCLA to a mere 34.5% shooting from the field. Although the Bruins led for nearly 31 minutes of the game and were still ahead by five points with less than eight minutes remaining, the Aztecs responded with a decisive 9-0 run, with baskets from four different players, to take a 61-57 lead.

Clutch Plays Seal the Victory

In the final minutes of the game, the Aztecs continued to make crucial plays to secure the victory. Miles Heide, who had been battling a sore knee and was questionable to play, made a crucial three-point play on a screen and roll with Davis for a dunk with 53 seconds left, cutting the Bruins' lead to one point. Davis then sealed the win with his sixth 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining.

Balanced Scoring and Contributions from Newcomers

While BJ Davis was the standout performer, the Aztecs received valuable contributions from other players as well. Redshirt 7-foot freshman Magoon Gwath was the only other Aztecs player in double figures with 10 points, though he also turned the ball over eight times. Miles Byrd added 9 points and 7 rebounds in 35 minutes, and Middle Tennessee transfer forward Jared Coleman-Jones chipped in 7 points and 5 rebounds.

Dutcher's Rotation Adjustments

Dutcher was forced to adjust his rotation due to the injuries, starting Davis, Byrd, Gwath, Coleman-Jones, and true freshman Taj DeGourville. Heide and freshman Pharaoh Compton provided frontcourt depth off the bench, while Brown transfer Kimo Ferrari was the only guard in reserve.

Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead

Dutcher acknowledged the dangers of drawing too many conclusions from preseason scrimmages, as the Aztecs have experienced both big wins and struggles against ranked teams in the past. The team's focus now will be on reducing turnovers, which were a significant issue in the scrimmage, and getting their injured players back to full health before the season opener against UC San Diego on November 6th.