San Diego State Update: January 11th

By Brad Best

Aztecs Finish Non-Conference Schedule

The San Diego State Aztecs wrapped up the final five games of the non-conference schedule with a disappointing 2-3 finish. A double-digit loss to Arizona wasn’t surprising, but double-digit losses to both Washington and St. Mary’s kept the Aztecs away from reaching the 10 win mark before conference play.

Sandwiched in between those losses was a terrific win against Iowa State. The Aztecs stumbled out of the gate and found themselves down 15-4 at home against Iowa State. But following the first timeout, the Aztecs hit their stride and closed the gap to just one point by halftime. Good defense led to easy scoring chances in the second half and the Aztecs went on to 86-76.

All told, the Aztecs 9-6 non-conference record is about what was expected. They shined in wins over Ohio State and Iowa State but suffered losses due to poor shooting and turnovers in winnable games. Hopefully the experience of a tough early schedule will make them battle ready for conference play. The team veterans, Wesley Stokes, Aerick Sanders, and Chris Walton are all starting to play better, and more consistent, and will be counted on to lead the team forward.

The Aztecs are still struggling to find a set starting lineup. Freshman Brandon Heath, who leads the team in scoring, hasn’t started in the last three games. Defense lapses and poor shot selection at times have limited his playing time as of late. But if the Aztecs are going to do well in conference, they’ll likely need him to get back on track.

Sanders Shines in Senior Season

With transfer Wesley Stokes and redshirt junior Chris Walton getting much of the attention, along with some encouraging play by a couple of freshman, Aerick Sanders, the lone returning starter from last year’s team is quietly having a terrific season. Sanders is proving that hard work and determination can produce reliable results on both sides of the ball. And to the surprise of many, Aerick has become a legitimate scoring option.

Last week, Aerick Sander was named the Mountain West Conference player of the week for the third time this season. He is just the third person ever to earn that recognition three times in a season. His performance led to victories against Portland and Iowa State.

As a junior, Aerick averaged just 6.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg with a 49.3 FG%. This year, he’s upped the ante across the board. He’s now averaging 16.4 ppg and 10.7 rpg to go with a 61.8 FG%. Not bad for a quiet, skinny undersized power forward who’s often playing the center position against much bigger, stronger guys.

Sanders doesn’t seem to mind that freshman Brandon Heath takes most of the shots for the team. He seems content for Stokes to do much of the talking on the court and at press conferences. What Sanders does care about is making the most of his opportunity as a senior and helping his team put wins on the board.

In the game against Portland, Sanders scored more than half of the Aztecs total points by posting a career-high 34 points in the Aztecs 67-61 victory on December 31, 2003. He bested his previous career-high of 24 points set earlier this season.

The Aztecs host BYU for their conference opener on Monday, January 12, 2004.

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