San Diego State Aztecs @ Utah Utes Basketball Recap

San Diego State 71 Utah 62


Steve Fisher's San Diego State Aztecs shook off a lively performance from Jim Boylen's Utah Utes in route to a road victory at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City Utah Saturday afternoon.  The Aztecs, now 2-0 in Mountain West Conference play, also remained perfect seventeen games into the season.  Forward Malcolm Thomas dominated the interior, scoring 17 points and 14 rebounds.

The Utes, who have struggled mightily during the 2011 campaign, showed surprising vigor in the first half of the contest, especially for a team who lost to lowly Air Force a game before.  Using a balanced scoring attack and surprisingly effective defense, the Utes led the sixth-ranked Aztecs by one point at the break.

The Aztecs responded in the second half as a Top Ten should.  During the second half San Diego State went on two big runs, of 13-to-5 and 10-to-0, to run its lead to 11.  The Aztecs would never look back. The run was led by an unlikely source, point guard D.J. Gay.  Gay, the team captain, oftentimes gets lost in the heavy mix of talent at San Diego State.  He was overshadowed no more on Saturday.  Gay finished the ballgame with 18 points.

Utah was able to keep the dynamic rebounding prowess of San Diego State at bay all afternoon.  The Utes were also able to play a more physical brand of basketball aided officials who, for the most part, let both ball clubs play loosely.  In the end, the little things were simply not enough for the Utes to pull the stunner, as Utah was unable to overcome a poor shooting performance.  Jim Boylen's Utes shot just 38 percent from the field, including 4-for-15 from beyond the arc.  Utah was led by Josh Watkins and Will Clyburn, who scored 24 and 17 respectively. 

San Diego State got the usual solid act from constant Kawhi Leonard.  Despite suffering from a lack of breath stemming from the high elevation of Salt Lake City, Leonard scored 20 points and brought down 9 rebounds.  Between Leonard, Gay, and Thomas, the Aztecs had just enough offense to score a road victory.  San Diego State survived poor shooting performances, both from the field and the free-throw line.

The Aztecs continue to look like class of the Mountain West Conference.  Games like Saturday afternoon at the Huntsman Center, and the resourcefulness shown by Aztecs just might prove that this San Diego State squad is primed for more than just conference accolades.

By: Zach Bloxham
DFN Sports Staff Writer