Jan. 16, 2017
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Men's Basketball Game Notes | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card
NEWS AND NOTES
* San Diego State hits the road for its only game of the week, a Tuesday night date at UNLV. The contest is set for a 7 p.m. PT start at Thomas & Mack Center and will air exclusively on ESPN3.
* The Aztecs head to Las Vegas riding a two-game winning streak after convincing decisions over San José State and Utah State last week at Viejas Arena. After opening Mountain West action with an 0-3 record, SDSU finds itself just two losses behind the conference leaders.
* San Diego State is fresh off a 74-55 win over the Aggies on Saturday. The Aztecs shot a season-best 57.1 percent from the field, including 41.7 percent from behind the three-point arc. SDSU also had 14 assists on 28 made field goals, marking the second game in a row in which it assisted on at least half of its baskets (18 assists on 25 field goals vs. SJSU).
* Saturday vs. Utah State also marked the return of forward Malik Pope. The junior had missed six straight games (nine overall) due to a knee injury, but suited up to contribute nine points, five rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot in 23 minutes vs. the Aggies. With his effort, San Diego State improved to 25-3 over his career when he scores at least eight points.
* Prior to Pope's return, SDSU had lost 20 games this season due to injury from individuals who were expected to make contributions at the beginning of the year (Pope 9, Matt Shrigley 4, Max Hoetzel 3, Jeremy Hemsley 1, Nolan Narain 1, Valentine Izundu 1, D'Erryl Williams 1).
* Shrigley, who has missed the second-most games due to injury (4), is playing at less than 100-percent health (ankle), but has played the last three games with his most recent outing being the most effective. The senior tri-captain finished with team-high-tying 14 points (Hemsley) and connected on 4-of-6 from behind the three-point arc. SDSU is 6-0 this season and 27-4 over his career when he makes multiple treys.
* San Diego State has posted eight straight victories over UNLV, which is its longest streak in the history of the series and the longest streak by any team against the Rebels in the last 21 seasons. Prior to this successful run, the Aztecs' longest winning streak was six when they won the final two games of the 2010 season, all three in 2011 and the first meeting of 2012.
* SDSU has won five straight over the Runnin' Rebels at Thomas & Mack Center with all five coming since 2014. Three have come during the regular season and two were at the Mountain West Championship (2014, 2015). Since the start of the 2013-14 campaign, SDSU is 5-0 at UNLV while the rest of the country is 16-45.
* The Aztecs are responsible for 13 of UNLV's last 64 home losses or 20.3 percent, which goes back to the start of 2001-02.
* Steve Fisher owns 25 career victories against the Rebels. That is the most among active coaches nationally (Steve Alford is second with eight). He will face his eighth different UNLV head coach on Tuesday (Bill Bayno, Max Good, Charlie Spoonhour, Jay Spoonhour, Lon Kruger, Dave Rice, Todd Simon and Marvin Menzies).
* Fisher-coached teams are 28-19 at Thomas & Mack Center (includes Mountain West postseason games). Fisher's 28 victories in the building are the second most among active Division I head coaches, trailing only former UNLV head coach and current Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger (100).
* San Diego State is very familiar with Thomas & Mack Center, which is also the home of the MW Championship, and has experienced plenty of success in the building over the years. Since the start of the 2013-14 campaign, the Aztecs are 9-3 in the building with the three blemishes being single-digit losses in the MW title game. The venue has played host to SDSU celebrations at the Mountain West tournament in 2002, 2010 and 2011.
* The 65th all-time meeting between the schools will be the first between old co-workers. UNLV head coach Marvin Menzies was Steve Fisher's assistant coach during the first four seasons of the Fisher era at SDSU (1999-00 to 2002-03). Also on the Aztec staff was assistant head coach/head coach in waiting Brian Dutcher. The trio helped the Aztecs win the 2002 MW championship and advance to the NCAA tournament. The following season they took SDSU to the second round of the 2003 NIT.
* The Fisher-Menzies reunion will mark the second time they have met as head coaches. The first meeting came in 2014 when the Aztecs defeated Menzies' New Mexico State team in overtime, 73-69, in the second round of the 2014 NCAA tournament in Spokane, Wash.
