Jarod Lucas scored a game-high 26 points, Will Baker added 19, and Kenan Blackshear chipped in 18, fueling ÁùºÏ±¦µä to their second consecutive victory over a ranked opponent at the Lawlor Events Center and first win over San Diego State since 2018.
With the win, the Pack improves to 17-6 overall this season, including a perfect mark of 11-0 at the Lawlor Events Center. The Pack also improved to 7-3 in Mountain West play this season.
Lucas had a sensational performance throughout the night, dropping 26 points on an efficient 9-14 shooting from the field and 7-8 at the free throw line. Lucas also pulled down four rebounds, tallied one steal, and finished the contest with a game-high plus/minus of +11 in 38 minutes of action.
Baker was dominant on offense all night, scoring 19 points on 6-10 shooting from the field while knocking down 7-7 shots at the free throw line. He also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, three of which came on the offensive glass.
Blackshear turned in a stellar all-around outing, scoring 18 points on 7-14 shooting from the field and 3-4 at the free throw line, in addition to recording a game-high seven assists while only turning the ball over once. Blackshear also tallied a team-high two steals, and the senior finished the game with a plus/minus of +10 in 36 minutes of playing time.
Junior forward Tré Coleman was outstanding on both ends of the court, scoring 11 points on 3-6 shooting from behind the arc, while grabbing three rebounds and dishing out two assists. Defensively, Coleman matched a career-high by recording three blocks, and he limited San Diego State's leading scorer, Matt Bradley, to just five points during the second period.
ÁùºÏ±¦µä shot an impressive 50.0 percent from the field (25-50) and 87.0 percent from the free throw line (20-23) throughout the game.
First Half
Lucas found his stroke early in the contest, draining a mid-range jump shot on ÁùºÏ±¦µä's first possession of the game to give the Pack a 2-0 lead 36 seconds in.
San Diego State knocked down a 3-pointer on the other end of the floor to take their first lead of the game; however, Blackshear hit a turnaround jumper on the Pack's next possession, recapturing the lead for ÁùºÏ±¦µä.
The Aztecs reeled off an 8-0 run over the next minute and a half of game time, building an 11-4 advantage over ÁùºÏ±¦µä at the first media timeout.
San Diego State was assessed a class A technical foul right before the break, and Lucas knocked down two free throws out of the timeout to trim the Aztecs lead to five points. Blackshear then drilled a contested 3-pointer in the corner, pulling the Pack within two points.
The Aztecs hit a lone free throw on the other end to push the lead back up to three; but, Lucas made a difficult 3-pointer to even the score at 12 points apiece with 13:28 remaining in the first half.
Lucas hit another contested jumper less than a minute later to regain the lead for ÁùºÏ±¦µä, but two made free throws by the Aztecs evened the score once again at the 11:41 mark in the first period.
ÁùºÏ±¦µä used back-to-back buckets from Lucas and Baker on their next two possessions to take an 18-14 lead. The Aztecs were able to tie the game again, matching the Pack's quick 4-0 spurt with a 4-0 run of their own, as the two squads were deadlocked at 18 points apiece with just over eight minutes to go until halftime.
A pull-up jump shot from Blackshear recaptured the lead for ÁùºÏ±¦µä; however, San Diego State responded with a 6-0 run over less than two minutes of game time to create a four-point lead.
Two made free throws by Baker ended the run and cut the deficit to two points, and after the Pack got a stop on defense, Lucas drained another deep jumper to tie the game for the eighth time at 26-26. Lucas then knocked down two free throws to give the Pack a lead; but, the Aztecs immediately tied the contest again with 1:52 left in the half, as the back-and-forth play continued.
San Diego State hit two more free throws 34 seconds later and the Pack failed to score on their final two possessions of the period, as they entered halftime trailing the Aztecs, 28-30.
Second Half
Lucas began the second half the same way as the first, draining a mid-range jumper, as ÁùºÏ±¦µä tied the game for the tenth time with 19:11 left to go.
After earning a stop on defense, Blackshear came down and hit a mid-range jumper of his own, giving the Pack a 32-30 lead.
San Diego State hit a shot from behind the arc on their next possession to retake the lead; but, Coleman responded with a 3-pointer of his own to regain the advantage for ÁùºÏ±¦µä, as the Pack held a 35-33 lead with 18:01 remaining.
Two possessions later, Baker missed a shot in the paint but managed to collect an offensive rebound off of his own miss and finished a second-chance opportunity through significant contact, as he went on to convert an and-one opportunity, giving the pack a five-point lead, their largest of the game at that point in time.
Blackshear came up with a massive block on defense, and Baker hit another difficult shot over his defender to increase ÁùºÏ±¦µä's lead to seven with just under 15 minutes left.
San Diego State then went on to rip off a 7-0 run over the next two minutes of action to tie the contest at 42 points apiece with 12:52 to go in the game, forcing the Pack to take a timeout.
Out of the timeout, Blackshear found Coleman on the wing who proceeded to drill a 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down to put the Pack back up by three.
The Aztecs cut the lead to one; however, Darrion Williams found Coleman open in transition, as Coleman knocked down his third 3-pointer of the second half to give ÁùºÏ±¦µä a four-point advantage with 10:13 left.
San Diego State once again found an answer, using an 8-3 run to recapture the lead, as the Pack trailed 51-52 with under eight minutes to go.
Just as they have done throughout the entire season, ÁùºÏ±¦µä showed exceptional poise and resiliency down the stretch, refusing to allow the Aztecs to create any separation.
After falling behind by one, Lucas hit another difficult mid-range jumper to retake the lead for ÁùºÏ±¦µä, and after earning a stop on defense, Blackshear found Baker wide open in the paint for a massive slam dunk, as the Pack took a 55-52 lead with 6:24 left in the game.
San Diego State recaptured the lead less than 45 seconds later, taking a 56-55 advantage after a two quick buckets.
The Pack continued to find answers down the stretch, as Blackshear hit a tough floater in the lane on the next play to give ÁùºÏ±¦µä a one-point lead. San Diego State made one free throw to tie the game on their next possession; but, Coleman proceeded to knock down two free throws on the other end.
The Aztecs went down and hit a 3-pointer and the lead shifted again, this time in favor of San Diego State, as they held a 60-59 advantage with 4:29 left in the game.
Lucas came up clutch yet again for the Pack, hitting another extremely difficult shot in the face of a San Diego State defender to regain the lead for ÁùºÏ±¦µä.
The Pack forced a missed jump shot on defense and Baker knocked down two free throws to push ÁùºÏ±¦µä's lead up to three points at the 3:23 mark.
The Aztecs trimmed ÁùºÏ±¦µä's lead to one on their next possession; however, that would mark as close as San Diego State would get, as Baker proceeded to hit a turnaround jumper before Blackshear hit another mid-range shot to extend ÁùºÏ±¦µä's lead up to five.
San Diego State cut the lead down to three; but, two made free throws from Lucas pushed the Pack's advantage back to five with 1:09 remaining.
ÁùºÏ±¦µä made 6-6 shots at the free throw line down the stretch, as they went on to pick up the massive win over San Diego State.
Notable stats:
- ÁùºÏ±¦µä's 47 points scored in the second half marked the fourth most points San Diego State has allowed in a half this season.
- The Pack shot 65.2 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from behind the arc in the second period.
- ÁùºÏ±¦µä's starters outscored the Aztecs starters, 74-41.
- There were 12 ties and 16 lead changes throughout the game.
- ÁùºÏ±¦µä had just six turnovers in the contest, matching the least number of turnovers they have had in a game this season.
- Tuesday night's win marked the first time in program history that ÁùºÏ±¦µä has beaten ranked opponents in back-to-back home games.
Up next
ÁùºÏ±¦µä will return to the court this Friday, as they are set to host Air Force at the Lawlor Events Center with tip-off scheduled for 8pm.
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