Aztecs Look for Win No. 21 Against New Mexico

Less than 48 hours after San Diego State fans stormed the court in the Sports Arena to congratulate the Aztecs on their resounding 76-63 win over Texas El Paso, it will be time for Smokey’s club to fire up once again.

Going into tonight’s 7:30 game against New Mexico (KSDO-1130), the Aztecs have momentum, a drive for revenge, the home court and, yes, a good chance that they’ll once again be playing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

The Lobos have just about everything going against them. They lost to Hawaii, 73-68, Thursday night in Honolulu, and spent most of Friday flying to San Diego. And New Mexico is 0-7 in the Sports Arena.

The Aztecs (10-3, 20-5) are 6-0 in Western Athletic Conference games played at home, and are tied with UTEP for first place in the WAC.

SDSU is a member of a select group of seven college basketball teams in the nation with 20 or more wins.

The Aztecs join St. Johns, Georgetown, Kansas, Montana, Alabama-Birmingham and Iona as teams that have reached the 20-win mark. A number that automatically starts fans talking about the NCAA tournament.

The SDSU players might have learned a valuable lesson after their 67-65 loss to Utah on Feb. 2 in Salt Lake City.

Two nights before the Utah game, the Aztecs defeated BYU, 77-71, in front of 18,743 fans. It was the Aztecs’ first win ever in Provo.

When UTEP was upset by Wyoming on the night following the Aztecs’ win over BYU, the Aztecs gained a share of first place.

For less than 24 hours, the first place Aztecs strutted around the hotel. It was too cold in Salt Lake City to strut around town.

Then, the Aztecs played an uninspired game against a Utes team they could have and probably should have beaten.

Sure, they lost on a last second 25-footer, but the point is that the Aztecs now realize that getting into first is not as hard as staying there.

“The players know that there was no use beating UTEP,” said Aztec Coach Smokey Gaines, “if we turn around and lose to New Mexico.”

In Thursday night’s game, the Aztecs once again proved that they have depth. Recently, it’s been a different hero each game for the Aztecs.

Playing the crucial part of the second half without point guard Creon Dorsey, considered to be the most indispensable player on the club, the Aztecs ran the Miners off the court. Dorsey was saddled with four fouls and is still hampered by a sore right leg.

Jeff Konek, the team’s starting point guard last season, scored 10 points, had 4 assists and keep both himself and his teammates under control.

Reserve center Gerald Murray scored 6 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 16 minutes. When Murray is in the game, opposing players think twice about driving down the lane.

The Aztecs have revenge on their minds.

On Jan. 18 in Albuquerque, the Lobos raced out to a 20-point lead in the first 12 minutes and shot 65% from the field to defeat the Aztecs, 94-85.

The Lobos continually got inside the Aztec defense and scored numerous lay ups and dunks. Forward John Brown, the WAC’s second leading scorer behind BYU forward Timo Saarelainen, had 28 against the Aztecs.

“If we can get out to a lead against them,” Gaines said, “we will try and play a good zone that will force them to shoot from outside.”