SDSU Finds Foe It Can Beat, Edges Cal State L.A., 64-60
It took four games, but San Diego State has finally figured out how to play competitive basketball.
The Aztecs should forget about playing the UC Santa Barbaras, Arizonas and University of San Diegos. Instead, they need to schedule more Division II opponents like Cal State Los Angeles.
SDSU recorded its first victory of the season Saturday night by defeating Cal State L.A., 64-60, before a season-low crowd of 1,019 in the Sports Arena.
“I’m going to make sure I get some more of these games,” Aztec Coach Smokey Gaines said. “We need to get some wins.”
Cal State L.A. (2-5) is also seeking a few wins. The Golden Eagles have beaten only West Coast Christian and Fresno Pacific, which aren’t exactly Texas El Paso or Wyoming.
Three teams have beaten Cal State L.A. worse than SDSU did--Cal Baptist by 14 points, Cal State Dominguez Hills by 8 and Biola by 7.
Does this mean SDSU is not any better than those teams?
“It’s kind of difficult to say,” Cal State L.A. Coach Jim Newman said. “In most games we played, we were up at one time or another in the first half. We were ahead of Cal Baptist by 11 before they wore us down. They have a pretty good basketball team.”
In time, the Golden Eagles may also be pretty good. They are without two returning starters from last year, plus a community college transfer who would be starting if not for an injury.
Evidently, a healthy Cal State L.A. might have been able to upset SDSU.
“Once our kids got over the awe of playing a Division I team in a big arena, they decided they were a good ballclub,” Newman said. “We got after some people.”
SDSU, which won because of its superior height, outrebounded Cal State L.A., 57-34. Forward Rodney Hawkins had a game-high 15 rebounds and team-high 18 points, and center Gerald Murray had 14 rebounds and 15 points.
Hawkins, a transfer from Colby Community College in Kansas, averaged 14.6 points and 9 rebounds last year.
“They left the middle wide open tonight, so I just hung around out there,” Hawkins said. “If they give me the middle with my quickness, I can be dangerous. That’s what the coaches tell me.”
Gaines has told Murray that he could be a lot better player if he lost a few pounds, which Murray has accomplished in the past week.
“I’m moving well down low,” said Murray, who is bothered by a hamstring injury. “It has been a really long road back. I can’t wait to get back to being the old Gerald.”
SDSU, which led by 15 points early in the second half Saturday, 43-28, nearly let Cal State L.A. come back. The Golden Eagles closed to within 62-60 on a Sean Sells free throw with 1:04 remaining.
SDSU had a turnover and missed free throw in a one-and-one situation on its next two possessions, and the Golden Eagles missed a three-point shot in between. Curtiss Bradley of Cal State L.A. missed a potentially tying 10-foot shot with three seconds remaining that was rebounded by SDSU’s Juan Espinoza. With one second left, Espinoza hit two free throws.
“Nobody said it would be easy this year,” Gaines said. “We’re struggling, no doubt about it.”
Aztec Notes
Freshman guard Tony Ross, SDSU’s sixth man, missed the game because of the flu. . . . Guard Josh Lowery hit 4 of 17 field goal attempts, including 2 of 9 from three-point range. Lowery was 2 of 13 Thursday against USD.