Aztecs Have the Right Plan, Put Away BYU in Second Half

Before San Diego State’s basketball team met Brigham Young Thursday night, Coach Jim Brandenburg talked about what the Aztecs would have to do to win.

“There isn’t any one key for us; there are three,” Brandenburg said. “First of all, we not only have to slow up Michael Smith, we have to contain the four other guys. Smith is going to get his points no matter what we do. Second, we have to rebound real well, and third, we have to execute offensively.”

Brandenburg’s game plan worked so well that SDSU raced to an 89-74 victory in front of 4,871 fans at the San Diego Sports Arena plus a national cable television audience on ESPN.

Shawn Bell led the way with 27 points, and Mitch McMullen and Michael Best added 18 each as the Aztecs avenged an 85-81 loss to the Cougars in Provo four weeks ago.

Smith, BYU’s 6-foot-10 All-American candidate, scored 24 points but never was a major factor. Sam Johnson did an outstanding defensive job on him, particularly in the second half, when Smith got most of his nine points after the issue had been settled.

BYU held a 40-39 lead at halftime, but SDSU broke the game open with a 21-7 blitz in the first 9 minutes of the second half.

A happy Brandenburg said, “We struggled with our offensive execution and defense at times, but we pushed the ball downcourt on the fast break, and that helped us early. We found ways to be successful. Then the first 5 minutes of the second half set the tempo for the rest of the game.

“It was a big win for us. Now if we can beat Utah Saturday, we’ll be headed back where we want to be.”

BYU Coach Ladell Andersen said, “San Diego State has a good ballclub, and we knew that going in. They’re like the rest of us. Everybody beats everybody. That’s the kind of league this is.”

The victory, only the second in the past nine games, gave the Aztecs a 10-11 record, 4-7 in the Western Athletic Conference. The Cougars dropped to 9-11 and 3-6. SDSU played inspired basketball in the first 8 minutes, building an 18-6 lead with a blend of quickness, alertness and hustle.

Point guard Bryan Williams, back in the starting lineup after a one-game suspension for a curfew violation, ran the Aztecs’ offense so effectively that they consistently penetrated the BYU defense for easy shots. Of their nine field goals, seven came on layups or tip-ins, including four by Bell.

With Bell, McMullen and Best all contributing, the Aztecs scored the first six points of the game and steadily padded their margin. During this span, BYU’s Smith was limited to two baskets.

But at that point, Andy Toolson sparked a Cougar counter-attack by sinking two three-point shots within 45 seconds. When Smith put in his own rebound, the Aztecs’ lead shrank to 21-14.

After the score reached 26-16, a run of seven points pulled BYU within three. SDSU’s play became sloppy, and the Cougars capitalized as Smith scored all but two of the points.

The Aztecs hung on, though, thanks to their continued ability to move the ball inside. Two slam dunks by Bell within 18 seconds, their 11th and 12th goals from under the hoop, boosted the lead to 34-29 with 4:07 left in the first half.

After BYU’s Marty Hawes and SDSU’s Tony Ross traded three-pointers, the Cougars rallied again, and this time they made it all the way back. An eight-point spree by Haws, Smith and Toolson sent the visitors into a 40-37 lead before Best cut it to a single point at the half.

The rest between halves worked wonders for the Aztecs. They came storming back with such fury that they quickly turned the 40-39 deficit into a 53-43 lead. Bell and Best got things started by scoring the first nine points of the second half.

With Johnson trailing him wherever he went, Smith never got untracked again.