Records Fall, Aztecs Roll Against USIU : College basketball: San Diego State outruns Gulls, 123-103, and sets several season marks in the process.

San Diego State had taken passing notice of this cross-town curiosity, U.S. International University. The team with the initials, the nonstop offense and the nation’s leading scorer, Kevin Bradshaw.

What they saw during Wednesday’s 123-103 cakewalk in front of a crowd of 2,035 was about what was advertised.

USIU’s idea of a good shot is one that doesn’t get blocked. Defense? A time to stand around and catch your breath. The odds of a Gull getting an assist are only slightly better than those of the team going to the Final Four. First one to touch the ball, shoot. Last one to score is a rotten Gull.

There is no truth to the rumor that the SDSU statistics crew spent the past month in training to get in shape for Wednesday’s duty. USIU shoots early and often. Problem is, sometimes it looks as if the Gulls are trying to shoot a beach ball into a shot glass.

They made only 43% of their shots, going 40 for 94. They were worse in the first half, making only 36% of their shots.

Bradshaw, scoring 44% of his team’s points going into the game, got his--32. SDSU (12-14) put several different defenders on Bradshaw, but none were able to put the clamps on him. Still, he made only 10 of 33 field-goal attempts.

“Personally, I don’t think I played that well,” Bradshaw said. “My shot was off a little bit. You’re going to have those nights. We kept fighting. That’s all we could do.”

SDSU’s 123 points were a season-high, and the fourth-highest in school history. The total of 226 combined points ranks third in school history.

“I was disappointed in our defense,” SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg said. “We got beat on the dribble off the first step all night long.”

It didn’t matter. SDSU crossed the 100-point mark when James Lewis made two free throws with 9:01 left in the game-- 9:01 --to make it 101-67.

People are going to start confusing SDSU with Loyola Marymount if the Aztecs aren’t careful. Their previous season high, 95, came in their previous game--Saturday in Wyoming.

Yes, this one kept the record-keepers busy. The Aztecs had season highs in first-half points (64), second-half points (59), field goals made (49), field goals attempted (90), three-point field goals attempted (17), defensive rebounds (39), assists (34) and blocked shots (15). The 34 assists tied a team record.

It was the fifth time in six years that SDSU has scored 100 or more points. And, uh, four of those five times came against USIU.

All 12 Aztecs who played scored, and six were in double figures--Joe McNaull (18 points), Keith Balzer (17), Marty Dow (17), Chris McKinney (16), Arthur Massey (13) and James Lewis (11).

Dow even hit a three-pointer in the first half. Considering the tempo, he said he planned to continue shooting the three-pointer until he made one.

“Yeah, I was going to,” he said, laughing. “I told everybody on the team that tonight.”

It didn’t take him long. He swished his first attempt.

For USIU (2-25), it was just another night.

“They didn’t care too much about defense,” Massey said.

Said USIU Coach Gary Zarecky, whose team suits up only eight players: “I think a lot of our players didn’t want to foul out. They wanted to stay in the game.”

Jeff Polinsky, a freshman from Monte Vista High School, had 22 points for USIU.

“Give San Diego State a lot of credit,” Zarecky said. “I think Jim (Brandenburg) kind of held back a little bit, and from my point of view, I appreciate that. . . . I’m very impressed with the physical play of State.”

Said Brandenburg: “We geared up to win the game as handily as we wanted to. The real reason, I think, was that the guys wanted to play well for the three seniors.”

It was senior night for SDSU, and all three Aztec seniors--Vern Thompson, Dow and Massey--started each half. All three also hugged Brandenburg before running out onto the court during introductions.

It was also bench night. SDSU subs collected less pine time than usual. Mark Pollard checked in with 11:36 left in the game. He replaced Dow, who left to a standing ovation. Walk-on freshman guard Jason Powell checked in with 6:25 left.

USIU never led. SDSU led at the half, 64-45, and increased that to as much as 38 in the second half. Although USIU was down only 10, 43-33, with 5:46 left in the first half, the Aztecs blew them out with a 21-12 run to go into the locker room.

These are two teams going in opposite directions--SDSU is preparing for the Western Athletic Conference tournament, and USIU is one game away from becoming a footnote in the NCAA record book. The university has filed for bankruptcy, and the team will play its final game Monday, when Missouri-Kansas City visits Golden Hall.

“People have said we’re the best 2-25 team in the country,” Zarecky said. “But who really cares? We’re still 2-25. I think it would be fitting to win (Monday). I’d like to see them do it.”

SDSU, meanwhile, closes its season Saturday in Hawaii in a game that has direct implications on where SDSU will finish in the WAC. If SDSU wins in Hawaii, the Aztecs will avoid the eighth-ninth place preliminary tournament game for the first time in three seasons. But if the Aztecs lose, they will finish eighth, and play Air Force Wednesday night in Laramie, Wyo.

Aztec Notes

Hawaii’s Ray Reed, the Western Athletic Conference’s leading scorer, and Chip Thompson have been suspended for Saturday’s game against San Diego State, according to Hawaii sports information director Eddie Inouye. The suspensions were for violating team rules, and Inouye said each player’s status for the WAC tournament next week will be evaluated later.