Texas El Paso Buries SDSU in Second Half

It is convenient that the word “offense” begins with an “o” because, in the case of the San Diego State basketball team, many zero-like objects fall between Aztec points.

The Aztecs didn’t score for the first 4:40 of the second half at Texas El Paso and ended up with a 72-58 loss in front of 8,063 Saturday night.

And that wasn’t all. In the first half, the Aztecs went through a spell during which they managed only one field goal in 8:26 and two in 11:24.

But the drought to open the second half was most noticeable as UTEP completed an 18-1 run during the stretch.

Things were so bad that at one point, with about 16 minutes left in the game and SDSU trailing, 39-24, a fan behind the Aztec bench yelled, “You guys going to score this half, coach?”

Until Tony Clark, who led the Aztecs with 13 points, ended the scoreless spell with a three-pointer with 15:20 left, SDSU was shooting 24% from the floor--eight for 33. SDSU finished with 31% field-goal accuracy and 21 turnovers, its seventh game this season with 20 or more.

It was the eighth consecutive loss for SDSU (2-13, 0-3), and the 14th in a row during a regular-season game at UTEP’s Special Events Center. The Miners (14-1, 4-0), who have won 10 in a row and probably will make their debut in the Top 25 this week, remain tied with New Mexico for first place in the Western Athletic Conference.

Even a tongue-lashing by senior forward Nelson Stewart after SDSU’s loss to New Mexico Thursday didn’t shake the Aztecs out of their stupor.

Stewart questioned his teammates’ courage in the locker room at New Mexico and again after practice at UTEP on Friday.

“If everybody’s not going to stick it out, I’m going to do my best,” Stewart said. “After (the New Mexico game), I was screaming in the locker room.

“After the game, I asked, ‘Who in here can say they gave 100%?’ Nobody said anything. I said, ‘I didn’t think so.’ I said, ‘If you’re not going to play, pack it up.’ ”

There are no second chances for Stewart. The only senior on SDSU’s 11-man team, he is watching his final season turn into one of the worst in Aztec history.

“I don’t understand how we can have a seven-point lead and then come within three points in the second half, stay close and still have problems,” Stewart said.

“I just don’t understand it.”

He was referring to the New Mexico game, in which SDSU jumped out to 7-0 and 10-3 leads in New Mexico before going 7:07 without a point--sound familiar?--and watching the Lobos go on a 17-0 run.

Undoubtedly, those seven-point leads somehow should have been put in the freezer and preserved. They were SDSU’s largest in the past 12 games. The last time SDSU led by seven or more points? It was at the end of a victory on Dec. 6, when the Aztecs defeated Texas Southern, 79-64.

Against UTEP, the Aztecs trailed at the half, 33-24, thanks to more miserable shooting. They made only 29% of their first half shots (eight for 28), and only Joe McNaull and Chris Davis managed more than one field goal.

Aside from shooting, SDSU other problems were free throws and turnovers. They made only seven of 13 from the line in the first half and committed 10 turnovers to UTEP’s three. The Miners had eight steals. The Aztecs also had only two assists.

Poor guard play, though, has been one of SDSU’s few constants this season. Entering the UTEP game, Ray Barefield, Virgil Smith, Robert Ringo and John Molle had combined for 131 turnovers and only 122 assists. They were also shooting a combined 33.5% from the field.

“This year, it seems that guards are winning games for every team,” Stewart said. “That’s where we’ve got to stick it out.”

But the numbers only get worse for the Aztecs. They are off to their worst start since 1986-87 and, dating back to 1985-86, the Aztecs are now 7-62 on the road--5-46 in the WAC.