Utah Adds Some Sparkle to SDSU’s Bouquet of Woes : College basketball: Aztecs shoot only 34.5% for the game and fall, 72-53, for their 14th consecutive loss.

And now, a few words describing the things San Diego State offense Saturday night against Utah:

Clank. Rattle. Whoosh.

OK, then. That about does it.

The Aztecs, shooting 29.6% in the first half and 34.5% for the game, trailed by as many as 31 points before finally settling for a 72-53 drilling in front of 2,330 in the San Diego Sports Arena.

“It wasn’t like we weren’t getting good shots,” SDSU guard Virgil Smith said. “We couldn’t buy one with credit tonight. Damn.”

It was the 14th consecutive loss for SDSU (2-19, 0-9), which leaves the Aztecs three short of tying a school record for consecutive losses.

An otherwise forgettable game marked milestones for both coaches. It was Utah Coach Rick Majerus’ 150th career victory, and it was Aztec Coach Jim Brandenburg’s 200th career loss.

When Brandenburg arrived at SDSU, his career record was 215-113. Now, it is 267-200.

This one wasn’t as close as the 19-point margin would indicate. SDSU never led, trailed by 26 at the half and was down by 30, 56-26, less than five minutes into the second half.

You can lead SDSU onto the basketball court, but that doesn’t mean the Aztecs are going to make baskets. They are used to droughts this season, but this, this was ridiculous.

The Aztecs scored only two points in the game’s first 5:50 (they trailed, 11-2, by then) and had only three field goals in the final 9:27 of the first half.

Those numbers settle in nicely with other memorable SDSU dry spells this season:

--Against Colorado State Jan. 29, the Aztecs managed only one field goal in the final 8:50 of the first half and none in a 7:19 span.

--Against Texas El Paso Jan. 23, they had only two points in a 7:10 first-half span.

--Against New Mexico Jan. 16, they had no points during a 7:07 first-half span.

--Against Southern Utah State Jan. 11, they had only three field goals in the game’s final 10 minutes.

That’s Drought Category A.

Under “Droughts, Early Second Half” you will find a few more blanks. SDSU had only four points in the first 4:03 of the second half against Utah (by which time they trailed, 56-26). This, too, is a near-nightly occurrence:

--Thursday against Brigham Young, the Aztecs had only one field goal--and four points total--in the first 4:19 of the second half.

--Against New Mexico on Jan. 25, the Aztecs got only two points in the first 6:39 of the second half.

--Against UTEP on Jan. 23, they had only three points in the first 4:44 of the second half.

--Against UTEP on Jan. 18, they didn’t score in the first 4:40 of the second half.

You practically need a computer to keep up with it all.

“If you could put a finger on it, it would be easy (to correct),” Brandenburg said. “(Lack of) leadership is part of it, and a lack of offensive execution for a long enough period of time to get a good shot.

“Once we execute well enough, we’ve got to prioritize and make sure we’re looking for our first option, second option and third option, make sure we get it in the right guy’s hands to take the right shots.

“Once it gets in the guy’s hands, do we have a good shot? Can we catch the ball, locate the target and get the timing without forcing a shot?”

Part of the problem is that WAC teams have successfully shut down SDSU center Joe McNaull. Utah held him to two points and four rebounds.

McNaull, who once was the WAC’s second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer, is averaging only nine points and seven rebounds in conference games.

“He was out of gas tonight from the start,” Brandenburg said. “It’s been that way--he seemed to have been getting more energy, but tonight he just didn’t have it.”

Said McNaull: “No, I was fine. I was fine. Whenever I got the ball down low, I had two or three guys on me. I was forcing shots and when I did get an open shot, I wasn’t hitting it. I can’t blame anybody but myself.”

Utah, on the other hand, shot 53% from the floor. Center Paul Afeaki and guards Jimmy Soto and Byron Wilson had 17 points apiece. Wilson made five of five three-point attempts.

As a team, Utah (17-5, 7-3) was seven of 13 (54%) from three-point range. SDSU also allowed Brigham Young a high three-point percentage Thursday--61%.

But trends are nothing new for SDSU. The Aztecs have yet to finish within single digits of any WAC opponent this season, and they have yet to have a second-half lead in nine WAC games.

“It just seems like a different guy shows up here, a different guy shows up there,” Brandenburg said. “We just don’t come out firing on all pistons for long enough periods of time in a 40-minute basketball game.”