San Diego, CA
San Diego State beats Utah State, moves into first-place tie
This time, Reese Dixon-Waters watched his step.
And the senior forward’s game-high 20 points helped San Diego State get back in step in the Mountain West, leading the Aztecs to an 89-72 victory over Utah State at Viejas Arena.
“I was aggressive from the start,” Dixon-Waters said after SDSU ended a two-game losing streak and, more importantly, the Aztecs (19-8, 13-4 MW) moved into a first-place tie with the Aggies (23-5, 13-4) with three games remaining in the regular season.
“Probably our most complete game of the season,” said SDSU coach Brian Dutcher, whose team rebounded after last week’s losses to Grand Canyon and Colorado State. “We did what we had to do. We fought through a tough stretch of two really hard losses, and we got back on the winning track. … So our fate is in our hands.”
The Aztecs played with the “urgency” junior forward Miles Byrd said was necessary to finish out the regular season right. They avenged a 71-66 loss to the Aggies along the way.
When SDSU played at Utah State last month, the Aztecs could have excused their five-point loss on any number of things.
Altitude: Logan’s Dee Glen Smith Spectrum is 4,783 feet, which leaves opponents fatigued and fighting for air in a game’s waning minutes.
Injuries: The absence of SDSU sophomore forward Magoon Gwath (hip) and freshman guard Elzie Harrington (lower leg) left the Aztecs without two starters.
Bad luck: Dixon-Waters was closing in on a career-high in scoring when he stepped on a teammate’s foot with 13 minutes left. He made only one more basket thereafter (though had a game-high 19 points).
An old classic: The dog ate their game plan.
There were no excuses needed in Wednesday night’s victory at Viejas, where the Aztecs breathed in the sea-level air, welcomed Gwath and Harrington back to the starting lineup and watched Dixon-Waters provide the first-half spark.
The Long Beach native scored 15 points — including 3-for-6 on 3-pointers — as SDSU built a 46-33 halftime lead. He had 10 straight points during a 2 1/2-minute stretch when the Aztecs turned a two-point lead into 29-21 advantage. And they never looked back.
“The hungry team usually wins,” Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun said. “The tougher team usually wins. I think you would agree. You watched that with your own eyes. They were just a tougher team tonight, more prepared. …
“We had no want-to on the defensive end. And you’re not coming into Viejas, beating these guys with your offense. We’ve never beaten them with our offense. It’s always been our defense.”
Gwath had seven points in the first half, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer. After the ball kissed off the glass and went in, the 7-footer smiled broadly. (Maybe because he didn’t call bank.)
The Aztecs picked up where they left off in the second half, this time with Byrd getting into the act. He was scoreless in the first half, but hit a 3-pointer in the first minute back on the floor. Moments later, he followed with a layup. That made it 51-33 on the way to a 24-point lead.
There was a concious effort about “not letting up,” SDSU sophomore forward Pharaoh Compton said. “Don’t let our foot off the gas because we know a lot of times this year we let our foot off the gas going into the second half.”
The Show was in full throat at that point, with the student section paying particular attention to Utah State’s Karson Templin. He became the game’s designated villain after a hard foul underneath the basket eight minutes into the game, followed moments later when he fell on top of Gwath (no call) after the big man scored.
“Boos” followed Templin from then on. There were jeers when he launched an airball with six minutes remaining and taunts when Tae Simmons dunked over him on the other end.
“I think the last two games we could have been better,” Dixon-Waters said. “But I definitely think we’re back to where we were before, with our urgency and our toughness and our attention to detail. I think today was a good step in the right direction.”
Notable
Dixon-Waters was the only SDSU player in double figures the last time the teams met. He was joined this time by teammates Taj DeGourville (12), Simmons (11) and Compton (11). Byrd finished with eight points and Harrington had four.
• Utah State’s MJ Collins, the conference’s third-leading scorer, had a quiet 18 points to lead the Aggies. Mason Falslev, seventh in the MW, was next with 14.
• The Aztecs had a 38-30 rebounding advantage in the game after being outrebounded 46-31 when the teams met in Logan.
• SDSU shot 60.9 percent (14-for-23) from the floor in the second half after shooting 50 percent (16-for-32) in the first half. The free-throw line was another story, where the Aztecs went 22-for-33.
• The Aztecs’ bench scored at least 40 points for the 10th time this season.
• SDSU’s only three-game losing streak under Dutcher came in January 2018 during his first season as head coach. The only team in the country with a longer streak without losing three straight games is Gonzaga, which hasn’t lost three straight since January 2011.
• Next up: SDSU plays at New Mexico on Saturday at 11 a.m. PT (CBS). The Aztecs won 83-79 when the teams met last month at Viejas Arena. The Lobos (21-7, 12-5 MW) lost 67-60 at Nevada on Tuesday night.
San Diego County is known for having wet, cold weather in February. But it had numerous hot spells this year. And when the month ended on Saturday a high pressure system produced heat that broke or tied temperature records in nine communities from the desert to the sea, the National Weather Service said.
The most notable temperature occurred in Borrego Springs, which reached 99, five degrees higher than the previous record for Feb. 28, set in 1986. The 99 reading is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Borrego in February.
Escondido reached 95, tying a record set in 1901.
El Cajon reached 92, three degrees higher than the record set in 2009.
Ramona topped out at 88, five degrees higher than the record set in 2009.
Alpine hit 88, four degrees higher the record set in 1986.
Campo reached 87, four degrees higher than the record set in 1999.
Vista hit 86, four degrees higher than the record set in 2020.
Chula Vista reached 84, one degree higher than the record set in 2020.
Lake Cuyamaca rose to 76, four degrees higher than the record set in 1986.
Forecasters say the weather is not likely to broadly produce new highs on Sunday. Cooler air is moving to the coast, and on Monday, San Diego’s high will only reach 67, a degree above normal.
OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.
“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.
So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.
With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.
The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.
Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”
One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.
“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”
Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.
Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.
“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.
As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.
Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”
That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.
The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.
“She’s a great player,” said Brown.
“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”
Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.
“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”
Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.
Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.
About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”
Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.
Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.
“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.
Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.
“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”
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