San Diego, CA

Aztecs lift off, rout struggling Air Force on Space Force Night

Published

3 weeks ago

February 8, 2026

Aztecs lift off, rout struggling Air Force on Space Force Night

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — San Diego State’s basketball team has a tradition as pregame warmups conclude of surrounding bouncy forward Pharaoh Compton as he flies down the lane for one of his patented dunks.

Saturday night, they gathered around the blue-painted lane at the Air Force Academy’s Clune Arena, and here came Compton, who spun and … aborted liftoff.

He went back to the top of the key and tried again. Ignition, liftoff, dunk.

And that’s pretty much how the game went. Air Force, still winless in the Mountain West this season, jumped to a 5-0 lead before the Aztecs launched and rocketed away from the Falcons wearing special all-black Space Force uniforms.

San Diego State’s Tae Simmons runs through the lane during Saturday’s Mountain West win over Air Force in Air Force Academy, Colo. (Air Force athletics)

The 88-54 win was a welcome change from a year ago, when the Falcons weren’t much better (1-19 in conference) and the Aztecs needed a Wayne McKinney III layup at the overtime buzzer to escape what would have been maybe the worst loss in program history — and almost certainly would have kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.

“The veterans know, they know how hard it was in here last year,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “Also, I’ve tried to tell them we need a greater sense of urgency in February. I’m trying to pick up their urgency in everything we do. If we can stay urgent and play more consecutive possessions, we’ll have a better chance to win.”

It helped that the Falcons didn’t attempt 44 free throws, as they did here last year, but just 12. And that the Aztecs made six 3-pointers in both games but needed 10 fewer attempts (16 compared with 27).

This one was over midway through the first half, when a 23-2 Aztecs run had Air Force interim coach Jon Jordan calling all but one of his allotted timeouts in the game’s opening 14 minutes in a desperate attempt to stem an oncoming tide washing away his sandcastle.

As if 12 first-half turnovers (to one by SDSU) weren’t painful enough, BJ Davis plunged in the dagger at the halftime buzzer when, with the clocking ticking from 3 to 2 to 1, he launched a 3 closer to midcourt than the arc.

Swish.

San Diego State's Miles Byd puts up a 3-pointer during Saturday's Mountain West win over Air Force in Air Force Academy, Colo. (Air Force athletics) — San Diego State’s Miles Byd puts up a 3-pointer during Saturday’s Mountain West win over Air Force in Air Force Academy, Colo. (Air Force athletics)

Dutcher said recently that he wanted “in the worst way” to reach their bye week in first place, and he has. The Aztecs (17-6, 11-2) remain tied atop the Mountain West after Utah State hung on for an 85-83 win at Wyoming later Saturday night.

Now they don’t play for a week, until Saturday against Nevada at Viejas Arena. The plan is to re-evaluate injured starters Magoon Gwath (hip) and Elzie Harrington (leg) sometime midweek in hopes both will be available and game fit for the stretch run.

“It’s all in the doctors’ and trainers’ hands,” Dutcher said. “They’ve got more testing to do, whether they’re scans or MRIs to make sure whatever they want to see on those is where they want to see it. You watch them out there now, they’re walking and moving like they’re ready to play.

“Sometimes, you look at a guy and he’s limping, and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, he’s way, far away.’ You look at these guys shooting and goofing around, they look pretty good. But I want to make sure what’s going on internally is where the doctors want it before I put them back out there.”

Both were in street clothes again Saturday night, and the Aztecs didn’t need them — even with a shortened rotation at 7,067 feet. They were projected as 22-point favorites by the Kenpom metric and led 23-7, 33-13, 59-33 and 72-39.

Temperatures outside were unseasonably high, topping out at 63 degrees in February at 7,000 feet, and the Aztecs obliged with some torrid shooting. Even after a 1-for-5 start, they finished at 60% — their best in conference and highest all season other than the 67.2% against Oregon back in November.

The Falcons (3-20, 0-12), who have now lost 36 of their last 37 conference games, proved the ultimate slump-buster for Davis. The junior guard had been averaging 5.5 points on 26.7% shooting over the four games since missing a late free throw against Grand Canyon, and he shook that off with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

San Diego State's Miles Heide flexese during Saturday's win over Air Force. in Air Force Academy, Colo. (Air Force Academy athletics) — San Diego State’s Miles Heide flexese during Saturday’s win over Air Force. in Air Force Academy, Colo. (Air Force Academy athletics)

Miles Heide had 13 points — a season high and one shy of his career high — on 6-of-7 shooting, and not all those were around the basket. He swished a 3 from the top of the key, making him 4 of 16 in his three-year career.

Reese Dixon-Waters continued his emphasis on pump-faking and drawing fouls, with half his 12 points coming at the line. Compton had 11 points and four steals — and no fouls for only the third time in his last 35 games. Jeremiah Oden also had 11 points, giving the Aztecs five double-figure scorers. Taj DeGourville had eight points, five assists and two steals.

Miles Byrd was the only starter not in double figures with four points on 2-of-7 shooting, but he didn’t attempt a wild one-handed windmill after his seemingly nightly steal for a breakaway dunk. Instead, he safely (if unspectacularly) stuffed it with two hands, Dutcher’s stated preference.

Chet Carney, San Diego State superfan and an Aztec ‘for eternity,’ dies at 70

Little-used 7-foot redshirt freshman Thokbor Majak subbed in with 8:19 to go and filled the stat sheet as well, although maybe not with all the numbers he wanted. He had five rebounds … and four fouls in just under seven minutes.

The two most notable team stats were points in the paint, where the Aztecs scored 52 points; and turnovers, where the visitors committed six while forcing 22, both season bests.

The 22 turnovers were converted into 32 points.

“First of all, they’re a very good basketball team,” said Jordan, the interim coach while the academy investigates allegations involving the treatment of players by the suspended Joe Scott. “That’s a fact. It’s not an excuse, that’s not a rationalization, that’s a fact. They’re very good. They’re long; they really get after us in a unique way.

“If you’re not careful, if you’re not aware of how important that basketball is, you’ll end up with 22 turnovers.”

Notable

The announced attendance was 1,741 in 6,000 capacity Clune Arena but that seemed a bit high. It included a strong contingent of Aztecs fans, some of whom made the trip from San Diego.

• The Falcons were without 6-9 leading scorer Caleb Walker (11.9 points), who warmed up before the game but was ruled out again with an injury. He has now missed six games.

• Oden got a technical foul for taunting after a dunk on the break.

• Instead of rolled-up T-shirts being thrown into the crowd, they’re dropped from the rafters with parachutes attached.

• The officiating crew included Randy McCall, who also worked last year’s 77-76 overtime win here.

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San Diego, CA

Joan Endres – San Diego Union-Tribune

Published

6 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Joan Endres

OBITUARY

Born January 1939 in Cincinnati Ohio. Died February 14, 2026, in San Diego, California, with her sons at her side. Her beloved husband Dean passed away in 2010.

Joan was the only child of Thomas and Edna Palmer. In 1943, the family moved to San Diego, where Joan graduated from Helix High School in 1956.

In 1957 Joan married Dean Endres of San Diego, where they raised two sons. Joan followed her two great passions outside the home, the Arts, and Gardening. Both activities being a way to bring beauty to others and to the community.

Joan received a degree in Environmental Design from San Diego State University, and afterwords worked at UCSD, for the Campus Architect.

As an artist, Joan worked in various media, especially ceramics. She was active in many cultural and arts organizations, eventually becoming President of the Combined Organization for the Visual Arts (COVA). Later she turned to gardening, with the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca Community College and the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County.

Joan is survived by her son Jeff and wife Katrin, grandson Jackson, and son Todd Endres, all of La Mesa, and sisters Alice Buck of Phoenix, Elaine Kennedy of San Diego, Nancy and husband Don Jones of Vista, Eva Budzinski of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and their children and grandchildren.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Joan in the near future. Those who wish to attend should contact celebratejoanuvart@gmail.com to receive details when they are confirmed. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests a donation to the Water Conservation Garden or the Diego Visual Arts Network (SDVAN).

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San Diego, CA

San Diego State moves back into NCAA Tournament field in latest ESPN Bracketology

Published

18 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

San Diego State moves back into NCAA Tournament field in latest ESPN Bracketology

The San Diego State Aztecs’ have moved off the bubble and back into the NCAA Tournament’s Field of 64 in the latest ESPN’s Bracketology projections.

The Aztecs must feel like a yo-yo, but now it’s in a good way. Bracket expert Joe Lunardi moved them from the bottom of the First Four Out — No. 72 — to holding the Mountain West’s automatic bid after an 89-72 home romp Wednesday night over Utah State, which had held the auto-bid in bracketology for a few weeks now.

Lunardi now has the Aztecs as the No. 11 seed in the West Region, with a projected first-round date against former MW rival BYU in Portland.

Lunardi wrote that SDSU’s auto-bid “shifts the entire bubble.”

Wednesday night’s victory not only pulled the Aztecs (19-8, 13-4) into a tie with Utah State (23-5, 13-4) atop the MW standings, but it was just their second Quad 1 victory in six such opportunities.

SDSU’s next two games are both Quad 1 chances, at New Mexico on Saturday and then at Boise State on Tuesday night.

The win lifted the Aztecs only one spot in the NCAA NET Rankings, to No. 43. Those rankings are used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for March Madness.

SDSU’s resume for earning an at-large berth has been on shaky ground all season, and was seriously damaged last week when the Aztecs lost at home to Grand Canyon and were then routed at Colorado State, both Quad 2 games.

SDSU’s best bet to assure a trip to March Madness for the sixth straight season is to win the MW tournament in Las Vegas and claim the automatic bid. That requires winning three games in as many days, and perhaps a third showdown against the Aggies, who beat the Aztecs 71-66 in Logan on Jan. 31.

Lunardi now has Utah State projected as an at-large team, but still with the No. 7 seed in the East, facing No. 10 Texas A&M in a first-round game in St. Louis.

New Mexico (21-7, 12-5), lurking just a game behind SDSU and USU, has dropped from the Last Four In at No. 68 to the First Four Out at No. 70.

The Aztecs were the unanimous preseason pick to win the MW regular-season title in their final season in the league before moving into the Pac-12 along with Utah State, Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State.

Saturday’s game at New Mexico is set to tip off at 11 a.m. PT and will air on CBS.

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San Diego, CA

Oregon State Dismantles San Diego 83-49

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The top teams in the West Coast Conference are jockeying for position in the standings as the regular season draws to a close, and the Oregon State women took care of business Thursday night, blowing out the San Diego Toreros 83-49 to move to 21-9 on the season, and 13-4 in conference play.

Oregon State’s Tiara Bolden Grabs WCC Honor After 44 Points Over Two Games

The Toreros have been a basement dweller in the conference for the last few seasons, so this result isn’t surprising, though it’s magnitude is a bit eye-raising. The Beavers wasted no time putting San Diego into a hole, opening the first quarter on an 8-0 run that Tiara Bolden and Kennedie Shuler getting involved early. Oregon State held a 14 point, 26-12 lead after one.

The second quarter wasn’t as lopsided, but San Diego wasn’t able to make much headway into the Beaver lead. Six points from Olivia Owens kept San Diego within shooting distance, but defensive pressure from Kennedie Shuler and strong rebounding from Lizzy Williamson kept the Toreros under control. Oregon State ended the first half up by 13, 40-27.

Oregon State Dominates Cougars in 79-51 Blowout

Oregon State tightened their grip in the third. While Olivia Owens and Kylie Ray managed to give the Toreros some hope early in the quarter, Oregon State went on a run late in the period to get their lead to 21 at the highest. San Diego finally snapped the Beaver hot streak, but a three from Kennedie Shuler ended the quarter in a 61-43, 18 point Beaver lead.

The bottom seemed to fall out of San Diego in the fourth, with the Toreros only putting six points on the board. Tiara Bolden and Kennedie Shuler kept the points flowing for the Beavers, while Lizzy Willilamson continued to dominate the boards. A layup with an and one from Elisa Mehyar were the last Beaver points of the game, giving Oregon State a 34 point, 83-49 win.

Oregon State Takes Down Portland 64-54 in Season Saving Game

It was a good night for several Beavers, with Kennedie Shuler once again leading the team in scoring. She finished the night with 22 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. She can do just about everything on the court.

Tiara Bolden continued her hot streak with a 17 point night, along with four rebounds and four assists. Jenna Villa added 14 points, one rebound and one assist. Lizzy Williamson added another double double to her resume, with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

Oregon State’s Winning Streak Ends With 55-51 Loss to LMU

There’s one last item on the agenda for Oregon State, a season-closing meeting with the Loyola Marymount Lions Saturday at Gill Coliseum. The Lions handed Oregon State their first WCC loss of the season back in January, so getting some revenge before the conference tournament would be a good statement from the team. Tip off is set for 1 PM PT.

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