San Diego State Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Aztecs

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 10: A San Diego State Aztecs cheerleader performs during the team’s game against the Colorado State Rams of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas /

One of the top mid-major programs of the last decade, San Diego State basketball has fallen on hard times. When will they climb atop of the Mountain West again?

One of the reasons why the Mountain West has been down in recent seasons is because of one of its standard bearers, San Diego State, has been down themselves. After missing the NCAA Tournament in 2015-16, this past season was supposed to be a bounce-back year.

Max Hoetzel from Indiana and Montaque Gill-Caeser from Missouri were key additions from the transfer market. Then they added some bulk up front with Valentine Izundu, a graduate transfer from Washington State. Things were looking up.

Yet, the year started off poorly with several players not even suiting up for the first game due to various injuries. This led to failing to score 50 points against the eventual national runners-up in the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The losses continued in the non-conference slate against Arizona State, Grand Canyon, and even Loyola (Chicago) picking up wins.

The Aztecs never got healthy in conference play either, losing their first three games and essentially eliminating themselves from the Mountain West regular-season title contention.

They tried to get back into the conversation by winning 8 of 11 games. However, they struggled to close the season, losing three out of four to end the year. After getting bounced from the conference tournament, San Diego State did not participate in any postseason event for the first time in over a decade.

Hall of Fame coach Steve Fisher decided to hang it up, giving the keys to his top assistant Brian Butcher. With most of the key players coming back, plus some needed offensive help, the Aztecs will look to getting back where they belong at the top of the league.