Mountain West Basketball: 5 biggest questions for rest of 2019-20 season

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 28: Jordan Schakel #20, Yanni Wetzell #5 and KJ Feagin #10 of the San Diego State Aztecs celebrate after teammate Joel Mensah (not pictured) #35 dunked against the Creighton Bluejays during the 2019 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 28, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aztecs defeated the Bluejays 83-52. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 21: The San Diego State Aztecs team remains undefeated (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

1. Why has San Diego State been so good this season?

Hope

San Diego State has gone undefeated so far this season behind a combination of efficient egoless offense and complete buy-in on the defensive end. They play a slower than average brand of basketball, but Malachi Flynn and KJ Feagin still find ways to get everyone involved and ensure the open shooter always takes a good shot. They are also an experienced team, without a single freshman in their regular rotation, which has helped with avoiding the pains of adjusting to DI competition.

Winnick

This answer starts and ends with Malachi Flynn. Stuck in the Power 5 purgatory that is Washington State, he quietly had a really promising freshman season two years back and is putting it all together for his new team.

Second, not only the Aztecs but teams around the country are showing the value of high-level transfers in college basketball. SDSU got three of their top five scorers off of the transfer market, and their overall experience has certainly played a factor in their hot start.

Salcido

This is the most well-rounded rotation they have had in some time. Malachi Flynn has been absolutely destroying opponents and racking up offensive stats, but Matt Mitchell has settled into his role of coming off the bench. And he’s still getting big minutes. Nathan Mensah is very solid on defense. Yanni Wetzell is better than anyone could have expected, on both sides of the ball, taking over when he needs to. KJ Feagin isn’t putting up big stats, but he’s a do-it-all player and gets the whole rotation involved. When Feagin needs to be, he is still an offensive threat as well. Jordan Schakel is super talented, and is only continuing to develop and get better – Same can be said for the rest of the guys on the roster who perhaps don’t get as much playing time in the rotation.

This team has confidence and can maintain its composure. Against BYU, Iowa, and SJSU, the Aztecs stayed composed and walked away with victories. Remember, they were down 10+ to Iowa at one point; that SJSU win came at the last second. In short, the Aztecs are not only talented, but rounded, confident, composed and focused. Those traits are making them a great team.

Vaccaro

I don’t believe there is any one answer to why San Diego State has been so good this season. The reason they have been so good is that there isn’t a single hole in their game. They are one of the best defensive teams in the country (which is usually the case for SDSU), but now they’ve added a much better offense than we usually see from them. The fact that they boast one of the country’s best defenses and can punish opposing teams from behind the arc makes them incredibly dangerous. There isn’t one specific thing I can point to that makes San Diego State a real contender for a 1 or 2 seed this season because they are good everywhere.