NCAA Basketball: San Diego State, Ian DuBose top mid-major performers of the week
By Logan Butts
It was the first week of conference play for many NCAA Basketball teams across the nation. Which mid-majors stood out this week?
Best Performance, Team – San Diego State Aztecs
One of two remaining unbeaten NCAA Basketball teams in the nation (Auburn), the San Diego State Aztecs earn their first team of the week award after going on the road and pretty decisively taking out their top competition in the Mountain West Conference.
The Aztecs beat Utah State 77-68 in Logan, handing the Aggies their first home loss of the season and snapping their 15-game home winning streak.
Malachi Flynn was once again excellent, leading a quartet of double-digit scorers for the Aztecs. The junior had 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal, while Matt Mitchell (19), Jordan Schakel (11), and Yanni Wetzel (10) chipped in as well.
The Aztecs unleashed their typically great perimeter defense, holding the Aggies to just 6-23 shooting from behind the arc. The win propelled San Diego State six spots up to seventh in the latest AP Poll, just two spots behind Auburn, the fellow unbeaten squad left in the country.
Meanwhile, Utah State falls further out of voters’ minds after starting the season as the de facto anointed mid-major contender as well as Mountain West favorite. I still think Utah State is more than worthy of an at-large bid. They only have one bad loss (at UNLV at 17) and three “good” losses (Saint Mary’s, vs BYU and SDS), and the win over LSU. But their NET ranking as fallen all the way down to 73, so the Aggies better be careful down the stretch in MWC play.
Speaking of the next few months of Mountain West action, we have to seriously consider the possibility of the Aztecs running the table. Their toughest test the rest of the way is a rematch at home with Utah State. If they don’t slip up in conference play, would the committee be willing to give them a number one seed?