San Diego State Basketball: 5 reasons why Aztecs can win 2019-20 title

San Diego State Basketball: 5 reasons why Aztecs can win 2019-20 national title

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 21: The San Diego State Aztecs team remains undefeated after defeating the Utah Utes in the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Staples Center on December 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 26: Vitaliy Shibel #22 of the UNLV Rebels guards Yanni Wetzell #5 of the San Diego State Aztecs (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

4. History of losing has made this team winners

It’s not surprising that this team is doing well when you look at the talent. But even the biggest of Aztec fans weren’t expecting 23-0. Duke lost to Stephen F. Austin, Kentucky lost to Evansville, and many other upsets have occurred. But outside of the near-fall against San Jose State, San Diego State hasn’t had many close calls. Is it just a coincidence or does the roster makeup have something to do with it?

I have a theory. And while I’ve never met these players or know anything about them personally, I have a feeling that this team more than any other doesn’t take games for granted. Look at Yanni Wetzell, coming from a Vandy squad that went winless in the SEC and ended the season on a 20-game losing streak.

Flynn was putting up points at Washington State but certainly wasn’t winning, going just 10-26 in two years in Pac-12 play. The Cougars weren’t close to being competitive and only served as a spoiler to those trying to make the NCAA Tournament. Feagin was in a similar spot at Santa Clara, knowing that they had no shot of finishing better than 4th place in the WCC and constantly getting destroyed by Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s every year.

These are players who haven’t seen the NCAA Tournament in their college careers and have experienced very little winning overall. But what these players seem to be is high-quality characters and with a new culture, have flourished together. There just hasn’t been the usual letdowns most of the other teams have gone through and with just six regular-season games left can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It also helps that they’re still fighting for a No. 1 seed in the West Region, where they’d be playing in Los Angeles in the Sweet 16.

As far as why this helps them being title contenders, it shows that they’re very unlikely to fall in the early games of the NCAA Tournament and let an opponent sneak upon them. This is an experienced team who has seen their fair share of losing and apparently has made a commitment to not let it happen again. Could they lose a game with bad shooting or an opponent getting hot? Sure. But it won’t be because they were uninspired and unprepared. And that has been the same, whether it’s versus Iowa or Wyoming.