San Diego State Basketball needs Mitchell and Schakel to beat Syracuse

San Diego State Basketball needs Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel to beat Syracuse

Dec 10, 2020; Tempe, Arizona, USA; San Diego State Aztecs forward Matt Mitchell (11) controls the ball against Arizona State Sun Devils guard Josh Christopher (13) in the second half at Desert Financial Arena (Tempe). Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

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San Diego State Basketball Syracuse Brian Dutcher Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

TV Schedule: Friday, March 19th, 6:40 pm PT, CBS

Arena: Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana

For those of you who are reading this looking to familiarize yourselves with San Diego State Basketball, the Aztecs have put together quite the season in 2021 – here is what you need to know:

SDSU posted a 23-4 record (14-3 in conference play), finished ranked 16th in the recently released (and final) AP Top 25, and are on a fourteen-game winning streak that saw the Aztecs wrap up both the Mountain West Conference regular-season and tournament titles, earning their way to the NCAA Tournament after a three-year absence from the ‘Big Dance’.

Were it not for the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Tournament, the Aztecs likely would have been dancing in 2020, finishing with a 30-2 record, a final AP ranking of #6, and convincing wins over the likes of Creighton, Iowa, and others.

Dangerous as they might be, however, the Aztecs have no easy task in taking on the Syracuse Orange and their famous 2-3 zone defense – A defensive style that San Diego State has not faced all season.

Syracuse sweated their way into the NCAA Tournament, earning an 11-seed after offering a 16-9 record (9-7 in ACC play) that included solid wins over fellow tournament teams Clemson, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. Both of these teams are used to dictating the tempo of the game through strong defensive play and are unfamiliar opponents with much to prove – As such, this is in an intriguing First Round match-up in the NCAA Tournament.

As someone whose focus in the college basketball landscape revolves specifically around the Mountain West Conference, though keeping in mind that March Madness has begun, thus leaving fans to scramble for information on their tournament opponents – I’ll attempt to look at two keys for the Aztecs in winning this game – Or, if you’re donning orange while reading this, two areas of focus for Syracuse to ensure victory.