25. San Diego State Aztecs - 8-3
The Aztecs have had a strong non-conference schedule, including playing Gonzaga at home (loss), along with participating in the Players Era Festival. They lost to Oregon but ultimately got good wins over Creighton and Houston. Plus, there’s a win over Cal, though they’re coming off a home loss to Utah State in Mountain West play.
The team has been without Reese Waters all season, with the top returning scorer dealing with a foot injury. In his place is FAU transfer Nick Boyd (13.5 ppg and 3.6 apg), who leads them in both categories, while Miles Byrd and BJ Davis have excelled in larger roles as sophomores.
Four others are putting up at least 7.0 ppg, including forwards Pharoh Campton and Maggon Gwath, who have been strong interior defenders. Once again, the Aztecs are led by its tough defense but are a fairly good shooting unit, giving them an efficient overall offense.
Although they surrendered a double-digit lead to Utah State this weekend, San Diego State still remains a favorite in the Mountain West. They have another tough game coming up on the road at Boise State, followed by matchups with Air Force, New Mexico, and Colorado State.