Lorrenzo Wade and the Aztecs will play host to TCU in their MWC opener Saturday night.

Jan. 3, 2008

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State Game Notes | SDSU Broadcast Flip Card | TCU Game Notes

TCU (8-5/0-0 MWC) at San Diego State (10-3/0-0 MWC)

Television: The Mtn. (Cox Cable channel 320); Rich Cellini (play-by-play) and Joe Cravens (analysis).
Radio: AM 600 KOGO - Ted Leitner (play-by-play).

Aztecs Look to Extend 12-Game Homecourt Winning Streak in MWC Opener vs. TCU on Saturday Night  
San Diego State (10-3 overall, 0-0 MWC) opens up conference play in its 10th season in the Mountain West Conference on Saturday night when the Aztecs play host to TCU (8-5, 0-0 MWC) at Cox Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m. PT.

The game will be televised live on The Mtn. (San Diego Cox cable channel 320) and can also be heard on the Aztec radio flagship station AM 600 KOGO.

The Aztecs enter Saturday's contest with a Cox Arena-record 12-game homecourt winning streak and a seven-game MWC winning streak at Cox Arena. The Aztecs have not lost a home game since a 66-65 setback against Wyoming on Jan. 3, 2007.

San Diego State has quietly compiled an impressive non-conference resume. The Aztecs are 10-3, matching the second-best start in 38 seasons at the Division I level. SDSU has done so despite having to blend six new players with seven returning letterwinners to this season's squad. SDSU has also played just five home games to date, with two of the three losses coming to the number two-ranked RPI team (Arizona) and the number three-ranked RPI squad (Saint Mary's), nationally. The Aztecs currently have the top RPI ranking in the MWC at number 30 (through Tuesday's games).

The Aztecs are coming off their most impressive victory of the season, knocking off previously unbeaten Sam Houston State (currently 11-1 and 33rd in the RPI), 79-78, in overtime. The Aztecs rallied from three points down with 14 seconds to play in regulation, and once again from three points down in the extra session to claim the victory.

Forward Billy White, who earned Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Week honors, helped the Aztecs win by getting an offensive put-back with :00.2 seconds remaining to force overtime. The freshman followed that up by converting an offensive rebound for a score with 11 seconds remaining in overtime to provide SDSU with the game-winning basket. For the game, White scored 12 points and added six rebounds, with 10 points and all six boards coming after intermission.

Junior forward Lorrenzo Wade scored a career-high 23 points and added a team-high four assists, four steals and three rebounds. He was 8-for-11 from inside the arc in the contest. Freshman guard D.J. Gay came off the bench to convert a career-best four three-point field goals en route to 12 points and four assists in the game.

The Horned Frogs have won four of their last six games despite a 67-59 loss at 14th-ranked Texas on Wednesday. TCU is +5.4 in turnover margin this season, forcing nearly 20 turnovers a game (19.5).

This marks the eighth all-time meeting between the teams with the Aztecs owning a 4-3 series lead. The Aztecs have won all four games since the Horned Frogs joined the MWC prior to the 2005-06 season, although both games at Cox Arena have been decided late in the game. On Feb. 18, 2006, SDSU rallied from an 11-point deficit to claim an 83-71 victory, while on March 3, 2007, the Aztecs won a closely contested affair, 56-51.

Saturday's game concludes an odd scheduling stretch for San Diego State. The contest against TCU marks just the third game for SDSU since Dec. 17, meaning Saturday will mark SDSU's third game in the last 19 days. The Aztecs will play their final regular-season non-conference opponent on Wednesday night when they face Northern Colorado (6-7). The Bears own a 13-point victory over MWC-member Colorado State. Game time is set for 7 p.m. PT, with no live television coverage.