Nov. 15, 2009

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

San Diego State (1-0/0-0 MWC) at Saint Mary's (1-0/0-0 WCC)

Television: ESPN - Terry Gannon (play-by-play), Stephen Bardo (analysis)
Radio: AM 600 KOGO - Ted Leitner (play-by-play).

San Diego State to Participate in ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon; Aztecs Travel to Saint Mary's for a Little Late Night Basketball
Short a trio of players who earned preseason all-conference honors by multiple publications, San Diego State (1-0) defeated Division II UC San Diego on Saturday. But 24 hours later, the Aztecs find themselves on the road ready for a late-night Monday date at Saint Mary's (1-0).

Game time is set for 11 p.m. PT in what is the second game of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. The non-conference tilt will be televised by ESPN and those not near a TV can watch the game on the internet at ESPN360.com. The rematch of last year's NIT quarterfinal, meanwhile, can be heard in Southern California on AM 600 KOGO.

The Aztecs were 77-52 winners over the Tritons at Viejas Arena on Saturday, despite a sluggish first half, and did it without the services of Billy White (wrist), Tim Shelton (knee) and Tyrone Shelley (foot). Malcolm Thomas, playing in his first real game in an SDSU uniform, was impressive as he finished with game highs of 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots. Another newcomer, freshman Chase Tapley, finished with 11 points, while Kelvin Davis added 10.

The game is the second in three days for San Diego State and the rapid pace will continue in the days to follow. After Saint Mary's, the Aztecs will return home to prepare for a Thursday clash with a second consecutive member of the West Coast Conference, Santa Clara.

Game Tidbits
* San Diego State in search of its first 2-0 start since the 2007-08 season. Last season, the Aztecs dropped a devastating 59-52 decision to 15th-ranked Arizona State at home. A win would give SDSU its third 2-0 start in the last four seasons.

* When the Aztecs score 70 or more points, it's almost a sure bet they will come away with a victory. In its last 31 games when scoring at least 70, SDSU is 29-2, a streak that dates back to 2006-07. The number is equally important in the Saint Mary's series as San Diego State is 4-0 vs. Gaels when hitting the 70 mark and 0-5 when not.

* SDSU is 78-91 all-time vs. current members of the West Coast Conference, but has a modest three-game winning streak on the road at WCC schools. Included in its streak is a 74-73 victory at Saint Mary's in 2006.

* Despite having a ton of newcomers, six to be exact, San Diego State will go into the game with players who are very familiar with the Gaels. Five returners off last year's team have played against Saint Mary's, most recently in the Wooden Classic the last two seasons, while Malcolm Thomas and Tyrone Shelley have each played the Gaels twice during their time at Pepperdine in 2007-08. The two have combined for 45 points (11.2 ppg) and 37 rebounds (9.3 rpg) in four games.