The last time we saw these San Diego State Aztecs, they were getting their doors blown off by North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four in Dayton, Ohio, trailing by 40 and losing by 27.
Picked up right where they left off.
The score after 7½ minutes of Friday night’s preseason exhibition against No. 12 UCLA at Viejas Arena: Bruins 17, Aztecs 0.
Coach Brian Dutcher said the mid-October test in front of fans, despite not counting in the standings or toward NCAA Tournament consideration, would reveal the “good, bad and in between” about his team, and it did:
They’ve got work to do, but there’s a whole lot to work with.
Final score: Bruins 67, Aztecs 60.
The hosts missed their first nine shots and had 10 turnovers before Louisiana Tech transfer guard Sean Newman Jr., not known as a shooter, drained a 3-pointer from the left side with 12:15 left in the half. That erased the goose egg on the scoreboard and mercilessly halted the rhythmic clap that fans make at every home game until their first basket, which by that point had become an uncomfortable reminder of their growing ineptitude.
It got better in the second half, once the Aztecs stopped turning it over and running a revamped offense with quicker ball movement and smoother flow. A 17-5 SDSU run cut it to three with seven minutes to go, and it was a game from there.
And remember, the Aztecs still don’t have 7-foot sophomore Magoon Gwath, who warmed up in a knee brace and sat on the bench in uniform but hasn’t yet been cleared for live game action.
Dutcher started Taj DeGourville, BJ Davis, Reese Dixon-Waters, Jeremiah Oden and Miles Heide. Only Davis was a regular starter last season, and the inexperience showed immediately. Miles Byrd was available, but Dutcher opted against starting him because he only returned to practice Wednesday after missing nearly two weeks with an abdominal strain and hip issue.
The opening 10 possessions were beyond ugly: turnover, turnover, miss, turnover, turnover, turnover, miss, turnover, turnover, turnover.
At one point late in the half, the Aztecs were shooting 4 of 21 overall and 2 of 13 on 3s with 14 turnovers. About the only positive was an 18-15 rebounding advantage. Halftime score: 39-23.
But Dixon-Waters opened the second half by draining a contested jumper from the left side, and that seemed to relax his previously panicked teammates. Byrd finally scored after an oh-fer first half, then found Dixon-Waters for an open 3.
That brought the previously demure Viejas crowd to its feet, which in turn energized the players on the floor to continue the surge.
Tyler Bilodeau #34 of UCLA and Miles Heide #40 of San Diego State vie for the rebound during an exhibition game at Viejas Arena on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
In the end, there was too much Donovan Dent – remember him from New Mexico? – en route to 18 points on 10 of 10 shooting from the line.
SDSU was led by Dixon-Waters with 19 points before he hobbled off with 13.6 seconds left with what looked like a leg cramp. The only other Aztec in double figures was DeGourville with 10.
Some exhibitions allow unlimited fouls, but this one was played like a real game, where you get five and sit. Newman and Pharaoh Compton both fouled out for SDSU.
Originally Published: October 17, 2025 at 9:06 PM PDT