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The San Diego State Aztecs are looking to build off of their run to the 2023 NCAA Tournament title game and look to win a title on Sunday when they play the Washington Huskies in Las Vegas in the Continental Tires Main Event.
San Diego State Aztecs (-6, 146) vs. Washington Huskies
Entering Saturday, San Diego State ranked 126th in the country in total possessions per game while Washington was 57th in this category, but San Diego State is coming off a 79-54 win over St. Mary’s were they looked much more like the 2022-23 version of themselves, when they were 260th in possessions per game.
On a points per possession basis, San Diego State is also off to a better start than a season ago, allowing 88 points per 100 possessions thus far after ranking 19th in the country in this category last season with 93.1 points allowed per 100 possessions.
While the defense appears to be back in full force for San Diego State, the offense appears to be in transition with the team entering Saturday 108th in the country in points scored on a per possession basis with forward Jaedon LeDee becoming the team’s focal point with 25 points per game after the team did not have a single forward average more than 7.9 points per game last season.
With San Diego State’s top scorer Matt Bradley out of the fold, it has led to games involving more turnovers as the Aztecs entered Saturday 202nd in the country in turnovers per possession on offense, but 78th in turnovers forced per possession on defense after ranking 110th in this category a season ago.
Scoring across college basketball has increased with more fouls being called with the median amount of fouls called on a team per game rising from 16.9 last season to 18.3 this season, leading to a rise in the median amount of free throw attempts per team going from 17.8 per game to 20 free throws attempted per game.
Neither team in this matchup has capitalized on the ride in free throw attempts with Washington making 67% of their free throws this season and San Diego State 68.1% of their free throws.
With Washington entering the weekend 24th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and San Diego State’s defense allowing fewer points per possession this season than a season ago, Sunday night’s matchup in Las Vegas will be a defensive struggle.
The Play: Washington vs. San Diego State Under 146