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No. 22 Aztecs beat Boise State 72-52 for Mountain West

Max Rice scored 16 for Boise State (18-6, 8-3), which was without its leading ballhandler, point guard Marcus Shaver Jr., in Friday night's loss.
Credit: AP
Boise State guard Max Rice (12) drives against San Diego State guard Darrion Trammell during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

SAN DIEGO — Nathan Mensah scored 17 points as No. 22 San Diego State raced past Boise State 72-52 Friday night in a showdown of the Mountain West Conference's top two teams despite an off night by Aztecs' leading scorers Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell.

Keshad Johnson added 10 for SDSU (18-5, 9-2), which regained sole possession of first place. Bradley came in leading the Aztecs at 13.2 points per game but didn't score until making a jumper with 9:16 to play, finishing with three points. Trammell came in averaging 11.1 and didn't score until making a shot earlier in the second half, finishing with four.

Max Rice scored 16 for Boise State (18-6, 8-3), which was without its leading ballhandler, point guard Marcus Shaver Jr., who was out with a high ankle sprain. Shaver had a walking boot on his right foot.

BSU beat SDSU three times last year, including in championship game of the conference tournament.

The Aztecs raced to a 43-21 halftime lead despite getting zero points from Bradley and Trammell. Mensah led the way with 12 points and Adam Seiko had nine.

Mensah had six points during a 14-0 run that carried the Aztecs to a 29-10 lead with 5:47 left before halftime. Seiko made two 3-pointers, including a 27-footer to cap the run. An SDSU team manager was whistled for a technical for putting his thumb and pinkie up to his ear near the scorer's table as if to say, “Dial up a 3," and BSU's Max Rice made both free throws.

The combination of SDSU's defense and the absence of Shaver was too much for the Broncos. BSU shot only 33.3% in the first half and was called for a 10-second violation late in the first half. The Aztecs blocked three shots in the first 20 minutes, two by Aguek Arop and one by Mensah.

Mensah blocked a shot with three minutes left that set up a slam dunk by Johnson on an alley-oop pass from Seiko for a 70-50 lead.

BSU shot only 36.5% from the field, while SDSU shot 51%.

BIG PICTURE

Boise State: The Broncos clearly missed Shaver, who besides being third on the team in scoring at 13.2 points was leading the Broncos with 6.3 rebounds and had a team-high 79 assists.

San Diego State: It'll be touch-and-go whether the Aztecs remain in the AP Top 25. After popping back into the poll on Monday, the Aztecs lost 75-66 at Nevada on Tuesday night.

UP NEXT

Boise State hosts Wyoming a week from Saturday night.

SDSU visits Utah State on Wednesday night.

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