Despite a narrow 70-69 loss at Grand Canyon Wednesday night, the San Diego State Aztecs (13-5, 7-1) remain focused on the remainder of their season. The Aztecs rallied from a 61-49 deficit with nine minutes remaining to briefly take the lead before falling to the Antelopes in the final seconds.
Close Contest in Phoenix
The game came down to the wire, with Grand Canyon securing the win on two free throws by Makiah Williams with just 1.8 seconds left on the clock. San Diego State’s Miles Byrd missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with 7.7 seconds to play, setting up the final sequence. Williams was then fouled under the basket by Tae Simmons, leading to the game-winning free throws.
“That’s a call that’s 50-50,” Byrd told the San Diego Union. “It can go either way, and it just didn’t go our way. We can’t dwell on it.” Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher acknowledged the difficulty of judging the final foul call, stating, “I argued it wasn’t a foul, but I didn’t see it. The only ones who could see it were the officials and the players under the basket. Anyone else is just guessing.”
Mountain West Standings and Key Matchups
Despite the loss, San Diego State maintains the No. 1 ranking in the Nevada Appeal Mountain West rankings. No. 5 Grand Canyon (12-6, 5-2) was led by Jaden Henley and Makiah Williams, both with 17 points. The Antelopes overcame a 38 percent shooting performance from the floor to secure the victory.
Elsewhere in the conference, No. 2 New Mexico (15-4, 6-2) defeated No. 10 Fresno State (9-10, 3-5) 83-74, extending their home winning streak to 22 games. No. 4 Nevada (14-5, 6-2) routed No. 11 San Jose State (6-13, 1-7) 87-54. A significant upset occurred as No. 6 UNLV (10-8, 5-2) defeated No. 3 Utah State (15-3, 6-2) 86-76, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the second half.
No. 7 Colorado State (12-7, 3-5) defeated No. 12 Air Force (3-16, 0-8) 81-52, while No. 8 Boise State (11-8, 3-5) defeated No. 9 Wyoming (11-8, 2-6) 81-65.
Looking Ahead
San Diego State is scheduled to face UNLV on January 24. New Mexico will host Nevada in a key matchup on Saturday night. Nevada faces a challenging four-game stretch, including road games at New Mexico and Boise State. Utah State will look to rebound at Colorado State on January 23. Grand Canyon will travel to face Fresno State on January 24.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the game between San Diego State and Grand Canyon?
The final score was Grand Canyon 70, San Diego State 69.
Who led Grand Canyon in scoring?
Jaden Henley and Makiah Williams both scored 17 points for Grand Canyon.
What is San Diego State’s record in games played at Grand Canyon?
San Diego State has a 0-3 record in games played at Grand Canyon.
How will the Aztecs respond to this close loss as they move forward in the Mountain West Conference schedule?