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San Diego State has a 39-38 lead over New MExico
As expected, the first half was full of energy.
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The Aztecs and Lobos are running fast in the first half of the title game.
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To no one’s surprise the Thomas & Mack was loud between rivals San Diego State and New Mexico, and each time one team made a play the arena exploded.
At the break, it was the Aztecs with a 39-38 lead.
New Mexico started the game hot despite playing the late Mountain West semifinal game and had a practice session early this morning. The Lobos came out of the gate with a full court press and at the first media timeout were 5 of 6 from the field while the Aztecs were just 1 of 7. That gave New Mexico an early 12-4 lead.
https://twitter.com/MW_MBB/status/972611038314033153
San Diego State battled back to make this a game for the rest of the first half and earned its first lead at 13-12 on a layup by Devin Watson at 13:48. The Aztecs comeback included a run of outscoring the Lobos 14-2 to get back in this game.
https://twitter.com/MW_MBB/status/972616249422200832
The first half went back and forth after that when the game was tied at 18 and for the rest of the half, but it was the Aztecs were more in control after the first media time out where it was San Diego State 35 to New Mexico’s 26.
Here are a few examples of the athleticism in this game.
https://twitter.com/CBSSportsCBB/status/972613573800177664
https://twitter.com/MW_MBB/status/972613403268194304
Other first half notes:
- New Mexico has foul trouble with 10 to San Diego State’s five.
- Devin Watson keeps finding a way to match up on offense against Joe Furstinger on pick and rolls.
- Watson is being aggressive attacking the hoop and it is working as he has nine points on 4 of 8 shooting.
- Anthony Mathis looks to be out of his slump by making back-to-back three-pointers and has nine points.
- San Diego State is easily breaking through New Mexico’s full court press, but the Lobos seem to not be going full out on the press but just making the Aztecs work a bit to get the ball down the court.
- New Mexico had a cold spell to allow San Diego State to get back in this game and that was during a 14-2 drought.