Aztecs bounce back with Vegas victory
Miles Byrd Catches Fire as Aztecs Torch UNLV in Las Vegas
The Aztecs shook off a Wednesday night gut-punch and delivered a knockout blow in Las Vegas.
San Diego State routed UNLV 82-71 on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center, bouncing back from a heartbreaking one-point loss at Grand Canyon just days earlier. Junior guard Miles Byrd absolutely torched the Rebels, pouring in 23 points on near-perfect shooting, including a flawless 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.
The victory keeps SDSU alone atop the Mountain West standings at 8-1 in conference play, a fitting position for the unanimous preseason favorite.
Coach Brian Dutcher's squad arrived running on fumes after getting back to San Diego at 3:15 AM following the Grand Canyon loss. With barely any prep time, the Aztecs relied on grit and depth to pull away in the second half.
Reese Dixon-Waters chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds while reaching a personal milestone, scoring his 1,000th career collegiate point. The senior missed all of last season with a broken foot, making the moment even sweeter.
Once again, the Aztecs' bench proved to be the difference-maker. Taj DeGourville led the reserves with 13 points as SDSU outscored UNLV's bench 29-11.
The Aztecs are now 24-4 against the Rebels in their last 28 meetings and 15-3 at the Thomas & Mack in their last 18 trips. They'll be back in Vegas for the conference tournament in March, hoping to cap their Mountain West farewell tour with a championship before heading to the Pac-12 next season.
Up next: Colorado State visits Viejas Arena on Wednesday night.
Sources: ESPN | Sports Illustrated | NBC San Diego | Yahoo Sports | FOX Sports