San Diego State slipped onto the Associated Press Top 25, coming in at No. 24 among the nation’s best men’s basketball teams.
The 4-0 Aztecs garnered 123 points to become the only Mountain West team in this week’s poll.
This season, SDSU has enjoyed wins over No. 22 UCLA and UC Irvine – picked to finish first in the Pac-12 and Big West Conferences in preseason polls, respectively – along with a thrilling come-from-behind victory against Pepperdine Sunday.
Coach Brian Dutcher said his team’s record is “great, but our best basketball is ahead of us and we have to believe that and practice like that everyday.”
Gonzaga, Baylor and Iowa hold the top three spots on the poll.
This season’s debut on the AP poll, on Monday, came two days earlier than last year’s. The team went on to reach No. 4 for a program-record five weeks before finishing the season at No. 6.
San Diego State spent 15 weeks in the AP poll last year, the third most in a season for the program, trailing only the 2010-11 team, which was ranked for 19 weeks, and the 2013-14 team, which appeared in the poll for 16 weeks.
The Aztecs look to continue their undefeated start on Thursday, when they play No. 23 Arizona State (3-1) in Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. The tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the game to be broadcast on FS1.
Arizona State also holds the No. 23 spot in the USA Today Coaches Poll, but SDSU did not make that Top 25.
– Staff reports
