San Diego State survived another Fresno State challenge Thursday night, this time in the Mountain West tournament in Las Vegas, as the Aztecs won 53-46.
With the win, SDSU moves on to face second-seeded Colorado State in a semi-final game with another late start, at 9 p.m. Friday.
During the regular season, San Diego State split their two games with the Rams, the first time blowing them out 79-49. Then last month, Colorado State prevailed, just barely, 58-57.
But first, the Aztecs had to get past a Fresno State team that pushed them to double overtime last week.
SDSU, the tournament’s third seed, trailed by three at the break, 23-20, in a half in which the defenses dominated. The Aztecs and the No. 6 Bulldogs had 11 turnovers each, but Fresno State converted more of them, scoring 11 points as compared to San Diego State’s seven.
The Bulldogs held Matt Bradley in check to open the game. He attempted only two shots in the half and had three turnovers, as did Chad Baker-Mazara. But Adam Seiko stepped up, hitting two key three-pointers.
Fresno State led by as many as six when play resumed, as both offenses livened up. With Bradley mostly stifled, the Aztecs mounted their comeback with Baker-Mazara, Trey Pulliam and Keshad Johnson filling the gap.
The Aztecs finally regained the lead, 39-37, on a layup by Lamont Butler, and after a hook shot by Orlando Robinson tied the game again, Baker-Mazara hit a three-pointer.
Johnson followed with a layup and after a foul by Robinson, he made the free throw for a 45-40 SDSU lead with 4:35 to play.
Robinson pulled the game within two again with a three-pointer, but Nathan Mensah answered with a layup and the Bulldogs could get no closer.
Mensah added two blocks in the closing minutes; in total, he logged five for the game. Baker-Mazara and Seiko and made key free throws down the stretch – Seiko’s increased the lead to 51-46 with :17 seconds left after Robinson had put up another three.
“Our bench is so huge and we just want to come in and change the game anytime that we can,” Seiko told XTRA 1360.
Baker-Mazara and Seiko led the team with 11 points each, Pulliam added 10 and Bradley finished with seven. Robinson had 25.
In the early tournament games, all close, top-seed Boise State barely survived a challenge by No. 8 seed Nevada, winning 71-69.
Colorado State outlasted No. 7 Utah State 53-51, and No. 4 Wyoming defeated No. 5 UNLV 59-56.
in Saturday’s other semi-final, Boise State takes on Wyoming.
