Jordan Schakel led San Diego State with a career-high 28 points Monday as the Aztecs bounced back at home to defeat Colorado State 78-65.
With the series split with the Rams, SDSU (7-2, 1-1), won their first conference game of the season, following Saturday’s disheartening loss.
That’s when Colorado State (6-2, 3-1) overcame a 26-point Aztec lead to win, but on Monday they whittled down deficits to the teens but no more.
“We kept our wits about us, continued to play hard, got a good victory,” coach Brian Dutcher said.
That’s 8 threes, equaling the most in the Dutcher/Fisher era, and a career-high 28 points for @jordanschakel. #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/c47OOl8su4
— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) January 5, 2021
San Diego State scored 50 points in the first half, to lead the Rams – again by 26 – at the break.
The advantage – as much as 29 early – slipped in the second half as the Rams twice cut the lead to 14. The second time, at the 9:38 mark with the Aztecs up 60-46, as Colorado State’s James Moors headed in for a layup, Nathan Mensah blocked the shot.
It was his third block of the game, and on its heels, with two three-pointers from Schakel, San Diego State rebuilt the lead, this time to 23.
Schakel made eight treys, the most for the Aztecs in nearly a decade. He also bested his prior career scoring high, 25, from SDSU’s Dec. 10 win over Arizona State.
Yea… Nathan says I don’t think so! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/qVgt9wsvNu
— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) January 5, 2021
The senior guard acknowledged he had trouble sleeping after Colorado State’s comeback – “We never want what happened on Saturday to happen again,” he said.
He also said he refuses to get too fired up when he’s on a hot streak like Monday.
“I just try to stay level headed the whole game no matter what,” he said.
SDSU – which fell out of the Coaches Poll this week – welcomes Nevada (8-3, 3-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. Saturday. CBS Sports Network will air both games.
– Staff reports