San Diego State, taken to overtime for the second straight game, bounced back from a late shooting drought to defeat Cal 76-67 Saturday at the SoCal Showcase.
Reese Waters was named the MVP for the event, at the Pavilion in San Juan Capistrano, after scoring a career-high 24, including going a perfect 10-for-10 on free throws.
He put the first points on the board for SDSU, which traded leads with Cal to start the game, until a layup by Jaedon LeDee, followed by free throws by Miles Byrd and Jay Pal, put the Aztecs up 16-11.
Cal would re-take the lead after Lamont Butler fouled Jalen Cone, who made all three free throws, but Waters answered immediately with a three-pointer, and after another Cal score, Elijah Saunders added one of his own, to give San Diego State a 26-23 lead.
It shrank to one point with just over a minute left, following a three-point play by Jaylon Tyson, who was fouled by Byrd while making a layup. LeDee and Darrion Trammell each hit jumpers, though, as SDSU went up by five heading into the break.
The Aztecs opened up some room on their return, on the way to establishing game-high 12 point lead, 59-47, on free throws by Trammell.
He preceded those shots from the line with a three-pointer with 11:24 left on the clock. But San Diego State would not hit another basket in regulation, and Cal surged to tie the game when Fardaws Aimaq hit one of two free throws with 1:42 remaining.
Waters, Trammell and LeDee each had looks to end the game, but misfired, and Cal sent a last-gasp heave up the court for the win, to no avail, sending the teams into OT tied at 63.
After two free throws by Waters, LeDee hit a jumper two minutes into the extra period, ending the Aztecs’ long drought for a four-point SDSU lead.
Cal narrowed the gap to two, as Cone and Aimaq each hit one of two free throws, but after another jumper by LeDee and two more shots from the line by Waters, San Diego State had a six-point lead with 1:17 left.
The Aztecs’ free-throw proficiency made the difference, as they hit 31 of 37, while Cal went just 12-for-18 from the line. They also held Cone to 2-of-14 shooting.
LeDee had 19 and Trammell added nine. But Waters carried the day.
“He found ways to win tonight,” assistant coach Dave Velasquez told San Diego Sports 760.
SDSU non-conference slate continues Monday upon the team’s return to Viejas Arena. The Aztecs host Point Loma Nazarene at 7 p.m..
