Aztecs Takes Some Pride, But Utah Takes the Victory

The stakes were simple. After being blown out Thursday at Brigham Young, San Diego State came to the University of Utah on Saturday looking for respect.

The Aztecs’ record suffered another bruise, but their egos got a slight massage.

No. 17 Utah defeated SDSU, 67-60, in a game the Aztecs might have won had they been better able to hang onto the ball down the stretch.

Instead, Utah won its 14th consecutive home game--and SDSU lost its 10th game in a row here--in front of a crowd of 15,358 in Hunstman Center, the fifth largest attendance in Utah history.

“We wanted to get our pride back,” SDSU center Marty Dow said. “We were going to come in and play as hard as we could. Especially me. I had to come out and prove something to myself. Walter (Watts, Utah center) pretty much kicked my behind in San Diego.”

Actually, it wasn’t that bad. Watts, a 6-foot-8, 265-pound load in the middle, had 11 points and 12 rebounds during Utah’s 68-62 victory Jan. 5 in San Diego, and Dow had 14 points and eight rebounds. Saturday, one day after undergoing root canal surgery, Dow made 10 of 16 shots en route to a 22-point, 12-rebound performance. Watts had 15 points and nine rebounds.

While the Aztecs (9-12, 4-7) never led once the game warmed up, they spent the night hanging around and getting in Utah’s way. They trailed at halftime, 33-28, and, when Utah (22-2, 11-1) built its largest lead of the game, 48-38 with 12:13 remaining, SDSU came charging back.

Utah slipped into a zone at that point and the Aztecs quickly brought them out of it when James Lewis and Keith Balzer hit back-to-back three-pointers. That made it 48-44 and softened up the middle for Dow, who made SDSU’s next two buckets.

Eventually, SDSU pulled to within two but in the final seven minutes made enough mistakes to lose.

SDSU had the ball and a chance to cut the Utah lead to two with 7:05 remaining, but Watts stepped in front of Dow to intercept a Vern Thompson pass, then went the length of the floor for a dunk.

Barely over a minute later, Balzer threw the ball away. Then, with the Aztecs down five, 63-58, and about four minutes left, Massey threw it away.

“What it came down to at the end was, we had too many unforced errors,” SDSU Coach Jim Brandenburg said. “Too many mental lapses.”

Still, he wasn’t all displeased.

“Our guys made a hell of a comeback from Thursday night,” he said. “I think Utah has a good ballclub. I wouldn’t be afraid to play their ballclub another time in the tournament.”

Brandenburg wasn’t the only one thinking ahead to the WAC tournament.

“They’re playing very well,” said Utah forward Josh Grant, who led the Utes with 18 points and 13 rebounds. “I don’t know if I want to run into them in the WAC tournament. They play well together as a team. Massey is really quick, and Lewis is one of the fastest guys I’ve ever seen in my life. And Dow is playing very well right now.”

SDSU finished with 15 turnovers to Utah’s 11. A key, though, was that the Utes had just three turnovers in the second half.

Another factor was that Massey’s shooting slump continued. He scored just four points on two of seven shooting. Over the past four games, Massey--SDSU’s second-leading scorer--has made only 28% of his shots (12 for 43). In the two games against Utah this season, he is five for 21 (24%) with 10 points.

Brandenburg blamed part of the problem Saturday on Utah players grabbing Massey’s jersey when he tried to cut on a couple of backdoor plays. Hawaii players complained of similar Utah defensive tactics after a 20-point loss Thursday.

“That’s intentional foul stuff,” Brandenburg said. “That stuff should be seen and called. That’s not smart basketball, that’s intentional basketball.”

Massey’s woes were magnified by the fact that Ray Barefield sat out with a sprained ankle, leaving Massey, Lewis and Chris McKinney to handle the guard duties.

Balzer, making his first start since Dec. 22, scored 11 points and Courtie Miller 10. The three guards combined for 15 points.

Aztec Notes

SDSU is now 2-26 in the state of Utah dating back to the mid-1970s. The Aztecs have lost 14 of 15 at the University of Utah. . . . SDSU’s WAC road record over the past six years dropped to 4-42.