Mensah, No. 22 Aztecs beat Boise State 72-52 for MWC lead
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nathan Mensah scored 17 factors as No. 22 San Diego State raced previous Boise State 72-52 Friday evening in a showdown of the Mountain West Convention’s high two groups regardless of an off evening by Aztecs’ main scorers Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell.
Keshad Johnson added 10 for SDSU (18-5, 9-2), which regained sole possession of first place. Bradley got here in main the Aztecs at 13.2 factors per sport however did not rating till making a jumper with 9:16 to play, ending with three factors. Trammell got here in averaging 11.1 and did not rating till making a shot earlier within the second half, ending with 4.
Max Rice scored 16 for Boise State (18-6, 8-3), which was with out its main ballhandler, level guard Marcus Shaver Jr., who was out with a excessive ankle sprain. Shaver had a strolling boot on his proper foot.
BSU beat SDSU 3 times final 12 months, together with in championship sport of the convention event.
The Aztecs raced to a 43-21 halftime lead regardless of getting zero factors from Bradley and Trammell. Mensah led the way in which with 12 factors and Adam Seiko had 9.
Mensah had six factors throughout a 14-0 run that carried the Aztecs to a 29-10 lead with 5:47 left earlier than halftime. Seiko made two 3-pointers, together with a 27-footer to cap the run. An SDSU crew supervisor was whistled for a technical for placing his thumb and pinkie as much as his ear close to the scorer’s desk as if to say, “Dial up a 3,” and BSU’s Max Rice made each free throws.
The mixture of SDSU’s protection and the absence of Shaver was an excessive amount of for the Broncos. BSU shot solely 33.3% within the first half and was referred to as for a 10-second violation late within the first half. The Aztecs blocked three pictures within the first 20 minutes, two by Aguek Arop and one by Mensah.
Mensah blocked a shot with three minutes left that arrange a slam dunk by Johnson on an alley-oop go from Seiko for a 70-50 lead.
BSU shot solely 36.5% from the sphere, whereas SDSU shot 51%.
BIG PICTURE
Boise State: The Broncos clearly missed Shaver, who in addition to being third on the crew in scoring at 13.2 factors was main the Broncos with 6.3 rebounds and had a team-high 79 assists.
San Diego State: It’s going to be touch-and-go whether or not the Aztecs stay in the AP Top 25. After popping again into the ballot on Monday, the Aztecs misplaced 75-66 at Nevada on Tuesday evening.
UP NEXT
Boise State hosts Wyoming every week from Saturday evening.
SDSU visits Utah State on Wednesday evening.
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AP faculty basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25