Photo by Ernie Gonzalez
By Matt Weiner (@MattWeiner20) — Beat Reporter
The San Jose State Spartans (14-6, MW 6-3) threw some mighty stones at the San Diego State Aztecs (7-16, MW 0-11), but it wasn’t enough to make them topple over, losing 72-62.
“After that tough start it was better,” said SJSU head coach Tim Miles. “It really came down to a couple turnovers and Matt Bradley taking over the game when we were down four points a couple times and couldn’t get all the way back.”
The Spartans’ first three possessions in the game went shot clock violation-shot clock violation-turnover, respectively. With SDSU’s rabid full court press early on, the Spartans didn’t put any points on the board in the first five minutes of the game.
SDSU jumped out to a 14-3 lead, nine minutes in, set the tone and showed the Spartans why Aztecs’ defense is number one overall in Kenpom.
The Spartans ended the first half down six thanks to Myron Amey Jr.’s nine points. Amey ended with 23 points, his second game in a row scoring 20 plus points and his first career double-double, collecting 12 rebounds as well.
“To illustrate his confidence tonight he was going coach, if we can get this matchup I can get downhill on this guy every time,” Miles said postgame about Amey.
The Spartans put the Aztecs on their heels early on in the second half following a Tibet Gorener dunk, three, and eventually capped off by an Omari Moore slam.
That would be the closest the Spartans came to sniffing a win, as SDSU’s Matt Bradley went on a 9-0 run by himself on a 3-pointer, a four-point play and two free throws. Stopping the run dead in its tracks and stonewalling any chances of an upset taking place.
Bradley ended the contest with 28 points, one shy of tying his season high, and played all but two minutes in the contest.
He has the motor of a Harley Davidson with a jump shot that’s a carbon copy of peak Derek Fisher. Effortlessly like cocking back on his left side and letting it fly.
It’s now the 11th consecutive loss for the Spartans and the possibility of going winless in Mountain West play is increasing by the hour.
Not all losses are built the same and this one is a big confidence booster for a team that is working with 80% freshman in some rotations. San Jose State was a couple of slingshotted stones away from seeing Goliath lying face down without a pulse.