San Diego State Basketball 2020-21 Men’s Basketball Prospectus Mike May, Senior Associate Athletics Director/Communications & Media Relations • E-Mail: [email protected] • Office: 619.594.5547 • Cell: 619.957.8372 Richard Stern, Assistant Media Relations Director • E-Mail: [email protected] • Office: 619.594.5548 • Cell: 408-318-8111 TEAM INFORMATION 12-TIME MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONS 2019-20 Overall Record: 30-2 (H: 14-1, A: 11-0, N: 5-1) SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS Mountain West Record / Finish: 17-1 (H: 8-1, A: 9-0) / 1st 2019-20 Record: 30-2 (17-1 Mountain West) 2019-20 MW Tournament: Runner-up (2-1) Head Coach: Brian Dutcher (Fourth Season) 2019-20 Postseason: N/A Career Record: 73-26 Record at SDSU: 73-26 2019-20 Final National Ranking: No. 6 (AP) / No. 6 (Coaches) Starters Returning/Lost: 3 / 3 PRESEASON NOTES Returning: Nathan Mensah, Matt Mitchell, Jordan Schakel • San Diego State embarks on its centennial season in 2020-21. In 99 seasons, the Aztecs are 1,515-1,127-1 overall and, in its 50 seasons at Lost: KJ Feagin, Malachi Flynn, Yanni Wetzell the Division I level, has posted a 827-682 mark. Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7 / 5 • San Diego State preps for the 2020-21 campaign after finishing last season 30-2, ranked No. 6/6, Mountain estW regular-season champions Returning: (7) - Aguek Arop, Keshad Johnson, Nathan Mensah, Matt with an 17-1 mark in league play, and runner-up in the 2020 Mountain West Tournament. The Aztecs have captured a league-high 12 con- Mitchell, Trey Pulliam, Jordan Schakel, Adam Seiko ference titles, have finished champion or runner-up in 12-of-21 Mountain West Tournaments, and since 2006, SDSU’s 11 appearances in its Lost: (5) - KJ Feagin (graduation), Malachi Flynn (turned pro), Joel Mensah conference championship game ranks as the second most in the nation. (transfer), Nolan Narain (graduation), Yanni Wetzell (graduation) • Entering the 2020-21 season, SDSU will look to return to the NCAA tournament after missing the postseason in 2019-20 due to the cancellation Newcomers: (9) - Cade Alger (Seattle U transfer), Triston Broughton (fresh of the season a week prior to the 2020 NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs’ last NCAA appearance, in 2018, was their 12th postseason berth (8 NCAA, man), Tyler Broughton (freshman), Lamont Butler (freshman), Keith Dinwid- 4 NIT) in the last 14 years in which a national champion was crowned. die Jr. (freshman), Che Evans (freshman), Terrell Gomez (CSUN transfer), • Head coach Brian Dutcher is set for his fourth season after guiding San Diego State to a 30-2 record in 2019-20, and now has a career mark Derek Morhar (freshman), Joshua Tomaic‘ (Maryland transfer) of 73-26. He is the only head coach in program history to record 20+ wins in each of his first three season. • In 2018, Dutcher was the only first-year head coach to lead his team to the NCAA Tournament and in the previous 96 seasons of SDSU basketball, no other coach had won more games and/or won a conference title in his initial season. 2019-20 RESULTS • Dutcher is the only coach in program history (since 1921-22) to lead his team to 70 or more victories in his first three seasons. In the Di- vision I era, Tim Vezie (1974-75 through 1976-77) ranks second with 43 wins. In addition, Dutcher and Vezie are the only coaches to lead Date SDSU Opp. Opponent (TV/Stream) Result their teams to the NCAA Tournament in their first season coaching at San Diego State. N.5 TEXAS SOUTHERN W, 77-42 • Dutcher welcomes back three returning starters in senior forward Matt Mitchell, senior guard Jordan Schakel and junior forward Nathan N.9 at Brigham Young (BYU.tv) W, 76-71 Mensah. Mitchell and Schakel played in all 32 games a year ago, with Mitchell starting 19 times and Schakel getting 31 starting nods. Mensah, N.13 rv/-- GRAND CANYON (STADIUM) W, 86-61 whose playing time was limited due to injury, started and appeared in the first 13 games of the year before he was shut down for the season. No other returning Aztecs have started a game for the program. N.20 rv/rv at San Diego (Fox Sports West) W, 66-49 • Jordan Schakel returns as one of the team’s and the leagues top three-point threats. The Torrance, Calif., native ranked second on the team N.22 rv/rv LIU (MWN) W, 81-64 last year in three-point makes (71) and led the team in three-point percentage (.436; 71-of-163), while playing in all 32 games (26.5 mpg). N.25 rv/rv TENNESSEE STATE (MWN) W, 62-49 Schakel averaged a career-best 10.0 points while grabbing 3.4 rebounds per game. He took great care of the ball, committing 17 turnovers in N.28 rv/-- --/rv #vs. Creighton (SF) (FS1) W, 83-52 849 minutes. In three seasons, he has committed just 41 turnovers in 1,955 total minutes (.854 turnovers committed per 40 minutes played). N.29 rv/-- #vs. Iowa (CH) (FS1) W, 83-73 • In 2020-21, SDSU will replace its leader from last year’s team in scoring average (Malachi Flynn - 17.6), assists (Flynn - 163), steals (Flynn - 56), and minutes (Flynn - 1,072) . D.4 rv/rv *at Colorado State (STADIUM) W, 79-57 • SDSU has three Division I transfers on the 2020-21 roster. Terrell Gomez (CSUN) & Joshua Tomaic‘ (Maryland) are grad transfers who have D.8 rv/rv *SAN JOSE STATE (FSSD) W, 59-57 one year of eligibility and will play immediately. Cade Alger (Seattle U) sat out last season as a redshirt in Seattle, but is also immediately D.18 20/20 SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN (MWN) W, 92-48 eligible to compete for the Aztecs in 2020-21. D.21 20/20 ^vs. Utah (Pac-12 Network) W, 80-52 • SDSU loses three starters (KJ Feagin, Malachi Flynn & Yanni Wetzell) from its 2019-20 squad that reached the championship game of the D.28 15/14 CAL POLY (FSSD) W, 73-57 2020 MW Tournament. The impact of the loss of trio can not be underestimated. They provided SDSU with 51.1 percent of its points last season (1,224-of-2,395), 63.5 percent of its assists (301-of-474), 45.7 percent of its steals (101-of-221) and 40.6 percent of its rebounds (456-of- J.1 13/12 *FRESNO STATE (STADIUM) W, 61-52 1121). In addition, Flynn, a consensus All-American, and Feagin were selected to the 2020 Mountain West All-Tournament Team. J.4 13/12 rv/rv *at Utah State (CBS Sports Network) W, 77-68 • When the season tips off, the Aztecs will have nine players on the roster who have never played a game in an SDSU uniform. Grad transfers J.8 7/7 *at Wyoming (MWN) W, 72-52 Terrell Gomez (CSUN) and Joshua Tomaic‘ (Maryland), a guard and forward, respectively, have one year of eligibility. Lamont Butler J.11 7/7 *BOISE STATE (ESPN3) W, 83-65 (Riverside Poly High, Moreno Valley, Calif.), Keith Dinwiddie Jr. (Fairfax Senior High, Los Angeles, Calif.), Che Evans (Neumann-Goretti J.14 7/6 *at Fresno State (ESPN2) W, 64-55 High, Philadelphia, Pa.) and Derek Morhar (Calabasas High, Calabasas, Calif.) are true freshman. Cade Alger (Seattle U) is a transfer who comes to The Mesa as a redshirted freshman and twins Triston and Tyler Broughton (Tesoro High, Ladera Ranch, Calif.) were members of J.18 7/6 *NEVADA (CBS Sports Network) W, 68-55 the program last year, but have been elevated to the playing roster this season. J.21 4/4 *WYOMING (CBS Sports Network) W, 72-55 J.26 4/4 *at UNLV (CBS Sports Network) W, 71-67 J.29 4/4 *at New Mexico (CBS Sports Network) W, 85-57 F.1 4/4 *UTAH STATE (CBS Sports Network) W, 80-68 CONSECUTIVE 19-WIN CLASS OF THE BEST RECORD SINCE ’10-11 F.8 4/4 *at Air Force (CBS Sports Network) W, 89-74 SEASONS MOUNTAIN WEST Below is a list of the highest winning percentages since the beginning of 2010-11. F.11 4/4 *NEW MEXICO (ESPN2) W, 82-59 Below is a list of the longest active streak of Below is a list of the most men’s basketball F.16 4/4 *at Boise State (CBS Sports Network) W, 72-55 19-win seasons entering 2020-21. conference championships (regular season and tournament) won by current Mountain School W-L Pct. F.22 4/4 *UNLV (CBS Sports Network) L, 63-66 Gonzaga ......................308-51 ............. 85.8 School No. West institutions entering 2020-21. F.25 5/5 *COLORADO STATE (CBS Sports Network) W, 66-60 Kansas .........................299-66 ............. 81.9 Kansas ................................................37 Duke ............................289-71 ............. 80.3 F.29 5/5 *at Nevada (ESPN2) W, 83-76 School No. School No. Duke ...................................................24 Kentucky ......................295-74 ............. 79.9 M.5 5/5 +vs. [9] Air Force (CBS Sports Network) W, 73-60 San Diego State ......12 Colorado State ........1 Gonzaga .............................................23 Wichita State ................278-74 ............. 79.0 New Mexico ............8 Fresno State ...........1 M.6 5/5 +vs. [5] Boise State (CBS Sports Network) W, 81-68 Louisville .............................................19 Virginia ........................262-80 ............. 76.6 UNLV ......................4 San Jose State ........0 M.7 5/5 +vs. [2] Utah State (CBS) L, 56-59 Michigan State .....................................16 Villanova ......................269-83 ............. 76.4 Nevada ..................4 San Diego State ...................................15 Saint Mary’s .................260-81 ............