Jaedon LeDee had 14 points and six rebounds off the bench to help No. 22 San Diego State to a 77-58 win against visiting Colorado State in a Mountain West Conference game on Tuesday night.
Matt Bradley scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, Micah Parrish scored 12 points off the bench and Lamont Butler and Darrion Trammell had 11 points apiece for the Aztecs (22-5, 13-2 WCC), who won their fifth straight game to maintain a 1 1/2-game lead over Boise State for first place in the conference standings.
John Tonje scored 18 points and Isaiah Stevens finished with 15 points for Colorado State (12-15, 4-10), which had won two of three following a five-game losing streak.
The Aztecs, who needed overtime to beat the Rams in Fort Collins, Colo., on Jan. 18, used an early 6-0 run to take the lead for good at 9-4. LeDee scored on a layup to spark another 6-0 run and expand the lead to 17-9.
Parrish buried a jumper to give San Diego State its first double-digit lead, 21-11, with 9:20 left in the first half.
The Aztecs were holding their biggest lead at 39-26 when Stevens collided with a referee while trying to beat a press in the backcourt. The collision caused Stevens to lose possession of the ball as both fell to the floor.
Aguek Arop recovered the loose ball for San Diego State, was fouled and made two free throws with 18 seconds left for a 41-26 lead the Aztecs took into halftime.
The Aztecs helped themselves in the opening half by forcing 10 turnovers while committing just two. San Diego State also benefited by going 13-for-14 at the line in the half, compared to 3-for-3 for the Rams.
The Aztecs didn’t let up to start the second half.
Bradley scored nine points in the first four minutes as the lead extended to 52-32, and the Rams didn’t pull any closer until their final basket of the game.
–Field Level Media