Micah Parrish buried a corner 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to lead No. 24 San Diego State to a 72-69 victory over visiting UC Irvine in nonconference play on Tuesday night.
Nathan Mensah scored a season-high 18 points for the Aztecs (5-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Matt Bradley scored 14 points and Keshad Johnson had 10 for San Diego State, which registered its 33rd consecutive victory over a Big West program.
DJ Davis scored a career-best 28 points for the Anteaters (6-2), who had a three-game winning streak halted. Dawson Baker added 14 points.
Parrish’s trey gave the Aztecs a 71-69 lead. Adam Seiko intercepted a long UC Irvine pass and split two free throws with 0.8 seconds left.
Davis was unable to get a shot off before time expired.
The Aztecs shot 46.6 percent from the field, including 6 of 21 from behind the arc.
UC Irvine made 44.6 percent of its shots and was 7 of 17 from 3-point range.
San Diego State took a 63-62 lead on a basket by Darrion Trammell with 3:29 left. The Anteaters moved back ahead 16 seconds later on Davis’ driving hoop.
Baker drained a 3-pointer to put UC Irvine ahead by four with 2:38 left. But Trammell hit a jumper and Seiko swished a 3-pointer to give the Aztecs a 68-67 edge with 1:30 remaining.
Baker hit the short baseline jumper with 13.6 seconds to put UC Irvine in position to post the upset before San Diego State received the big shot from Parrish.
San Diego State led 42-34 after a three-point play by Mensah with 16:26 left.
The Anteaters countered with a 10-2 run. Justin Hohn was fouled while shooting a trey and made all 3-pointers to tie it at 44 with 13:20 left to play.
UC Irvine moved ahead at 49-47 on a three-point play by Davis with 10:09 remaining.
Davis made a long 3-pointer to give the Anteaters a 56-52 lead with 6:35 left.
Bradley scored 11 first-half points to help San Diego State hold a 32-30 lead. Davis had 15 in the half for the Anteaters.
–Field Level Media