SAN DIEGO — The 2024 Aztecs had been looking a lot like the 2023 Aztecs as the team made its way through the NCAA Tournament. In both years, San Diego State beat a #12 seed in the first round, a #13 seed in the second round, and met up with a #1 seed in the third round. The difference was that the third round ended with a win in 2023 against Alabama, the 2024 round ended with a loss to Connecticut.
San Diego State’s 2024 run in March Madness ended Thursday with a loss to UConn 82-52 in their East Region game on Thursday in Boston. The loss ends their season and any hopes of a repeat of their amazing run to the Final Four in 2023.
Thursday started out positive for San Diego sports fans with the San Diego Padres beating division rivals San Francisco Giants 6-4 in their first game at Petco Park this season. But a happy ending to the day was not in the card.
The Aztecs found themselves down 40-31 at halftime to the Huskies. Aztecs Jaedon LeDee led the team at the half with 15 points and 3 rebounds. Cam Spencer led UConn with 16 points at the half.
Senior Jaedon LeDee finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds for the game, leading the Aztecs in both categories.
The location and time change didn’t seem to affect the team as they were playing nearly 3,000 miles away from their home court in San Diego. UConn fans had less than a 100-mile drive to get to the game.
This is the second year in a row that San Diego State made it to the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
With the win, UConn will now face off in the Elite 8 against either three-seed Illinois or two-seed Iowa State, depending on who wins in the Thursday evening game.
Aztecs prepare for UConn in Sweet 16
The Aztecs (26-10) think this year's outcome can be different, but know how tough that will be, especially with Thursday night's East Region semifinal game being played in Boston, about an 85-mile drive for fans of the No. 1-seeded Huskies (34-3).
“We're excited to get off to Boston,” coach Brian Dutcher said Tuesday morning before the Aztecs headed to the airport for their cross-country flight. “The good news is, we're not playing the Celtics. The bad news is, we're playing UConn.
“We're up for the challenge. It's like playing a road game. I'm sure it's going to be packed with UConn fans. Our Aztec faithful will travel as best they can. But we're ready for the challenge and we're looking forward to it, and try to come out of there with a couple of victories,” Dutcher said.
A year ago, the Aztecs went from the ecstasy of Lamont Butler's buzzer-beating jumper against FAU in a national semifinal game — one of the most thrilling moments in San Diego sports history — to the pain of a 76-59 loss to UConn in the national championship game.
How to watch: Aztecs game time, channel vs. UConn
The San Diego State vs. UConn game is scheduled for 4:39 p.m. PST on Thursday, March 28 in Boston, MA. The game will air on TBS/truTV.
Every game of the NCAA men’s tournament is aired on either CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV and their digital platforms, including Paramount+.
You can see the full broadcast schedule and all game times for March Madness on the NCAA's website.
What happens next?
The winner of the SDSU-UConn game Thursday will advance to the Elite 8 this weekend to face off against three seed Illinois or two seed Iowa State.
Illinois and Iowa State will play at 7:09 p.m. PST on Thursday, March 28 in Boston. You can watch that game on TBS/truTV.
San Diego State Aztecs prepare for rematch against UConn in the Sweet 16
CBS 8's John Howard in Boston
San Diego State Aztecs cruise to victory
Sweet 16: March Madness merch sells out at SDSU
Aztecs talk win over Yale, upcoming rematch
Aztecs beat Yale Bulldogs
The Aztecs took care of business in the second round of March Madness on Sunday evening beating Yale 85-57. They now move on to the Sweet 16 and continue their opportunity to repeat the team’s magical Final Four run in 2023.
San Diego State started strong and took a commanding 45-21 lead at the half. Jaedon LeDee led all scorers with 17 at the break. The team shot 51.7% from the field in the first half, including 7 out of 15 from the three-point line.
They were able to keep that lead going in the second half, cruising to victory and into the Sweet 16 round for the second year in a row.
The team finished the game shooting 52.7% overall and making 13 three-pointers.
LeDee finished with 26 points and 9 rebounds for the game, leading the Aztecs in both categories. Darrion Trammell had 18 points including 4 from behind the three-point line.
The fifth-seeded Aztecs' hopes of advancing beyond the Sweet 16 look to get a little more difficult with their next opponent, top-seeded Connecticut who beat ninth-seeded Northwestern 75-58 earlier on Sunday.
The Aztecs will play UConn on Thursday, March 28 with a planned 4:39 p.m. tip-off in Boston, MA.
The game will be a rematch of last season's NCAA championship game, which the Huskies beat the Aztecs, 76-59.
Aztecs prepare for Yale Bulldogs
San Diego State will try to reach the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the last 13 NCAA men's basketball tournaments when it faces Yale in a second-round East Region game Sunday at 6:40 p.m. (PT) in Spokane, Washington.
The fifth-seeded Aztecs' hopes of advancing to the Sweet 16 and beyond appeared to become much easier Friday when the 13th-seeded Bulldogs upset fourth-seeded Auburn, becoming the second-lowest seed to win in the 2024 tournament. Oakland, the 14th seed in the South Region, defeated third-seeded Kentucky, 80-76, Thursday.
The San Diego State-Yale winner will face top-seeded Connecticut who beat ninth-seeded Northwestern 75-58 earlier on Sunday.
A Connecticut-San Diego State game would be a rematch of last season's NCAA championship game, which the Huskies won, 76-59.
Aztecs defeat UAB in first round
The Aztecs took care of business in the first round of March Madness on Friday morning, beating UAB, 69-65. San Diego State's top scorer all year came through again as Jaedon LeDee scored a game-high 32 points including some clutch free throws and rebounds down the stretch. Lamont Butler added 15 points as the only other Aztec in double-digit scoring. UAB was led with 19 points by Efrem Johnso in the loss.
The Aztecs edged out the Blazers in almost all statistical categories including field goal percentage (43.6% to 37.7%), rebounds (31-22) and steals (11-7) yet the game remained close for the final 5 minutes until LeDee and Butler hit clutch shots and free throws.
They now move onto the second round on Sunday and continue their opportunity to repeat the team’s magical Final Four run in 2023.
The San Diego State Aztecs faced the UAB Blazers in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as the #5 seed in the East region. The Aztecs led at halftime 35-29 after a strong performance by the team’s top scorer, Jaedon LeDee who led all scorers with 18 points at the break.
CBS 8 travels to Spokane for NCAA Tournament
CBS 8's Jake Garegnani traveled to Spokane, WA to cover the team and the fans as the Aztecs look to recreate their magical 2023 Final Four run.
The Aztecs finished the regular season with a loss in the Mountain West Conference Tournament to New Mexico, 68-61. The San Diego State Aztecs knew they had played well enough to make the tournament even without the automatic bid that New Mexico received with their conference tournament win over the Aztecs. The Aztecs received a #5 seed in the NCAA Tournament East Region as an at-large bid.
The tournament began Tuesday with two First Four games, followed by 32 first-round games on Thursday and Friday. The Final Four is set for Glendale, Arizona on April 6-8.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego State looks to recreate March Madness magic in 2024 NCAA Tournament
Preview of Aztecs vs Blazers in Round 1:
The Aztecs have gone 13-8 against MWC teams, with an 11-2 record in non-conference play. San Diego State ranks eighth in the MWC with 29.9 points per game in the paint led by Jaedon LeDee averaging 10.1.
The Blazers are 15-6 against AAC teams. UAB has an 8-5 record in games decided by 10 points or more.
San Diego State's average of 6.9 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.8 fewer made shots on average than the 7.7 per game UAB allows. UAB has shot at a 45.1% clip from the field this season, 4.6 percentage points above the 40.5% shooting opponents of San Diego State have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Micah Parrish averages 1.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Aztecs, scoring 9.6 points while shooting 29.8% from beyond the arc. LeDee is shooting 57.2% and averaging 23.6 points over the last 10 games.
Efrem Johnson is shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc with 1.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Blazers, while averaging 10.9 points. Yaxel Lendeborg is averaging 17 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES:
Aztecs: 6-4, averaging 71.6 points, 41.1 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.7 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 41.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.8 points per game.
Blazers: 7-3, averaging 79.7 points, 37.0 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.7 points.
The San Diego State vs UAB game is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. (PT) Friday, March 22, and will air on TNT.
Who will Aztecs play if they win in Round 1?
The NCAA also offers a live streaming option for the San Diego State vs UAB game based on your existing tv subscriber or subscriptions.
If San Diego State wins their game on Friday, they will get the chance to play either #4 Auburn or #13 Yale in Spokane on Sunday, March 24. You can watch the Auburn vs Yale game also on TNT, schedule for 1:15 p.m. (PT).
See the full broadcast schedule for every 2024 NCAA game across CBS, TBS, TNT or TruTV.
WATCH RELATED: San Diego State Aztecs celebrate earning #5 seed, will play Friday in NCAA Tournament Bracket