Who’s the top dog in town? SDSU would like to think the Aztecs are the better men’s basketball program, but Bill Grier’s USD Toreros have the more recent NCAA tournament appearance. This year, both teams are 4-2, but as they prepare to square off in this evening’s city championship, Aztecs head coach Steve Fisher had to admit that USD’s record has a little more shine:
Last year, both teams appeared to be on the rise, much as they do this season, but a lot changed on the night of their 2008 meeting. The sad sight of Brandon Johnson being helped off the Cox Arena floor with a ruptured Achilles tendon all but ended USD’s dreams of a repeat NCAA appearance. This year, with the game back at Jenny Craig Pavilion, the Toreros are hoping to reverse a skid that has seen them drop three straight (two under Grier) and six of seven overall against the Aztecs.
SDSU, meanwhile, is in the predictably bumpy process of integrating their transfers and freshmen while trying to find something they can hang their hat on as a team. So far, the Aztecs have been dominant at home, but on the road they have lost embarrassingly to St. Mary’s and in disappointing fashion at Pacific.
Fisher feels the Aztecs benefited from their recent 1-1 road swing through Fresno and Stockton:
The Toreros, meanwhile, have already beaten Stanford and Oklahoma this season, and while they were wiped out of the Great Alaska Shootout championship game by Washington State, there’s still a lot to like about this USD team. Brandon Johnson, De’Jon Jackson, Chris Lewis and Roberto Mafra are four seniors who combine to score 62% of the Toreros’ points. Unquestionably USD will have the edge in experience, ball-handlers, and free throw shooting tonight.
But can USD possibly handle SDSU’s size and length? When you see the two teams warming up on the same court it’s almost comical how much bigger the Aztecs are than their counterparts. Billy White, Brian Carlwell and Malcolm Thomas all could demand double teams from the Toreros defense if they get the ball down low.
Or, USD could just zone the Aztecs to death. SDSU is shooting only 39% as a team on the road and their three-point shooting has been a woeful 30.8% overall. Fisher’s not giving up the farm when he admits it’s an issue:
It’s a hard game to handicap or predict. You would think the Aztecs’ overall skill level would prevail, but that’s what OU and Stanford thought when they played USD as well. I believe the team that turns over the ball 15+ times will be the one to fall tonight.
One thing is for certain: this is a cross-town rivalry built on mutual respect. Both coaches are cordial to one another and helpful when possible. Fisher made a point at his Tuesday press conference of thanking USD once again for allowing SDSU to stage one of their NIT games at Jenny Craig Pavilion when Cox Arena was booked. And he says when the game is over, both teams will be pulling for the other the rest of the way:
Note: 619 Sports will be at tonight’s city championship with live updates on Twitter and complete postgame coverage!
Craig Elsten -
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Chainsaw -
