TAKE MINUTE TO REMEMBER
So many things went wrong for Aztecs in Rams’ 11-0 run at end
Three thoughts on San Diego State’s 70-67 loss against Colorado State on Saturday afternoon at Viejas Arena, with a rematch coming tonight:
1. Autopsy of a collapse
You can blame it on the 19-0 Rams run in the first half (with no called timeouts), or the 14-0 run in the second half. But as Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher pointed out, “We had a seven-point lead with a minute to go. That should be enough to win the game.”
So we’ll focus on the closing minute with the Aztecs up 67-60, the second such meltdown of the season. In the loss against BYU, they were outscored 9-0 to end the game. Saturday, it was 11-0.
59 seconds: Colorado State’s Kendle Moore misses a 3, but John Tonje wedges Trey Pulliam under the basket to wrestle away the weakside offensive rebound. It’s the second time in less than a minute that’s happened to Pulliam, and both times it results in points. This time, Isaiah Stevens slices through the Aztecs defense for a layup — 67-62, Aztecs.
55.5 seconds: After the Rams use their final time
out, Matt Mitchell inbounds to Pulliam, who is fouled immediately. Pulliam entered the game as a career 59.4 percent shooter from the line and 5 of 10 this season. Terrell Gomez, who led Division I last season at 94.8 percent, clears out toward midcourt. And Jordan Schakel, who is 21 of 22 this season, is 40 feet away.
54.2 seconds: Pulliam misses the front end of the one-and-one, starting a Rams fast break that ends in a Tonje layup when Schakel takes a bad angle on his baseline drive — 67-64, Aztecs.
46.5 seconds: Schakel doesn’t run the baseline, permissible after a made basket, to create a better angle on the inbounds pass and calls timeout. That allows the Rams, who are out of them, to organize and set up a play for a tying 3.
21 seconds: Gomez misses a driving bank shot and falls down trying to draw a foul, leaving the Aztecs to defend four-on-five as the Rams race to the other end.
12.3 seconds: In the defensive scramble, Schakel is late closing out Tonje for a 3