San Jose State at Aztecs

Records:

Series history: SDSU leads 42-35 and has won nine straight in San Diego. The last Spartans win here came in 1997 at the Sports Arena.

Spartans update: They hung with the Aztecs through for 13-plus minutes, then had only one basket in the remainder of the half and were outscored 20-5 (and 8-0 to start the second half). The big problems were on the glass and at the line. SDSU had a 54-30 rebounding edge after collecting a season-high 26 offensive boards, and made nine more free throws (27) than San Jose State attempted (18). The Spartans were missing Seneca Knight, who opted out of the season in late December and transferred to LSU; and Richard Washington, the Mountain West’s leading scorer (20.7) who has been sidelined for two-plus weeks with a head injury. Washington made the trip but didn’t suit up.

Aztecs update: Matt Mitchell remains questionable with an ankle sprain that kept him out of the Monday’s game. He wasn’t in a protective boot and seemed to be moving well. The counterargument: Why rush him back against a team you just beat by 31 without him? The Aztecs have now won 12 straight against teams from the state of California and could extend it to 15 with two next week at Fresno State. Over the last five games, they have outscored their opponents by 157 points (31.4 per game). Monday’s margin likely would have been larger had the Aztecs shot well. They finished at 36.6 percent, second lowest this season (behind the 31.5 percent in the 57-45 loss at Utah State), after shooting just 12 of 40 in the second half. They were 6 of 27 behind the arc after making 49.5 percent in the four previous games. CBS Sports Network announced a 6 p.m. tip for the Feb. 25 game against Boise State, but still no times for either Fresno State game next week.

Next up:

SJSU 5-12, 3-10; SDSU 14-4, 8-3

at Fresno State on Feb. 18 (CBSSN)

Kyle Busch snagged the first win of the new season, streaking past NASCAR champion Chase Elliott after Elliott spun leader Ryan Blaney in the final stretch of the exhibition Busch Clash.

Blaney had chased down Elliott on the road course at Daytona International Speedway to take the lead with two laps remaining in Tuesday night’s 35-lap Speedweeks opener. Elliott, winner of NASCAR’s last four road course races dating to 2019, didn’t let Blaney pull away and set himself up for one final chance at the win.

He stalked Blaney into the chicane headed into the turn four final push and as Elliott closed in on his bumper, the two made contact and Blaney spun into the wall. It cost Elliott his momentum and Busch sailed by for the surprise victory.

“I just knew to keep my head down and keep focus ahead and just seeing if I could hit my marks to have a shot like that if something like that were to materialize,” Busch said.

Busch led only the final 300 or so feet of the race for the victory for Joe Gibbs Racing. It comes after a disappointing one-win season for the 2019 NASCAR champion. The lack of success led to an offseason shake-up with his No. 18 Toyota team.

Elliott finished second and Blaney was third. The two are close friends off the track and chatted at Blaney’s damaged race car after the finish.