The last time the SDSU men’s basketball team took the court for a competitive game, the outcome was not pretty. A thorough shellacking by a motivated North Carolina squad in the First Four spoiled any thoughts of a deep NCAA tournament run for the Red & Black.
But the start of the 2025-2026 season, which begins on Friday with a home scrimmage against UCLA, brings with it a reason for optimism for Aztecs fans.
San Diego State’s roster not only brims with talent, but perhaps even more importantly, it offers plenty of experienced college basketball veterans eager to erase the memory of recent disappointments. For tonight’s game against UCLA however, that roster will be without it’s two biggest stars, Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath.
Both will be taking the time precautionary for proper healing over injuries. Byrd much less severe than Gwath who is still not 100% back from his off season surgery rehab. Both are expected to be back for the regular season.
Historically, the Aztecs hoopsters make their most noise in March when they trot out teams loaded with experience and depth, when players coming off the bench rival, or even surpass, the skill levels of the starters.
This year, the team’s experience level stacks up there with any of the top teams in the country.
Take a look at the roster for this year. They’ve got a sixth-year senior transfer in Jeremiah Oden, a fifth-year senior transfer in Sean Newman Jr., a sixth-year senior who sat out last season recovering from a foot injury in Reese Dixon-Waters, a fourth-year junior NBA draft prospect in Miles Byrd, and three players entering their third year with the Aztecs in guard BJ Davis and front-court players Magoon Gwath, the returning MWC Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year, and Miles Heidi.
Throw in junior transfer Latrell Davis and now that is a stacked collection of college basketball upperclassmen!
But wait, there are plenty of talented youngsters eager to break into the lineup. You didn’t think we’d forget the dynamic duo of sophomores Taj DeGourville and Pharaoh Compton, who dominated the Swish summer league locally, did you?
Or, how about the team’s fresh faces in four-star prospects Elzie Harrington and Tae Simmons and redshirt freshman center Thokbor Majak?
This team is loaded with the talent, experience, and depth required to compete for the Mountain West Conference title and a lengthy stay in the NCAA tournament.
The challenge for the San Diego State coaching staff will be finding enough playing time to keep these players happy and engaged throughout the long season. It’s a problem Head Coach Brian Dutcher has previously shown he can handle with great finesse and skill.
In this week’s press gathering, Coach Dutcher was asked how this squad’s depth compares to the national runner-up team from 2023.
“Obviously, that team was special, but when you’re bringing Jaden LeDee off the bench, who a year later would be the Karl Malone winner, and you’re bringing a Aguek Arop off the bench who is a starter any other day of the week, Adam Seiko, a six-year senior, that depth was incredible,” he said. “And, actually, you could argue that the guys off the bench may have been better than the starters.”
Coach Dutcher has spent some of this preseason camp talking to his players about staying mentally and physically ready to perform well when their opportunity arises.
“(It’s) about putting a team together, chemistry and who can accept what role and embrace that role,” he continued. “So, sometimes I tell them if you get so frustrated with your role or how you’re playing that when your opportunity comes, you’re not ready to seize it, that’s on you.
So play through your frustration, play through not being a starter, play through not playing the minutes you think you deserve, through the points you want to score. You’ve got to play through all that so when your moment comes, you’re ready for your moment and then that can springboard you.”
In the end, this year’s SDSU men’s basketball team’s level of success may hinge on how well players are able to manage their personal ambitions with team expectations and goals. For Coach Dutcher, he has his sights set squarely on helping his players do just that.
“So, my biggest job this year is to keep the team focused mentally, to keep them out of feeling a sense of frustration when they’re not doing the things they know they’re capable of because they’re on a really good team,” he concluded.
Aztecs fans will get their first glimpse of the talent, experience, and depth of the 2025-2026 team when it meets UCLA at Viejas Arena on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. in a scrimmage open to the public. The Bruins come in ranked #12 in the preseason AP Poll and will be led at point guard by former New Mexico standout Donovan Dent. No TV or radio is planned for the contest, so buy your last minute tickets now to watch this memorable game for yourself and be a part of this unique NIL fundraiser.
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