SDSU Overpowers Lamar’s Hot Start by Dominating Paint and Nation Leading Bench 

Zalia Haskins
Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO – With bench play and inside dominance, San Diego State overcame Lamar to win 89–71 after a rocky start. With a 5-3 record, the Aztecs did their part in maintaining their reputation as a deep team and a tough opponent inside Viejas Arena. 

The opening stretch was anything but clean for SDSU however. Early turnovers and fouls kept Lamar in the game and gave them early confidence. The first quarter quickly turned into a shootout. Both teams were hot from beyond the arc, shooting roughly 45 and 43 percent from three, and the game stayed neck and neck.

Aztecs guard BJ Davis once again provided an early spark off the bench, reaching double figures in the first quarter alone. At that point, Davis had 14 points while Lamar guard Rob Lee Jr. had 13, matching each other bucket for bucket. 

As the half wore on, San Diego State began to separate. In his 75th game, Myles Byrd made a variety of contributions and controlled the offense.

Thanks in large part to its control of the paint, SDSU had a 51–41 lead by the half. By halftime, the Aztecs had outscored Lamar 24–6 inside, with Lamar settling for outside shots while the Aztecs regularly attacked the rim. 

San Diego State kept their foot on the gas as they came from the locker room. The Aztecs expanded the lead and took control of the game by going on a 10-0 run to start the second half. Transfer forward Jeremiah Oden’s and-one finish, which increased the lead to 20, strengthened the lead, which in the second half saw SDSU push it as high as 22 points. 

Lamar found it difficult to stay up, as seen by the 18 turnovers, which often gave the Aztecs a chance to fast break. Lee finished with a high of 21 points and was the Cardinals’ primary scoring option for the majority of the game, doing his best to keep the team competitive. 

Byrd and Davis took the reigns for San Diego State. Byrd ended with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in an outstanding general performance. He closed the victory with a powerful dunk, hanging on the rim for extra emphasis to reward the remaining fans in the arena.

The impact of SDSU’s second unit however was the story of the night—highlighted by Davis, who came off the bench and added 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. BJ has been the “spark plug” for this offense and is now statistically the highest scorer in the nation coming off the bench.

The Aztecs dominated the second half and never let Lamar present a real threat to the lead due to effective three-point shooting, domination in the paint, and a strong bench. SDSU’s next challenge is a home game against Air Force that opens up the Mountain West Conference season next Wednesday night at Viejas Arena.