Bill Poche
Contributing Writer
Friday night’s regular-season finale at Viejas Arena will be about more than just basketball.
For San Diego State senior guard Reese Dixon-Waters, the moment carries the weight of reflection, gratitude, and uncertainty about what comes next. After listening to the interviews with two SDSU basketball star players Dixon-Waters and Miles Byrd, you can feel and hear the urgency that both leaders wanted to divulge on the fate at hand.
As the Aztecs prepare for Senior Night against UNLV, Dixon-Waters finds himself thinking about the journey that brought him to this point. Along with Dixon-Waters participating in the senior night festivities will be Miles Byrd, Jermemiah Oden, Sean Newman Jr., and Cam Lawin.
“I’m just very thankful for the opportunity to still play after being injured,” Dixon-Waters said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself on and off the court, and I’ve had people around me to guide me in many different ways.”
The night will likely mark his final game at Viejas Arena, a place that has been central to his college basketball experience. But like many players in modern college basketball, the exact future for several members of the roster remains unknown.
Dixon-Waters isn’t dwelling on those possibilities just yet. Finishing strong with a win Friday night against UNLV and playing their best next week in the conference tournament is paramount on his mind.
“I don’t ask anything about what’s going to happen afterwards,” he said. “I just focus on right now.”
Still, the emotional stage of Senior Night is something he understands well. As a freshman, he watched one of his closest friends walk through the same moment.
Now it’s his turn.
“It’s definitely going to be a roller coaster going from being happy and everything to locking in,” Dixon-Waters said. “But I’m ready for it.”
For guard Miles Byrd, the night will carry personal meaning as well, even though his own future with the program remains uncertain.
“My grandparents, my dad’s parents, have never been to San Diego,” Byrd said. “So they’re coming down here for that game. It’s going to be fun to have them in what I would call home.”
Byrd said the opportunity to play in front of the Aztecs’ home crowd has been something he will always remember.
“Playing in Viejas is a blessing,” he said. “Being in front of the fans is something I’m going to forever cherish.”
The emotional atmosphere also comes during a time when San Diego State is fighting to regain momentum after a frustrating stretch late in the season. Despite the ups and downs, Byrd believes the group has maintained belief in itself.
“Dutch has been spamming the word belief to us,” Byrd said, referring to head coach Brian Dutcher. “If you don’t believe, there’s no point in coming out here and practicing.”
Byrd understands that externally, the team’s demeanor can sometimes be misinterpreted.
“With our personalities, it’s easy for people to watch us and say, ‘Oh, they don’t care,’” he said. “But we just have a lot of monotone guys who are even-keeled.”
Inside the locker room, the mindset hasn’t changed. The focus remains on finishing the season strong and giving the program everything they have left.
For Dixon-Waters, that includes leaving a lasting legacy before pursuing his ultimate goal.
“My goal is to play in the NBA,” he said. “I want to be remembered as one of the best players to play, especially in the NBA.”
But first comes one more night at Viejas Arena — a celebration of the past and a reminder of how quickly college careers can pass.
“It’s going to mean a lot,” Dixon-Waters said. “I think we are the best team in the Mountain West.” He added, “We have to go with that mindset next week to win a MW championship and win for the entire program.”
Playing lock-down defense against a surging UNLV team that has, most likely, the MW player of the year in Gibbs-Lawhorn will have to be the mindset. Then next week’s conference tournament.
SDSU hosts UNLV on senior night. Tip off is scheduled for 7pm PST at Viejas Arena.
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