CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein announced via social media that San Diego State and BYU men’s basketball will face off in Palm Springs, CA on Saturday, December 19, later this year. The game will take place at the newly built Acrisure Arena. The Aztecs vs Cougars match will also be part of a two game set for that same day. The other match will feature Pac-12 conference mate Gonzaga vs Michigan State of the Big Ten.
Last year the Coachella Valley region’s arena hosted 20 college basketball teams during feast week in mid November, for an 18 games in 4 days festival named the Acrishare Series. Though SDSU is currently a founding member of the PlayersEra festival for the next few seasons, this created lineup creates a chance for them to be a part of the new arena’s offerings to sports fans.
Take a look at the last second shot that won the series invitational in 2025 at the new arena
This matchup is huge news for Aztec Nation as the first out of conference games begin to be announced for next year’s schedule. This is the first time that these two former rivals are playing each other since 2023 and this should be a very highly anticipated game for both fan bases.
San Diego State has had many rivals over the years. Recently, conference opponents like Utah State, UNLV, and New Mexico have been looked at as conference foes for the Aztecs. But up until 2011, it was BYU vs SDSU that was the #1 conference rivalry.
BYU dominated the overall matchup as conference mates (WAC then Mountain West), with a substantial lead (51-26) over 77 games since 1940. The rivalry became more balanced in the 2000s and 2010s, with SDSU winning five of eight meetings during one stretch. In more recent non-conference matchups, the two teams have split the six matchups at 3 each.
The last time they faced each other in the same conference however was February 26, 2011, when Jimmer Fredette and Kawhi Leonard played their final years of college basketball. After that, the two teams went seven years without playing each other until 2018. From 2018 to 2023, the Aztecs and Cougars faced off in some close and exciting matchups.
Ever since Brigham Young left the West Coast Conference to join to the Big 12 with opponents like Kansas, Arizona, Baylor, Houston, and Iowa State, the Cougars didn’t have a realistic point in playing San Diego State anymore.
Then the 2023 season for San Diego State happened with a National Championship appearance, followed by a Sweet-16. Though SDSU hasn’t ascended to those heights the last two seasons, it’s clear to see how those landmark achievements have continued to elevate SDSU in the world of college basketball.
This season will look plenty different for San Diego State as the Aztecs, like many teams across the nation, will have a shaken-up roster when the transfer portal has finished spinning. In spite of all that, SDSU as well as BYU are in the Rothstein 45 best teams in the country.
Special one off games between two teams with very passionate and regionally connected fan bases are best at home arenas, but it is safe to say that Acrisure Arena will be rocking as both fan bases travel real well. This game is needed for college basketball and will definitely be on the must watch list for hoops fans.
This scheduled match however brings up the question on whether SDSU will be making similar out of conference games with other former conference mates, namely New Mexico. SDUT Aztecs’ beat-writer Mark Zeigler’s latest article received tons of Lobos in the comments pointing out the lack of New Mexico on the schedule so far.
The Aztecs have already made agreements in place for a home and home matchup vs UNLV on December 5th. Relying on Coach Dutcher’s statements of not playing at elevation anymore, the Lobos may have to get creative if they hope to keep their rivalry alive with the Aztecs.
Perhaps in the future a deal can be made for a neutral-court game between the two, but don’t bet on it. Until New Mexico can offer real quality stakes in playing them, the risk may be all on the Aztecs shoulders to assume for this rivalry to continue.
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