Plenty to Like, Plenty to Fix: Aztecs Fall to Arizona in Exhibition Opener

San Diego State gave us reasons to be excited Friday night. It also gave Brian Dutcher plenty to put on the practice agenda. In an 82–67 exhibition loss at Arizona, the Aztecs got an encouraging introduction from Isaiah Sy, productive nights from Chance Gladden and Bear Cherry, and an efficient scoring performance from Tae Simmons. The pieces were there. Putting them together consistently—and finishing defensive possessions—remains the assignment.

Sy led SDSU with 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Gladden added 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists, making both of his three-point attempts and all five free throws. Simmons contributed 15 points and eight rebounds while going 5-for-8 from the floor. Cherry finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. Those four accounted for 59 of San Diego State’s 67 points, providing most of the night’s offense and plenty of its encouraging moments.

Sy was the first-half standout who most clearly backed up the excitement with his final numbers. His willingness to pull up with a defender in his face caught my attention early, and his efficiency made a strong opening statement. But his night also highlighted a question for the offense. Sy and Gladden combined to shoot 5-for-8 from three. The rest of the team went 0-for-8. SDSU has to develop enough threats that opponents cannot concentrate their attention on taking away a couple of players.

That became especially relevant as the offense struggled after halftime. My impression was that Arizona was disrupting the actions intended to free Sy, leaving the Aztecs searching for another answer. SDSU went 10-for-26 from the floor and 2-for-9 from three in the second half. The most telling number was the time of its final field goal: 5:57 remaining. The Aztecs stayed productive enough at the foul line to finish with 35 second-half points, but nearly six minutes without a made basket makes a comeback awfully difficult.

The bench offered little scoring relief. Arizona’s reserves outscored SDSU’s 25–4, with Vincini providing all four Aztec bench points in 11 minutes. Latrell Davis finished scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting, including 0-for-4 from three, although he contributed three assists. David Torresani went 0-for-4, and Zach White went 0-for-2. It is one exhibition, and those lines do not define anyone’s season. They do explain why the offense leaned so heavily on four starters and why more balanced production needs to follow.

Elzie Harrington also had a difficult scoring night, finishing with four points on 1-for-4 shooting before fouling out. He led SDSU with four assists, a contribution worth recognizing even as the Aztecs needed more offense. Overall, San Diego State recorded 12 assists against 16 turnovers. Arizona committed only seven turnovers and collected 13 steals. That imbalance put additional pressure on an offense already struggling to find consistent answers.

The glass was just as costly. Arizona finished with a 49–38 rebounding advantage and 20 offensive boards. The Wildcats turned their second chances into 19 points, compared with eight for SDSU. Holding Arizona to 34.7% shooting should have been a major advantage. Giving the Wildcats repeated opportunities prevented the Aztecs from fully benefiting from that defensive work.

Mo Krivas made that lesson particularly clear. The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year shot just 3-for-10, yet finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks. He made 11 of 14 free throws and grabbed six offensive rebounds. That is a demanding introduction for Cherry and Vincini. Cherry still came within one rebound of a double-double and blocked three shots, giving fans something to build on. I would like to see him stay patient when he gets a one-on-one opportunity inside, using his position before committing to the finish.

There is no reason to panic AT ALL after this one. There is reason to expect improvement. Sy’s shooting, Gladden’s production, Simmons’ efficiency, and Cherry’s interior contributions give this team a foundation. Now comes the response from Dutch and the staff: cleaner possessions, more scoring support, and rebounds that turn difficult defensive work into completed stops. Arizona exposed the work ahead. It also gave us several reasons to want to see what this group looks like next.