LAS VEGAS — In a standout performance, BJ Davis scored a personal best of 18 points, leading San Diego State to a 71-53 victory over No. 21 Creighton on the inaugural day of the Players Era Festival held at the MGM Grand Garden.
The Blue Jays encountered difficulties in establishing their offensive game against a formidable San Diego State defense, which tallied eight steals and converted turnovers into 13 points scored.
Creighton struggled significantly with shooting, finishing with 21 successful shots out of 62 attempts (33.8%), while the Aztecs recorded a better shooting percentage of 30 out of 62 (48.3%). San Diego State also excelled from beyond the arc, making 8 out of 17 (47.0%) three-point attempts.
In addition to Davis’s performance, Miles Byrd contributed 16 points for the Aztecs, while Davis also collected nine rebounds.
Pop Isaacs was Creighton’s standout player, netting 18 points and providing five assists. Jackson McAndrew recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Ryan Kalkbrenner added 11 points to the score.
The Aztecs entered this matchup as 4.5-point underdogs according to BetMGM Sportsbook, but managed to end a brief two-game losing streak against ranked teams with this triumph.
**Takeaways**
For Creighton, local player Isaacs shone brightly in front of his hometown audience, contributing significantly to the score with his 18 points and bringing his season total to 895, just five points shy of the 900 mark. Since his transfer from Texas Tech, he has amassed 72 points for Creighton.
Davis, who had limited opportunities as a freshman due to a primarily guard-driven roster, has emerged as a leading figure for the Aztecs this season. He has set new personal records in terms of both career and single-game scoring in four different games this season, maintaining an average of 15.0 points per game.
**Key moment**
After an early deficit of 8-4, San Diego State launched a decisive 21-8 run, taking a 25-16 lead with contributions from seven different players to this strong offensive surge. The Aztecs maintained this lead throughout the remainder of the game.
**Key stat**
San Diego State’s bench played a crucial role, outscoring Creighton’s reserves 18-7, with Pharaoh Compton from Las Vegas contributing six points to the effort.
**Up next**
The Aztecs will continue their participation in the festival with a matchup against Oregon on Wednesday. Creighton will take on No. 23 Texas A&M also on Wednesday as part of the tournament schedule.