SAN DIEGO — In an exciting crosstown showdown, Nick Boyd delivered an impressive performance, scoring 17 points that included a quick five points in just four seconds early in the second half. The No. 24 San Diego State Aztecs secured a 74-57 victory over the University of San Diego on Saturday night, marking the first encounter between these local rivals in five years.
Alongside Boyd, teammates Miles Byrd and Jared Coleman-Jones contributed 13 points each, while Pharaoh Compton added 12 points to the Aztecs’ tally. This victory marked the third consecutive win for San Diego State, now boasting a record of 6-2. On the other side, Bendji Pierre led USD with 17 points, including five successful 3-pointers.
Boyd showcased his skill early in the second half, making a layup for a 41-37 lead just over four minutes in. Though he missed the ensuing free throw after being fouled, Wayne McKinney III grabbed the rebound and set up Taj DeGourville, who assisted Boyd for a pivotal 3-pointer.
Takeaways from the game highlighted USD’s fighting spirit, as they remained competitive into the second half. After trailing by double digits late in the first half, the Toreros rallied and took a brief 35-33 lead with free throws from Deven Dahlke just 1:20 into the second half. However, the Aztecs quickly regained control with the help of Boyd and Byrd.
From San Diego State’s perspective, this game marked their first home appearance in nearly three weeks. They improved their all-time series record against USD to 33-19 and solidified a home record of 22-9 in matches played on Montezuma Mesa.
A key moment in the game came with around 13.5 minutes remaining. Compton executed a steal before passing to DeGourville, who delivered an alley-oop pass back to Compton for a spectacular slam dunk. This play energized the crowd and put SDSU up 48-42.
A noteworthy statistic from the game was the shooting performance from beyond the arc by the Toreros. Although Pierre managed to convert five of his eleven 3-point attempts, the rest of the team struggled significantly, making only one out of twenty-one attempts from long range.
Looking ahead, the University of San Diego will host Long Beach State on Tuesday night, while San Diego State faces Cal Baptist in their next matchup on Wednesday night.
