San Diego, CA — In an exciting matchup on Wednesday night, No. 23 San Diego State triumphed over California Baptist with a final score of 81-75, managing to secure their fourth consecutive victory despite nearly relinquishing a significant lead. Miles Byrd stood out for the Aztecs, contributing 19 points while also showcasing his skills with a remarkable no-look bounce pass to Magoon Gwath, leading to a powerful slam dunk that extended the Aztecs’ lead to 54-45 just over halfway through the second period. Minutes later, Byrd intercepted a pass and drove in for a dunk, increasing the gap to 66-49.
The Lancers made a late-game push, narrowing the margin to just four points with Javonte Johnson hitting a critical 3-pointer to bring the score to 77-73 with two minutes remaining. However, Nick Boyd responded with a bank shot, and Byrd secured the win by sinking two free throws in the final moments of play. Boyd, who played with a protective bandage over his left eye after receiving an elbow from AJ Braun during the first half, scored a total of 16 points. Both Gwath and Miles Heide contributed ten points each, helping the Aztecs to improve their season record to 7-2.
Dominique Daniels Jr. led the way for the Lancers with a notable performance of 22 points, while Kendal Coleman added 13 points and Adam Moussa chipped in with 10. The Lancers had recently achieved a dramatic double-overtime victory against Fresno State, but they couldn’t keep pace with another Mountain West opponent this time.
One pivotal moment in the game occurred when Boyd was fouled by Braun, who was penalized with a flagrant foul. After Boyd made one of his two free throws, the Aztecs took a narrow lead of 22-21 and maintained control for the remainder of the game. In terms of shooting accuracy, San Diego State excelled by hitting 52.9% of their three-point attempts, while California Baptist managed to convert 36.4% from long range.
Looking forward, California Baptist will next face Middle Tennessee on Monday, while San Diego State is set to take on California in San Jose on December 23.
