No. 20 San Diego State beats San Jose State in MW semis
AP
Mar 11, 2023
LAS VEGAS (AP) Keshad Johnson and Darrion Trammell each scored 15 points and No. 20 San Diego State Aztecs beat San Jose State Spartans 64-49 in the Mountain West Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday night.
The top-seeded Aztecs (26-6) advanced to the championship game for the sixth consecutive year. They will face the winner of the late semifinal between Utah State and Boise State.
The Aztecs shot 40.7% from the floor, hitting 22 of 54, including 6 of 16 from 3-point range.
“We’re just a team that got a great chemistry,” said Johnson, who made 6 of 7 shots. “And it’s March so we all know where each other going to be at, and that’s just shown on the court.”
Trammell bounced back after missing all five of his shots in Thursday’s quarterfinal win over Colorado State.
“My teammates and my coaches, they’ve been telling me just keep shooting, just keep going, keep going,” Trammell said. “They put the ultimate trust in me, so I appreciate that from them.”
Tibet Gorener scored 15 points for San Jose State (20-13).
The Aztecs held the Spartans to 19 of 55 shooting (34.5%), including 5 of 19 from 3-point range (26.3%). It was San Jose State’s fourth-worst shooting performance of the season.
“All these guys will tell you when they come to San Diego State they’re told, ‘You defend at a high level. If you don’t like playing defense, don’t come to this program, and then we’ll let you play with great freedom offensively,’” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said. “So we play hard on defense, and that’s why we’ve always had the success we’ve had. We defend and we rebound. Then we play with great freedom on offense, and we make enough shots to win games.”
In two meetings this season, San Diego State held the Spartans to an average of 50 points on 34.6% shooting.
“San Diego State is elite defensively,” San Jose State coach Tim Miles said. “We just weren’t at our best but they’re a big reason for that. They’re strong all across the board. Then they’re together. They really work hard together. They’re connected defensively especially.”
After briefly falling behind by one early in the game, the Aztecs erupted for an 18-4 run to take a 25-12 lead with 2:59 left in the first half and weren’t threatened from there.
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS
San Diego State won its 44th game at the Thomas & Mack Center since the start of the 2008-09 season, the most victories by any team in the country in any venue in which it has not played a home game.
SPARTAN SUCCESS
The Spartans enjoyed their first 20-win season since the 1980-81 campaign, including the program’s first-ever tournament victory in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
“We’re not done yet, we’re going to be in a postseason tournament,” Miles said.
BIG PICTURE
San Jose State: Leading scorer Omari Moore, who came in averaging 17.8 points per game on 43.2% shooting, finished with seven points on 3-of-13 shooting.
San Diego State: The Aztecs are 41-17 all-time in the Mountain West tournament, with the most tournament wins by any team in league history.
---
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
1st Half
SJSU
Spartans
20
SDSU
Aztecs
33
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Ibrahima Diallo vs. Nathan Mensah (Aztecs gains possession)
19:43
+2
Darrion Trammell makes two point jump shot
0-2
19:16
Jump ball. Alvaro Cardenas vs. Darrion Trammell (Spartans gains possession)
19:09
Sage Tolbert III misses two point layup
19:09
Spartans turnover (shot clock violation)
18:51
Keshad Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Sage Tolbert III steals)
18:42
Sage Tolbert III misses three point jump shot
18:40
Nathan Mensah defensive rebound
18:17
Nathan Mensah misses two point jump shot
18:15
Omari Moore defensive rebound
17:53
+3
Omari Moore makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)
3-2
17:45
Alvaro Cardenas shooting foul (Darrion Trammell draws the foul)
17:45
+1
Darrion Trammell makes regular free throw 1 of 3
3-3
17:45
+1
Darrion Trammell makes regular free throw 2 of 3
3-4
17:45
+1
Darrion Trammell makes regular free throw 3 of 3
3-5
17:21
Trey Anderson misses two point jump shot
17:19
Darrion Trammell defensive rebound
17:14
+2
Keshad Johnson makes two point layup (Lamont Butler assists)
3-7
16:55
+3
Trey Anderson makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)
6-7
16:38
Sage Tolbert III personal foul
16:34
Darrion Trammell misses three point jump shot
16:32
Trey Anderson defensive rebound
16:25
Lamont Butler personal foul
16:16
+2
Omari Moore makes two point driving layup
8-7
15:56
Matt Bradley misses two point jump shot
15:54
Omari Moore defensive rebound
15:36
Alvaro Cardenas misses three point jump shot
15:34
Matt Bradley defensive rebound
15:21
Trey Anderson blocks Lamont Butler's two point layup
15:19
Trey Anderson defensive rebound
15:02
Alvaro Cardenas turnover (traveling)
15:02
TV timeout
14:41
Jaedon LeDee misses two point jump shot
14:39
Tibet Gorener defensive rebound
14:15
Omari Moore misses three point jump shot
14:13
Matt Bradley defensive rebound
14:08
Tibet Gorener personal foul
14:04
+3
Matt Bradley makes three point jump shot (Adam Seiko assists)
8-10
13:32
Matt Bradley personal foul
13:21
Omari Moore misses two point jump shot
13:19
Robert Vaihola offensive rebound
13:17
Robert Vaihola turnover (Jaedon LeDee steals)
13:07
Micah Parrish misses two point turnaround jump shot
13:05
Aguek Arop offensive rebound
13:04
+2
Aguek Arop makes two point layup
8-12
12:36
Alvaro Cardenas misses three point jump shot
12:34
Micah Parrish defensive rebound
12:15
+2
Micah Parrish makes two point jump shot
8-14
11:46
Tibet Gorener misses three point jump shot
11:44
Sage Tolbert III offensive rebound
11:32
Omari Moore turnover (traveling)
11:32
TV timeout
11:19
Jaedon LeDee misses two point jump shot
11:17
Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound
11:15
Jaedon LeDee personal foul
10:59
Trey Anderson misses three point jump shot
10:57
Ibrahima Diallo offensive rebound
10:55
+2
Ibrahima Diallo makes two point layup
10-14
10:41
Adam Seiko misses three point jump shot
10:39
Aguek Arop offensive rebound
10:25
Lamont Butler misses two point driving floating jump shot
10:23
Sage Tolbert III defensive rebound
10:15
Ibrahima Diallo offensive foul
10:15
Ibrahima Diallo turnover (offensive foul)
9:59
+2
Keshad Johnson makes two point layup (Matt Bradley assists)
10-16
9:31
Omari Moore misses three point jump shot
9:29
Lamont Butler defensive rebound
9:11
Lamont Butler turnover (lost ball)
8:43
Keshad Johnson blocks Tibet Gorener's three point jump shot
8:41
Nathan Mensah defensive rebound
8:30
Trey Anderson blocks Matt Bradley's two point driving layup
8:28
Trey Anderson defensive rebound
8:08
+2
Tibet Gorener makes two point dunk (Omari Moore assists)
12-16
7:44
Micah Parrish misses two point driving layup
7:42
Robert Vaihola defensive rebound
7:19
Alvaro Cardenas misses three point jump shot
7:17
Lamont Butler defensive rebound
7:16
Trey Anderson personal foul
7:16
TV timeout
7:00
Matt Bradley misses two point stepback jump shot
6:58
Nathan Mensah offensive rebound
6:58
Robert Vaihola personal foul (Nathan Mensah draws the foul)
6:57
Matt Bradley misses two point layup
6:56
Nathan Mensah offensive rebound
6:56
+2
Nathan Mensah makes two point layup
12-18
6:30
Omari Moore misses two point reverse layup
6:28
Lamont Butler defensive rebound
6:08
Keshad Johnson misses two point driving hook shot
6:06
Nathan Mensah offensive rebound
6:06
Robert Vaihola personal foul (Nathan Mensah draws the foul)
6:06
+1
Nathan Mensah makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-19
6:06
Nathan Mensah misses regular free throw 2 of 2
6:06
Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound
5:54
Alvaro Cardenas misses two point jump shot
5:52
Keshad Johnson defensive rebound
5:25
+2
Matt Bradley makes two point driving layup
12-21
4:57
Sage Tolbert III misses two point jump shot
4:55
Nathan Mensah defensive rebound
4:28
+2
Keshad Johnson makes two point pullup jump shot
12-23
4:26
Spartans 30 second timeout
4:26
TV timeout
4:08
Omari Moore misses two point driving layup
4:06
Sage Tolbert III offensive rebound
4:00
Alvaro Cardenas misses three point jump shot
3:58
Keshad Johnson defensive rebound
3:45
Adam Seiko misses three point jump shot
3:43
Trey Anderson defensive rebound
3:20
Trey Anderson misses two point stepback jump shot
3:18
Nathan Mensah defensive rebound
3:02
Trey Anderson personal foul (Micah Parrish draws the foul)
3:02
+1
Micah Parrish makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-24
3:02
+1
Micah Parrish makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-25
2:43
+3
Tibet Gorener makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)
15-25
2:24
Aguek Arop turnover (traveling)
2:03
Alvaro Cardenas misses two point driving layup
2:01
Ibrahima Diallo offensive rebound
2:00
Ibrahima Diallo misses two point layup
1:57
Micah Parrish defensive rebound
1:54
Adam Seiko misses three point jump shot
1:52
Omari Moore defensive rebound
1:37
Omari Moore turnover (lost ball) (Darrion Trammell steals)
1:33
+2
Micah Parrish makes two point dunk (Darrion Trammell assists)
15-27
1:15
Micah Parrish shooting foul (Tibet Gorener draws the foul)
1:15
+1
Tibet Gorener makes regular free throw 1 of 2
16-27
1:15
+1
Tibet Gorener makes regular free throw 2 of 2
17-27
0:59
+3
Micah Parrish makes three point jump shot (Lamont Butler assists)
17-30
0:37
+3
Tibet Gorener makes three point jump shot (Sage Tolbert III assists)
20-30
0:27
Aztecs 30 second timeout
0:06
+3
Darrion Trammell makes three point pullup jump shot
20-33
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
SJSU
Spartans
29
SDSU
Aztecs
31
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:40
Alvaro Cardenas shooting foul (Darrion Trammell draws the foul)
19:40
+1
Darrion Trammell makes regular free throw 1 of 3
20-34
19:40
+1
Darrion Trammell makes regular free throw 2 of 3
20-35
19:40
Darrion Trammell misses regular free throw 3 of 3
19:40
Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound
19:12
Nathan Mensah blocks Ibrahima Diallo's two point jump shot
19:10
Sage Tolbert III offensive rebound
19:08
Spartans turnover (shot clock violation)
18:49
Lamont Butler turnover (bad pass) (Trey Anderson steals)
18:36
Alvaro Cardenas misses two point layup
18:34
Ibrahima Diallo offensive rebound
18:31
+2
Ibrahima Diallo makes two point layup
22-35
18:22
Matt Bradley misses three point jump shot
18:20
Alvaro Cardenas defensive rebound
17:52
Keshad Johnson personal foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul)
17:37
Omari Moore misses two point jump shot
17:35
Nathan Mensah defensive rebound
17:30
Darrion Trammell misses two point jump shot
17:28
Sage Tolbert III defensive rebound
17:09
Omari Moore misses three point jump shot
17:07
Keshad Johnson defensive rebound
17:02
+2
Lamont Butler makes two point layup (Keshad Johnson assists)
22-37
17:02
Trey Anderson shooting foul (Lamont Butler draws the foul)
17:02
+1
Lamont Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 1
22-38
16:50
Keshad Johnson blocks Omari Moore's two point layup
16:48
Matt Bradley defensive rebound
16:31
+2
Keshad Johnson makes two point dunk (Nathan Mensah assists)
22-40
16:21
Spartans 30 second timeout
16:21
TV timeout
15:59
Tibet Gorener misses three point jump shot
15:57
Trey Anderson offensive rebound
15:52
+3
Tibet Gorener makes three point jump shot (Trey Anderson assists)
25-40
15:32
+3
Matt Bradley makes three point jump shot (Lamont Butler assists)
25-43
15:04
Darrion Trammell personal foul (Trey Anderson draws the foul)
15:04
TV timeout
14:53
+2
Alvaro Cardenas makes two point jump shot
27-43
14:35
Micah Parrish misses two point jump shot
14:33
Micah Parrish offensive rebound
14:27
Micah Parrish misses two point jump shot
14:25
Robert Vaihola defensive rebound
14:19
Robert Vaihola turnover (lost ball)
14:06
Lamont Butler misses two point jump shot
14:04
Robert Vaihola defensive rebound
13:41
+2
Robert Vaihola makes two point layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)
29-43
13:22
+2
Aguek Arop makes two point hook shot (Lamont Butler assists)
29-45
13:01
Adam Seiko personal foul (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
13:01
Alvaro Cardenas flagrant 1 (Adam Seiko draws the foul)
13:01
Alvaro Cardenas turnover
13:01
+1
Adam Seiko makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2
29-46
13:01
Adam Seiko misses flagrant free throw 2 of 2
12:47
+2
Jaedon LeDee makes two point jump shot
29-48
12:25
+2
Trey Anderson makes two point layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)
31-48
12:25
Micah Parrish shooting foul (Trey Anderson draws the foul)
12:25
+1
Trey Anderson makes regular free throw 1 of 1
32-48
12:10
Trey Anderson blocks Micah Parrish's two point layup
12:08
Omari Moore defensive rebound
11:52
Jaedon LeDee shooting foul (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
11:52
TV timeout
11:52
Alvaro Cardenas misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:52
Alvaro Cardenas misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:52
Micah Parrish defensive rebound
11:32
Aguek Arop misses two point hook shot
11:30
Omari Moore defensive rebound
11:22
+2
Robert Vaihola makes two point layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)
34-48
10:58
+2
Darrion Trammell makes two point jump shot
34-50
10:28
Robert Vaihola turnover (lost ball) (Aguek Arop steals)
10:15
Robert Vaihola personal foul (Micah Parrish draws the foul)
10:07
Micah Parrish misses three point jump shot
10:05
Micah Parrish offensive rebound
9:58
Micah Parrish misses three point jump shot
9:56
Spartans defensive rebound
9:33
+2
Alvaro Cardenas makes two point layup
36-50
9:12
Ibrahima Diallo shooting foul (Keshad Johnson draws the foul)
9:12
+1
Keshad Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
36-51
9:12
Keshad Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:12
Omari Moore defensive rebound
8:49
Alvaro Cardenas misses two point jump shot
8:47
Ibrahima Diallo offensive rebound
8:44
Nathan Mensah blocks Ibrahima Diallo's two point layup
8:42
Matt Bradley defensive rebound
8:29
+2
Keshad Johnson makes two point dunk (Nathan Mensah assists)
36-53
8:12
Tibet Gorener misses three point jump shot
8:10
Ibrahima Diallo offensive rebound
8:06
+2
Ibrahima Diallo makes two point layup
38-53
7:47
Matt Bradley misses two point jump shot
7:45
Alvaro Cardenas defensive rebound
7:18
Lamont Butler personal foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul)
7:18
TV timeout
7:04
Omari Moore misses two point hook shot
7:02
Omari Moore offensive rebound
6:53
+2
Sage Tolbert III makes two point dunk
40-53
6:35
Lamont Butler misses two point layup
6:33
Sage Tolbert III defensive rebound
6:21
+2
Tibet Gorener makes two point layup
42-53
6:06
+3
Lamont Butler makes three point jump shot (Adam Seiko assists)
42-56
5:55
Spartans turnover (5-second violation)
5:40
Alvaro Cardenas shooting foul (Lamont Butler draws the foul)
5:40
Lamont Butler misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:40
+1
Lamont Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2
42-57
5:17
Aguek Arop blocks Omari Moore's two point layup
5:15
Matt Bradley defensive rebound
5:05
Lamont Butler misses three point jump shot
5:03
Alvaro Cardenas defensive rebound
4:44
Sage Tolbert III turnover (bad pass)
4:44
Keshad Johnson technical foul
4:44
Keshad Johnson turnover
4:44
Omari Moore misses technical free throw 1 of 1
4:34
Aguek Arop offensive foul
4:34
Aguek Arop turnover (offensive foul)
4:16
Sage Tolbert III misses two point layup
4:14
Aguek Arop defensive rebound
4:05
Alvaro Cardenas personal foul (Keshad Johnson draws the foul)
4:05
+1
Keshad Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
42-58
4:05
+1
Keshad Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
42-59
3:58
Omari Moore turnover (traveling)
3:58
TV timeout
3:39
Darrion Trammell misses two point jump shot
3:37
Micah Parrish offensive rebound
3:32
Matt Bradley misses three point jump shot
3:30
Tibet Gorener defensive rebound
3:14
Micah Parrish shooting foul (Trey Anderson draws the foul)
3:14
+1
Trey Anderson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
43-59
3:14
+1
Trey Anderson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
44-59
2:46
+3
Darrion Trammell makes three point jump shot (Jaedon LeDee assists)
44-62
2:31
Tibet Gorener misses three point jump shot
2:29
Micah Parrish defensive rebound
2:03
Micah Parrish misses two point layup
2:01
Keshad Johnson offensive rebound
1:58
+2
Keshad Johnson makes two point layup
44-64
1:43
+2
Omari Moore makes two point layup
46-64
1:30
Matt Bradley turnover (bad pass) (Garrett Anderson steals)
1:25
Garrett Anderson misses two point layup
1:23
Robert Vaihola offensive rebound
1:17
Robert Vaihola misses two point layup
1:15
Robert Vaihola offensive rebound
1:08
Robert Vaihola misses two point layup
1:06
Darrion Trammell defensive rebound
1:04
Aztecs 30 second timeout
0:48
Demarshay Johnson Jr. turnover (lost ball)
0:37
Cade Alger shooting foul (JT Elder draws the foul)
