Arizona's Top 5 wins vs. San Diego State
These west coast foes have played some epic games.
I’m one of the world’s biggest Tony Gwynn fans, so when San Diego State won at the buzzer against FAU I didn’t mind at all.
The SDSU alum was the point guard for the Aztecs before his HOF baseball career started with the Padres. He is still the all-time assists leader for SDSU and was famously drafted by the Padres and Clippers on the same day in 1981.
As a freshman in 1977, Gwynn played sparingly against Arizona but collected two assists during an 80-79 Aztecs loss.
I couldn’t stop smiling when I saw a video of Tony Gwynn Jr. wearing his father’s Aztec basketball jersey and celebrating SDSU’s last-second win.
If the Aztecs can defeat UConn on Monday night they will become the first west coast team to win the National Title since our Wildcats did it in 1997.
Arizona has a 25-7 record all-time against SDSU.
Here’s my opinion of the top 5 wins Arizona has had over the Aztecs in those meetings.
5. November 23, 2022
No. 14. Arizona 87 No. 17 San Diego State 70
Since the Aztecs are 40 minutes from a National Title I had to put this one on here. If you are still down about the loss to Princeton then watch these highlights. This game was one of Arizona’s finest performances of the season. Courtney Ramey was unstoppable offensively. He was 5 for 5 from 3-point range and finished with 21 points. A day later the Cats were Maui Invitational Champs for the third time.
4. December 7, 1974
Arizona 81 San Diego State 79
In a season in which the SDSU played in their first NCAA Tournament, Fred Snowden’s Wildcats came to San Diego and jumped out to an early 20-0 lead. The Aztecs would storm back but Al Fleming’s free throws with under a minute left were the difference in the game. The future Arizona Ring of Honor member dominated with 39 points and 20 rebounds.
3. November 26, 2014
No. 3 Arizona 61 No.15 San Diego State 59
The Wildcats outlasted the Aztecs in a defensive battle. Stanley Johnson and T.J. McConnell hit big-time free throws in the last minute to give Arizona another championship in Hawaii. Johnson would be named MVP of the Maui Invitational and led the Wildcats with 18 points and nine rebounds vs. SDSU.
2. December 25, 2012
No. 3 Arizona 68 No. 17 San Diego State 67
With Arizona leading by one in the closing seconds, SDSU’s Chase Tapley looked to have an easy layup. That is when Nick Johnson appeared and viciously blocked Tapley’s shot off the backboard giving the Wildcats the Diamond Head Classic Championship. Solomon Hill would lead Arizona with 21 points and would be selected as the MVP of the tournament.
1. March 27, 2014
No. 1 seed Arizona 70 No. 13 seed San Diego State 64
In a rowdy atmosphere at the Pond in Anaheim, Arizona was pushed to the brink in the NCAA Sweet 16. Leading 53-51 with under three minutes to play T.J. McConnell started a fast break on a nifty steal that ended with a Nick Johnson layup. The Pac-12 Player of the Year had been held scoreless up to that point. In the final 2:44, he would score 15 points, including 10 of 10 from the free throw line. The win would send Arizona to its 10th Elite Eight in program history.