San Diego State has made school history in March Madness this year. The Aztecs have officially advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second straight season, a feat they have never reached before.
The No. 5 Aztecs defeated No. 12 UAB 69-65 and No. 13 Yale 85-57 over the weekend to claim their spot in the Sweet 16. However, the Aztecs' chances of advancing to the Elite Eight will be much tougher, as San Diego State will face No. 1 UConn on Thursday, a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament Championship Game.
On to Boston for the Sweet Sixteen to play Connecticut on Thursday!! #GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/G7MFfi9XPz
— San Diego State Men's Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) March 25, 2024
A year ago, San Diego State was one of the surprise Cinderella teams in the NCAA Tournament. Against all odds, San Diego State advanced all the way to the March Madness Final, where they lost 76-59 to UConn. Along the way, they upset No. 1 Alabama and secured narrow one-point wins over Creighton in the Elite Eight and Florida Atlantic in the Final Four.
This was the first time in school history that San Diego State had advanced to the Final Four and championship of the NCAA Tournament. It was also just their third time making the Elite Eight, and the first time they had made it that far in over 55 years.
Jaedon LeDee has led the way for the Aztecs offensively. The 6-foot-9 forward who has averaged 21.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, has been near unstoppable this tournament.
LeDee recorded 32 points against UAB and 26 points against Yale, leading his team in scoring both days. In last year's championship game, LeDee was held to seven points. If he can produce more this time around, it would improve the Aztecs' shot at an upset.
UConn has advanced to the Sweet 16 with key wins over No. 16 Stetson and No. 9 Northwestern. The Big East champions have a versatile shooting group, but Tristen Newton will be a player for the Aztecs to watch. Newton is coming off a double-double against Northwestern, in which he put up 20 points, 10 assists and three rebounds. Donovan Clingan also had a double-double against Northwestern, recording 14 points, 14 rebounds and one assist. Limiting these players will be a priority for the Aztecs.
Still, UConn will be tough for San Diego State not only because they defeated the Aztecs last year, but because many consider UConn to be the best team in college basketball and the favorite to win the tournament again. It would take a large upset for the Aztecs to defeat UConn and move on to the Elite Eight.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Eva is a contributing sports writer. She graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
