This is the second time in the tournament's seven year history San Diego State will be playing in the finals. The last time was 2002 when the Aztecs defeated UNLV for the tournament crown.
In the quarterfinals, San Diego State junior forward Marcus Slaughter broke the Mountain West Tournament single game record for rebounds with 19. In the first half tonight, he brought down 11 boards, ending the game with 14. Slaughter has 33 rebounds in the tournament, with the tournament record being 45 held by Andrew Bogut of Utah from last year.
San Diego State junior guard Brandon Heath has now scored in double figures in 27 straight games against Mountain West Conference opponents.
UNLV freshman guard Jo'Van Adams and junior guard Wendell White combined to score 8 of the Runnin' Rebels first 10 points in the game. Adams ended the game with 14, while White added 12.
In the first half, Heath and Slaughter combined for 16 of the Aztecs' 18 individual rebounds. (There were two team rebounds in the first half as well.)
There was only one tie in the first-half, 2-2, with San Diego State leading the rest of the way, leading by as many as nine, 15-6, early in the first stanza. After the break, there were four ties and eight lead changes, including two in the final minute as the Aztecs held on to the 63-60 victory.
UNLV's bench scored more than one-third of its points, tallying 21, compared to just five from the San Diego State bench.
