San Diego State advanced to the semifinals for only the second time in MWC Tournament history. The last time the Aztecs advanced to the semifinals they won the tournament title (2002).
The Aztecs, now 4-4 all-time in MWC Tournament play, will battle New Mexico Friday at 10 p.m. on ESPN, marking the first meeting between the teams in the MWC Tournament. Air Force slipped to 0-6 all-time in the MWC Tournament.
San Diego State's win marked the first upset of the 2005 MWC Tournament. A lower seed has won a quarterfinal game in five of six MWC Tournaments. This year marks the third time in six years the No. 6 seed advanced into the semifinals (BYU-2000, Colorado State-2003). The No. 6 seed is now 6-4 all-time in the MWC Tournament.
San Diego State used its 16th different lineup of the year tonight vs. Air Force.
San Diego State scored 46 second-half points-the most allowed by Air Force this year. The Aztecs' 73 points in the game also ties for the most given up by the Falcons this season (73 at Iowa). Air Force is now 2-9 when giving up more than 60 points.
Brandon Heath scored 28 points to lead SDSU, which ties Matt Nelson's (Colorado State) sophomore MWC Tournament scoring record. Heath's total is also the most-ever in an MWC Tournament game by an Aztec player (Randy Holcomb scored 24 vs. Wyoming in 2002).
Heath was 10-for-10 from the free throw line, setting the sophomore MWC Tournament record and tying the overall record at 100 percent from the line.
The Falcons hit an MWC season-high 13 three-pointers in a win at San Diego State Feb. 28, and started tonight's game hitting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. However, the Falcons made just 7-of-22 three-pointers the rest of the game, finishing 13-of-32 from downtown.
Air Force held a 29-21 lead at the 4:19 mark of the first half, but went scoreless the remainder of the period, while the Aztecs rattled off a 6-0 run to trim the Air Force lead to 29-27 at intermission.
Air Force had six turnovers in the first five minutes of the second half, leading to a 15-2 San Diego State run that gave the Aztecs a 42-33 lead. Marcus Slaughter (8) and Brandon Heath (7) scored all 15 points in the Aztec run and the duo teamed up for 52 of the Aztecs' 73 points in the game, including 36-of-46 second-half points.
Air Force's Tim Keller totaled seven assists vs. SDSU, tying his career high set vs. North Carolina in last year's NCAA Tournament. Keller moved up to seventh on the Falcon all-time scoring list (1,105) and ninth on the Falcon all-time assist chart (246).
Antoine Hood led the Falcons with 17 points. The Falcons lost for only the second time in 13 games when Hood leads the team in scoring.
