SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego State Men's Basketball announced Wednesday it has scheduled a home-and-home series against a fellow dominant West Coast program: Gonzaga. The first game will take place on the Zags' home court in Spokane, Washington, on Dec. 29, 2023.
The two college basketball powers will face off again at Viejas Arena during the 2024-25 season.
The 2023 showdown will be the fifth time the programs have gone head-to-head, per SDSU's announcement. The series is currently dead even at 2-2.
The last time they played, the unranked Aztecs upset then No. 12 Gonzaga, 72-70, at Viejas Arena on Dec. 21, 2017.
On Nov. 16, 2010, No. 25 SDSU defeated No. 11 Gonzaga 79-76 during the CBE Classic in Spokane.
The Zags won the first game of the series all the way back in 1959, during the Tournament of Roses on a neutral court in Portland. Gonzaga's next win against SDSU came on Nov. 16, 2014. The Zags were ranked No. 14 in the country at the time as they cruised to a 69-48 victory.
Both of these teams bring their "A" game at home: Since the 2009-10 season, Gonzaga has had the second-best home record in all of college basketball, going 207-14 (.937) during that span. Meanwhile, SDSU boasts the seventh-best home record in NCAA hoops in that time frame, putting up a 199-25 record (88.8%).
From the 2019-20 season to the present, Gonzaga is the winningest team in the nation, going 121-13 (.903%). This of course includes their undefeated 2020-21 regular season campaign that was spoiled by a crushing defeat in the national title game against Baylor.
SDSU has the third-best record in college basketball dating back to 2019-20, going 108-23 (.824).
The Aztecs just had their best season in program history, making it to their first Final Four. SDSU came up shy in the 2022-23 season's National Championship Game, losing to UConn 76-59.
Gonzaga also lost to UConn in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, falling out of the fray in the Elite Eight.
We're just going to leave this right here...Officially locked in for a home and home series with Gonzaga 🔒More info: https://t.co/2Kr7zxJL7w#TheTimeIsNow pic.twitter.com/2k2VQMWU61
— San Diego State Men's Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) July 26, 2023
