By Joshua Garcia
In March 2020, San Diego State University had arguably the top team in the nation heading into the NCAA Tournament. A shining 30-2 record, dominance over most of their non-conference opponents, and the best defense in all of college basketball. Only one opponent ended San Diego State University’s first chance at going to a Final 4 and possibly winning a National Championship, Covid-19.
While waiting for Selection Sunday where the Aztecs would have undoubtedly been one of the top four 1 seeds in the tournament, it would be announced March Madness would never take place. The Aztecs and the University were devasted as their best team in history never even got to play one game in their quest for greatness.
Well, as they say, everything happens for a reason. And even with the Aztecs losing players to the NBA draft and graduation from that 2020 squad, their contemporaries have finally captured the history that team set out for three seasons ago.
Following many analyst and prognosticators picking SDSU to lose their first round game against Charleston this tournament, they have yet to lose. On the way, knocking off the overall number 1 seed and the top ranked team in the country in Alabama (71-64) in the Sweet 16, and then knocking off one of the top offensive teams in the nation in Creighton, in the Eilte 8.
After losing to Creighton in last years’s NCAA tourney while holding a 9-point lead with only two minutes remaining, the revenge victory over the Blue Jays (57-56) Sunday, put San Diego State in it’s first ever Final 4. They will now face the 9 seed Cinderella Florida Atlantic Owls on Saturday with a trip to the National Championship on the line.
This is widely considered to be SDSU’s third best team in school history, the first never played in March Madness due to covid, and the second was led by Kawhi Leonard who came up short against Kemba Walker and UConn due to foul trouble. Can the 2023 Aztecs be the first to make it to and win a national championship? If so, Leonard will be somewhere laughing and baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn will most definitely be smiling above!
