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MBK: Aztecs Keep Pace With Win Over Broncos

Feb. 29, 2012
Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho -- Jamaal Franklin had 18 points and 12 rebounds and three of his teammates scored in double figures to lead San Diego State (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP) to a 66-53 victory over Boise State on Wednesday night.

The win was the third straight for the Aztecs (23-6, 9-4 Mountain West), who stayed in a tie for first place with New Mexico heading into Saturday's regular season finales. San Diego State travels to TCU this weekend, while New Mexico hosts the Broncos.

Franklin scored 12 points in the first half, helping SDSU take a 38-22 lead. Boise State surged early in the second half, at one point cutting the lead to 11 points, but Franklin and the Aztecs never let the Broncos get any closer.

Tim Shelton and Chase Tapley each scored 11 points and Xavier Thames added 10 for SDSU, which shot 50 percent from the field in its first-ever visit to Boise State.

The Broncos (13-15, 3-10) made things difficult for themselves. Boise State was just 2 of 16 from behind the 3-point arc and shot 44 percent from the free throw line en route to their third straight loss.

Derrick Marks led the Broncos with 13 points and Anthony Drimic had 10 points and a team-best five rebounds.

The Broncos cut the lead to 41-30 when Marks hit a short jumper with 15:20 left in the game, but that's as close as they got.

On the next possession, Franklin hit two free throws, triggering a 16-6 run over the next 7 minutes. James Rahon's 3-pointer at the 7:52 mark gave the Aztecs a 57-36 lead, their biggest of the game.

For San Diego State, the win and three-game streak provides momentum heading into the conference championship and postseason, and for now puts to rest doubts that emerged when the Aztecs lost three straight last month, including defeats to UNLV and New Mexico.

The Aztecs were clicking on both ends of the court in the first half. They shot 60 percent in the first half and took full advantage of the Broncos' poor shooting. Boise State made just 33 percent in the early going and missed all 10 of its 3-point attempts.

Franklin hit a turnaround jumper at 14:13 to give the Aztecs a lead they would never relinquish. The Aztecs extended their lead to 32-20 when Franklin made two free throws with 2:19 left, then his 3-pointer with 56 seconds put SDSU up 38-20.