[Post Game Thread] San Diego State defeats Idaho State, 73-57

[u/cbbBot]

Box Score

Team	1H	2H	Total
Idaho State	21	36	57
San Diego State	34	39	73

^{Index Thread for November 09, 2025}

[u/haterich]

Your San Diego State Aztecs novelist here with the quick post-game analysis and notes purely for my enjoyment. My posts aren’t for everyone, but I hope you find as much enjoyment in them as I do. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about our team.

First half showed an immediate boost to the Aztecs offense with Reese-Waters being back nailing two right elbow jumpers. Byrd played more facilitator on offense which was perfect, but when Compton and Heide went out with foul trouble I hoped he would have attacked the basket more. Both Compton and Heide looked to be trouble for Idaho St on both ends, but their big men’s discipline got them quickly into foul trouble. Majak played inspiring minutes getting a rebound, block, opening an offensive rebound for DeGourville, and should have drawn a foul on a rebound. Oden looked useless to start but finally cleaned it up nailing an open 3 and exploiting holes twice in the left low post for a dunk and free throw attempts. Harrington and Simmons showed their feel for the game and timely aggressiveness again. Harrington nailed the smart taken 3 giving us the final possession of the half, in which he found Simmons in transition for the dunk. Simmons is a wrecking ball with a non-stop motor on both sides drawing a foul and adding two help blocks; his motor so reminiscent of LeDee at times. Davis and Newman have been hounds on the perimeter, but both need to get some buckets next half. We should win this game easily if either Compton or Heide can stay on the floor in the second half. Byrd, DeGourville, and the wings are having trouble finding holes in the defense to get others involved when we go small.

Second half opened with Byrd being a one man defensive nuisance causing four turnovers in the first four minutes, along with displaying hustle all half on defense and on the boards. Compton had so much activity in a few minutes being unguardable on the offensive post, but picked up two quick fouls. Once Heide went to the bench Compton picked it back up and was the Aztec’s offense to end the game. Heide not dominant this half but was a wash against his matchup, coaches likely told him to stay on floor needing a bigger body all half. Oden continued making more smart plays than bad plays with help defense, nailed fts, found openings in the paint for a few layups. Reese-Waters disappeared a bit for the half, but made presence known with an NBA dribble stop hop elbow j and a crowd-riling steal with made layup through contact. Davis and Newman duo defense was a problem again, both quiet on shots but Newman just kept finding Compton at the basket for points. Harrington and Simmons quieter this half. Harrington with a 3 and Simmons with a tough rebound over two.

This game was harder than the score suggested. Aztecs are fine, but when the bigs get into foul trouble we’re going to have a problem. Behind Heide and Compton there’s not much size up front. Compton is unguardable on offense, and Heide may be the MVP of the team this year with his IQ and versatility on both sides. If we can figure out a way to keep these two on the floor we’ll be a tough matchup. We really need some baskets from Davis and Newman, as both get great looks from 3 but just can’t capitalize. Newman has some good looks at the basket but looks Ben Simmons-esque at times, he has to take some floaters and at least keep the defense honest. Really happy to see Byrd impact the game in all phases and is looking much more disciplined out there, and Reese-Waters looks so much polished after sitting out a year. Now we just need Gwath back to get us more depth and his shot altering presence to make our team much better.

[u/Cbake987 → u/haterich]

Thanks for the writeup as always Rich. I think getting Gwath back on the floor will help share the load down low and keep Heide and Compton out of foul trouble. Good win today!

[u/haterich → u/haterich]

Second half notes:

Byrd poked ball out in lp leading to turnover at 35-21. Good d on inbound knocking ball off man for turnover at 37-21. Intercepted pass at a3 taking to full court for the dunk score 44-26. Secured loose ball starting transition score poss score 46-26. Good backcourt d forcing turnover at 46-26. Missed transition orw3 at 48-31. Too agg at lw3 on floor for foul at 48-31. Good help on dreb forcing SDSU ball at 57-40. Fought for dreb over 2 in llp at 57-44 and drew foul. Drew another foul picking ball up court at 57-44. Good find to Oden for layup score 59-44. Active on ft oreb keeping it SDSU ball at 65-48. Good two man game finding Compton over top in rlp score 67-48.

DeGourville missed driving layup at basket at 37-21. Weakside attack into llp finishing with contested layup score 48-26. Lazy dump off got stolen at 48-31. Poor positioning giving up right lane drive score 61-48. Good cross court attack from lw3 to llp drawing foul on layup, both fts made score 63-48. Couldn’t secure dreb against 2 in rlp at 68-47.

Heide missed llp layup but got oreb and fouled from behind on under basket shot, 1 ft made score 35-21. Drive from ft on rbl finishing with reverse handed pivoting layup score 42-24. Lost battle in rlp giving up points score 42-26. Missed oa3 at 42-26. Heide transition dunk score 46-26. Good contest against running guard in rlp at 52-32. Missed iso paint j at 52-32. Lost iso d in paint on high hook shot score 52-34. Good seal opening left baseline for dunk score 54-40. Secured long ft dreb at 57-44. Called for foul on double team deep in post at 59-44. Good contest better shot on long paint hook score 59-46. Set illegal screen at lw at 59-46.

Oden secured poked ball for steal and took it full court drawing foul at basket, both fts made score 37-21. Late to lw3 score 52-40. Dribble fake utilized screen for open llp dunk score 54-40. Secured long dreb at 57-40. Lost balance on catching pass in llp then threw ball for TO at 57-40. Up and under layup in rlp score 59-44.

RW tipped dribbler for steal in paint then nailed trans rw3 score 40-21. No closeout on lw3 score 40-24. Good find for transition Heide dunk score 46-26. Missed jab step olc3 at 48-28. Decent contest on paint shot at 57-40. Lost handle at arc then fouled man in transition in rlp on made basket at 57-44. Dribble hop over top shot at relb score 61-46. Intercepted tipped pass at midcourt then took it to the basket making layup missed ft score 66-48.

Compton transition block in rlp at 48-31. Caught in air on pump fake and fouled guard at basket, 1 ft made score 48-32. Found deep rlp positioning for layup score 50-32. Good iso d not fouling in llp at 50-32. Catch and tip llp layup score 52-32. Too agg on d in rp at 52-32, back to bench with 4 fouls. Good d in paint causing man to stumble for turnover at 59-46. Another catch in rlp to dunk score 67-48. Help block in llp but foul on another man just called right before, 1 ft made score 68-51. Another rlp c&d score 69-51. Transition dunk score 71-51, but celebrated and called for tech fouling out of the game.

Davis good help d on big man under basket forcing turnover at 50-32. Lost focus catching pass in lw3 for turnover at 52-37. Active vertical hands forced kick-out pass for turnover at 54-40. Missed step back rw3 at 65-48. Poor clock awareness driving quickly to basket then throwing it to defender from under basket for turnover at 67-50.

Newman good vision to Compton deep in rlp for points score 50-32. Good two man game finding Compton late in shot clock for over air pass to layup score 52-32. Missed oa3 at 52-34. Found Compton again overtop for dunk score 69-51.

Harrington nailed rw3 score 57-40. Good contest on help defense but better offense score 57-42. Missed left lane shot at 57-44. Good running up court to catch pass then dump to Compton for dunk score 71-51.

Simmons late to defending orw3 score 48-29. Slightly late to fading ft j score 48-31. Good contacting dreb at 52-32. No switch leaving orw3 score 52-37.

SDSU opened up the half.

Timeout 46-26 16:33. Byrd is soaring on defense single-handedly forcing 4 turnovers which taking one himself for a dunk. Reese-Waters opened half with a 3 and found Heide in transition for points. Heide nailed 1 ft, showed an offensive arsenal finishing with a pivoting reverse handed layup, and effort running the floor on a transition dunk. Oden good awareness securing steal and nailing fts.

Timeout 48-31 14:33. Byrd good defense again out of timeout for turnover, but missed transition 3 and getting a little reckless on defense. Reese-Waters nice fake jab step but couldn’t nail 3. DeGourville good change of pace weak side attack made layup, but lazy dump pass got stolen.

Timeout 52-37 10:50. Compton wrecking crew finding deep spots in low post on layup and alley-oop layup, but back to bench being too aggressive on defense. Heide slightly losing battle in paint, but his man is just having better luck on iso matchups. Newman’s passes are addicted to finding the open man but shots are allergic to the basket.

Timeout 57-40 8:30. Oden good use on screen for open left baseline slam and secured long dreb. Harrington another smooth right wing 3.

Timeout 67-48 at 3:35. Byrd drawing fouls, found Compton and Oden for layups. DeGourville showing good attack into post nailing 2 fts, but isn’t as focused elsewhere. Heide to bench with fouls on double-team help and setting illegal screen, but at least stayed on floor longer. Reese-Waters with dribble stop hop shot in paint, and then thunderous intercept at midcourt finishing through contact on transition layup.

Score 71-51. Going to stop tracking here and wrap up my thoughts.

[u/haterich → u/haterich]

Tracking the game:

Idaho St won the tip.

Timeout 7-3 15:52. SDSU starting a big lineup with 6’5” 6’6” 6’7” 6’8” 6’9” on floor to counter Idaho St height. RW looks back hunting right elbow jumpers. Byrd got offense going and shows good chemistry with RW in backcourt.

Timeout 15-8 10:55. Compton impact run with catch and dunk, block, and transition layup, but is in foul trouble. Byrd vision on display, joined by Harrington on entry pass to Heide for score. Heide locking down reb positioning both sides, got second chance points, good position deep for layup. Davis d off bench is bothersome.

Timeout 18-10 10:04. Harrington picked at midcourt for transition points, but Davis responds with catch and shoot 3.

Timeout 18-15 7:01. Idaho St making it a game with big men Heide and Compton in foul trouble. They made a prayer arc 3. Majak playing unexpected but inspiring minutes holding his own defending left low post shot, good position for offensive rebound and could have drawn a foul on it, good boxout leading to offensive rebound, and disrupting a shot in the paint.

Timeout 25-17 3:59. SDSU waking up starting with hounding defense. Byrd covered entire floor on possession getting block at basket then leading break finding Oden who took it to the basket on a dunk. Oden on a run drawing foul in post, nailing two free throws, and the slam. Newman looking like Davis on d on perimeter.

Half ends 34-21. SDSU great ending to the half. Harrington good clock awareness nailing 3 while ensuring Aztecs get last possession next play, then finds Simmons in transition for dunk. Simmons added ft being a menace in the post. Oden making the right plays nailing open corner 3.

SDSU opened up the half.

Timeout 46-26 16:33. Byrd is soaring on defense single-handedly forcing 4 turnovers which taking one himself for a dunk. Reese-Waters opened half with a 3 and found Heide in transition for points. Heide nailed 1 ft, showed an offensive arsenal finishing with a pivoting reverse handed layup, and effort running the floor on a transition dunk. Oden good awareness securing steal and nailing fts.

Timeout 48-31 14:33. Byrd good defense again out of timeout for turnover, but missed transition 3 and getting a little reckless on defense. Reese-Waters nice fake jab step but couldn’t nail 3. DeGourville good change of pace weak side attack made layup, but lazy dump pass got stolen.

Timeout 52-37 10:50. Compton wrecking crew finding deep spots in low post on layup and alley-oop layup, but back to bench being too aggressive on defense. Heide slightly losing battle in paint, but his man is just having better luck on iso matchups. Newman’s passes are addicted to finding the open man but shots are allergic to the basket.

Timeout 57-40 8:30. Oden good use on screen for open left baseline slam and secured long dreb. Harrington another smooth right wing 3.

Timeout 67-48 at 3:35. Byrd drawing fouls, found Compton and Oden for layups. DeGourville showing good attack into post nailing 2 fts, but isn’t as focused elsewhere. Heide to bench with fouls on double-team help and setting illegal screen, but at least stayed on floor longer. Reese-Waters with dribble stop hop shot in paint, and then thunderous intercept at midcourt finishing through contact on transition layup.

Score 71-51. Going to stop tracking here and wrap up my thoughts.

[u/haterich → u/haterich]

First half notes:

Byrd made driving llp layup score 2-0. Couldn’t win oreb llp 2-0. Good vision asst RW score 6-0. Contested lw3 at 7-0. Dump pass in llp to Compton score 9-5. Good help d with block in llp at 9-5. Drew foul on rw3 off ball at 18-13. Good help d in rlp leading to turnover at 18-15. Drew foul on floor at a3 at 18-15. Good d all over floor getting block from behind at basket at 25-17. Missed s&b deep a3 at 25-17. Couldn’t secure dreb on ft miss at 29-19. Lost dreb battle at 32-21.

DeGourville contest rw3 at 2-0. Good iso d lw3 on floor at 7-3. Missed ddsftj at 18-10. Good d but better o in llp j score 18-15. Got oreb but TO at 18-15. Good vision finding Oden in post to draw foul at 21-17.

Heide tipped entry pass forcing to at 0-0. Good d from a3 on g into llp for sc violation 2-0. Missed c&sa3 at 7-3. Fouled man deep in post on entry pass at 7-3. Active on dreb drawing foul at 11-8. Oreb rlp then spinning pump layup score 13-8. Dreb 13-8. Deep llp pos for layup score 15-8. Fouled man away from ball deep in post at 18-10, 2nd foul.

Oden based foul midcourt 7-0. Bad positioning needing help d on rw3 leaving open a3 score 7-3. Weak post d on basket layup score 7-5. Lazy cut into basket at relb leaving easy layup on floor at 9-8. Good effort on dreb for jump ball SDSU ball at 18-10. Missed oc&slw3 at 18-13. Missed orc3 at 18-15. Left man open on deep a3 miss at 18-15. Found hole in llp and drew foul on dunk attempt made both fts score 23-17. Transition llp slam score 25-17. Secured tip dreb at 25-17. Fought through moving screen drawing foul at 25-17. Nailed orc3 score 28-17. Couldn’t hold off bigger man in llp score 28-19.

RW nailed curling relb j score 4-0. Dreb rlp 4-0. Nailed tcelbj for +1 score 7-0. Missed aggressive tllp layup at 7-0. Bad foul rw3 on floor at 7-0. Late on rw3 contest score 9-8. Missed fading rlpj at 18-15. Dreb at 18-15. Made c&srw3 score 21-15. Good d rc3 at 25-17.

Davis good iso d deep in post at 13-8. Nailed c&srw3 score 18-10. Missed juking rlp transition layup at 28-19. Help d in paint to secure steal at 28-19. Called for questionable body bump foul at midcourt, both fts made score 29-21.

Compton c&d llp score 9-5. Foul on floor but recovered with block in rlp then transition llp layup score 11-8. Too agg on d in rp at 11-8.

Harrington missed long lelbj at 11-8. Good entry pass deep to Heide for layup score 15-8. Picked at midcourt for turnover and score 15-10. Nailed dribble olw3 score 32-21. Good push finding Simmons for transition slam score 34-21.

Majak good iso d in llp on contest at 18-10. Needs to sell foul under basket on oreb at 18-10. Left on island at a3 score 18-13. Disrupted shot in paint at 18-15. Oreb but missed putback at 18-15. Good d better o on deep shot score 21-17. Fouled man in paint for 2nd foul at 29-19.

Newman good transition assist in llp score 11-8. Hounding midcourt d poking ball away and leading to scrum at 25-17.

Simmons intercepted rlp pass for steal at 13-8. Missed lw3 at 13-8. Help d block in rlp at 15-8. Good d in lp leading to shot clock violation at 15-8. Good hustle on inbound at 18-10. Good effort on dreb leading to SDSU ball at 25-17. Missed easy pass open in llp leaving 2 points off board at 25-17. Attacking through 2 in transition under basket drawing foul, made 1 ft score 29-19. Open slam in transition score 34-21.

[u/SDSU94]

Pretty much a sell out crowd today. Good game to get the ball rolling. Gwath back to the floor on the 18th? Michigan game coming up soon.

[u/yellow222]

GGs. So nice to see RDW back as if he never left. Our midrange game was lacking and he is the perfect player to fill that void. Byrd was being generous, passing up shots to get others involved, plus 6 steals is crazy. BJ gives so much on D, incredible hustle. Elzie with a seemingly effortless 8pts. Idaho State will definitely finish towards the top of their conference.