SAN DIEGO (AP) Yanni Wetzell scored 17 points and No. 20 San Diego State beat NAIA San Diego Christian 92-48 on Wednesday night to remain undefeated.
SDSU (11-0) was playing for the first time in 10 days and for the first time since jumping into The Associated Press Top 25. The Aztecs moved up five spots Monday despite not playing last week.
The Aztecs are off to their best start since opening 20-0 behind Kawhi Leonard in 2010-11, when they reached the Sweet 16 for the first time and finished 34-3. They are one of four remaining undefeated teams.
KJ Feagin added 12 points and Malachi Flynn and Jordan Schakel had 10 apiece for SDSU.
San Diego Christian considered this an exhibition game.
The Aztecs used it to get their legs back after the long layoff due to finals and to prepare for Saturday’s game against Utah at Staples Center in Los Angeles. That’s the last of four big non-conference games the Aztecs are hoping will bolster their resume for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid in case they don’t win the Mountain West Conference tournament and the automatic bid that comes with it.
SDSU has already won at BYU and beat Creighton and Iowa to win the Las Vegas Invitational.
The Aztecs had a lot of slam dunks and worked on their press against the outmanned Hawks.
Bryce Parsons gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead before the Aztecs went on a 14-0 run. Wetzell, a graduate transfer from Vanderbilt, started it with a hook shot and finished it with a dunk.
The Hawks pulled within single digits before SDSU used an 8-0 run to take control for good. Wetzell had another slam and a free throw, and Matt Mitchell converted a three-point play for a 27-16 lead.
SDSU led 45-27 at halftime.
San Diego Christian’s Marc Combs scored all 14 of his points in the first half.
BIG PICTURE
San Diego Christian fell to 0-9 in the series that began in 2010. The Hawks made the 9.4-mile drive from suburban Santee in three vans.
San Diego State: The Aztecs were playing as a ranked team for the first time since Feb. 28, 2015, when they were No. 24 and lost at home to Boise State to fall out of the rankings.
UP NEXT
San Diego Christian: Hosts Cal Maritime on Friday night.
San Diego State: Plays Utah at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Saturday.
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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top 25
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