Aztecs Fall Short Against Utah State in Championship Game

Aggies defeat San Diego State 73-62 to claim Mountain West Conference title

Mar. 15, 2026 at 1:04am

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The top-seeded Utah State Aggies defeated the second-seeded San Diego State Aztecs 73-62 in the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship game. Utah State was led by senior MJ Collins Jr., who scored 20 points, while the Aztecs were paced by Reese Dixon-Waters' 20 points. The Aggies' strong defense and ball control, only turning the ball over 6 times, proved to be the difference as they led for over 75% of the game.

Why it matters

This loss ends San Diego State's season, as they are expected to be the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament field. The Aztecs will likely have to settle for a postseason berth in the NIT or another tournament. Meanwhile, Utah State secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with the conference tournament title, and will await their seeding.

The details

Utah State was led by senior MJ Collins Jr., who scored 20 points on 8-15 shooting to go with 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Conference MVP Mason Falslev added 16 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists for the Aggies. For San Diego State, Reese Dixon-Waters also scored 20 points on 8-12 shooting, while BJ Davis had 14 points and Magoon Gwath contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds. The Aztecs struggled with turnovers, committing 14 which led to 17 Utah State points, while the Aggies only turned it over 6 times.

  • The game was played on Saturday night, March 15, 2026 in Las Vegas.
  • Utah State led for over 75% of the game.

The players

MJ Collins Jr.

A senior on the Utah State Aggies who scored a team-high 20 points in the championship game.

Mason Falslev

The Mountain West Conference MVP who added 16 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists for Utah State.

Reese Dixon-Waters

The leading scorer for San Diego State, pouring in 20 points in the losing effort.

BJ Davis

A San Diego State player who contributed 14 points in the championship game.

Magoon Gwath

The San Diego State forward who had 12 points and 8 rebounds in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must have played a nearly perfect game to beat such a talented San Diego State team. I'm proud of our effort and execution tonight.”

— MJ Collins Jr., Utah State Senior

What’s next

Utah State awaits their NCAA Tournament seeding, while San Diego State is expected to be left out of the Big Dance and will likely receive a bid to the NIT or another postseason tournament.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the strengths of the Utah State Aggies, who used their stifling defense and ball control to overcome a talented San Diego State squad and claim the Mountain West Conference championship. The loss ends the Aztecs' season, as they appear destined to miss the NCAA Tournament field.