San Diego State's Mountain West chapter ends with title game loss to Utah State

Aztecs fall short in final conference championship game before moving to Pac-12

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:06am

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San Diego State's 27-season run in the Mountain West Conference came to an end on Saturday with a 73-62 loss to Utah State in the conference championship game. The Aztecs were unable to clinch the automatic NCAA Tournament bid, leaving their postseason fate uncertain as they prepare to join the Pac-12 next season.

Why it matters

San Diego State has been a dominant force in the Mountain West, winning 7 tournament championships and making 17 title game appearances since 1999-2000. Their exit from the conference marks the end of an era, as the Aztecs look to establish a new legacy in the Pac-12 next season.

The details

The game was a competitive back-and-forth battle, but Utah State pulled away late with key 3-pointers from tournament MVP MJ Collins. San Diego State struggled with fatigue after a late return to their hotel following their semifinal win the previous night. The Aztecs entered the tournament on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and now must wait anxiously to see if they've done enough to earn an at-large bid.

  • The Mountain West championship game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026.
  • San Diego State didn't return to their hotel until early Sunday morning after the game.

The players

MJ Collins

The tournament MVP for Utah State, he scored 20 points and hit key 3-pointers down the stretch to help the Aggies pull away.

Mason Falslev

The Mountain West Player of the Year for Utah State, he added 16 points but was hobbled by a lower leg injury in the first half.

Reese Dixon-Waters

The leading scorer for San Diego State with 20 points, bouncing back from a poor performance in the semifinals.

Brian Dutcher

The head coach of San Diego State, who made the case that the Mountain West's parity should be viewed as a strength rather than a weakness for the conference.

Miles Byrd

The San Diego State guard who struggled, scoring just 7 points on 2-of-8 shooting and appeared to tweak his knee late in the game.

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What they’re saying

“I lost MJ Collins going on the baseline and just happened to run into a screener. I tried to cheat it, something I shouldn't have done, and whatever happened happened.”

— Reese Dixon-Waters (Yahoo Sports)

“You don't want to blame fatigue, but I think we got back to our hotel at 12:30 last night. Three games in a row. Obviously they just looked like the more fresh team in the second half. When it came to winning time, they made more plays, got to the paint, dropped off to the big, dunks, lay-ups, offensive rebounds. They just made more winning plays than we did.”

— Miles Byrd (Yahoo Sports)

“Mountain West was undervalued this year. Seven teams with 20-plus wins, so the parity. I've said it all year, the parity has hurt our league this year. That's what every league wants is parity. So if you're in a Power Four, the parity is fantastic. Get 18, 19 teams in. But in the Mountain West, parity is not a good thing. There wasn't enough separation between the top.”

— Brian Dutcher, Head Coach, San Diego State (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

San Diego State must now wait anxiously to see if they've done enough to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, after failing to clinch the automatic bid by winning the Mountain West championship.

The takeaway

The end of San Diego State's dominant run in the Mountain West marks the close of an era, as the Aztecs prepare to join the Pac-12 next season. While the loss in the title game leaves their postseason fate uncertain, the program's legacy of success in the conference over the past 27 years is undeniable.