FINAL: San Diego State 63, UC San Diego 58

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego State men's basketball team will be adding another banner to the rafters of Viejas Arena when they open the 2024-25 regular season against the UC San Diego Tritons at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.

While the Aztecs return five players who played and six roster members from the 2024 Sweet Sixteen team — the program's fourth appearance that deep in the NCAA Tournament — it is the first time in the eight years under head coach Brian Dutcher that the Scarlet and Black start the season without a returning starter available. Senior guard Reese Waters, who was voted to the preseason All-Mountain West team, is currently out with an injury after earning Mountain West Newcomer of the Year while starting in 23 and appearing in all 37 games last season.

SDSU earned an exhibition win against Cal State San Marcos on Wednesday, Oct. 30 in a game that saw 10 players play 13 or more minutes and three (guards Taj DeGourville and Miles Byrd, and forward Magoon Gwath) play more than 20 minutes. Guard Nick Boyd scored a game-high 18 points on seven-of-eight shooting, while Byrd scored 12 and freshman forward Pharaoh Compton added 10 points.

"I think that we're just a team that plays super hard - when you are a team that plays hard and your main focus is defense, it's so much easier to fix things defensively," Byrd said at a press conference on Monday. "I think it’s going to be our identity this year with starting a 6’3” point guard like Nick [Boyd], and myself and BJ [Davis], who are both on-ball defenders.

"Then we have a lot of length behind us, like Magoon Gwath. I think defensively we're going to be a problem.”

UC San Diego has completed its four-year elevation period and is eligible for both the Big West Conference and NCAA postseason after a year where the Tritons finished 21-11 and 15-5 in the Big West, which was good for second place.

Senior guard/forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 56.1 FG%) returns and was named to the Big West Preseason Coaches Team after earning Big West newcomer of the year last season, and junior guard Tyler McGhie (13.9 points) returns after earning the Big West's Best Sixth Player award last year. The team welcomes seven new players, with five transfers — guard Chris Howell from Saint Mary's and forward Nordin Kapic from Lynn are possible starters — to go with two freshmen.

"They've got new pieces that they're adding with experienced pieces. I'm sure both head coaches are going to be excited to see what kind of teams they have at the start of the season as we tip off Wednesday night in Viejas," said head coach Brian Dutcher.

"As much as we've practiced, we're finally getting all the pieces together, and so we're still a work in progress as to figuring out what role everybody's going to end up playing on this year's team.”

Catch up on coverage leading into Wednesday:

• Aztecs offer enticing preview in exhibition win over CSU San Marcos
• San Diego State men's basketball releases full non-conference slate
• Who are these guys? Newcomers will be key for Aztecs during 2024-25 basketball season (San Diego Union Tribune)
• To reach its heights, SDSU needs Miles Byrd to soar (East Village Times)
• UCSD men's basketball seeks NCAA Tournament run this season (AXIOS San Diego)