Preview: San Diego State Looks to Extend Win Streak at Struggling Air Force

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (Interstat) — A surging San Diego State squad visits one of the nation’s most struggling teams Saturday when the Aztecs face the Air Force Falcons in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball game.

The Aztecs (16-6, 7-2 MW) have won seven of their last eight games and are coming off a 72-63 home victory over Wyoming on Tuesday. They sit near the top of the conference standings. Meanwhile, Air Force (3-19, 0-9) has lost 12 consecutive games and remains the only winless team in Mountain West play.

San Diego State is led by guard Reese Dixon-Waters, who is averaging 17.1 points in conference games. He scored 23 points in 33 minutes against Wyoming and has been in double figures in 12 straight contests. His scoring punch will be central against an Air Force defense allowing a conference-worst 80.2 points per game.

The Falcons, who last won on Dec. 22, are led by forward William Dering. He is coming off a season-high 15 points in a loss at Grand Canyon on Tuesday. Air Force’s offense has been anemic, ranking last in the MW in scoring at 59.8 points per game.

The teams met earlier this season on Dec. 17 in San Diego, with the Aztecs cruising to an 81-58 victory. The Falcons have not defeated San Diego State since 2017, a streak of 15 consecutive losses.

For Air Force, the challenge is monumental. They have lost their nine conference games by an average of 25.2 points. Protecting home court at 5,858-foot Clune Arena, where they are 3-7 this season, is their slim hope for an upset.

San Diego State, which has NCAA Tournament aspirations, cannot afford a slip-up against the league’s bottom dweller as it chases a regular-season title. The Aztecs have shown balance, with Miles Byrd and Miles Heide providing consistent support behind Dixon-Waters.

Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. MST Saturday. The game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.