SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — In a game defined by rugged defense and a decisive disparity at the free-throw line, the San Diego State Aztecs grinded out a 72-63 victory over the Wyoming Cowboys in a Mountain West Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at a sold-out Viejas Arena.

A crowd of 11,614 watched the Aztecs improve to 16-6 overall, while Wyoming fell to 13-10. The win completed a regular-season sweep for San Diego State, which defeated the Cowboys by 17 points in Laramie just three weeks prior.

The contest was a stark contrast in offensive efficiency. San Diego State, despite connecting on only 3 of 18 attempts from beyond the arc, leveraged its physicality to consistently attack the basket, earning 36 free-throw attempts and converting 23. Wyoming, meanwhile, struggled mightily from the field, shooting just 32.1 percent on 17-of-53 shooting, including 9 of 32 from three-point range. The Cowboys kept pace by making 20 of their 26 free throws and winning the offensive rebounding battle 11-8, but 13 turnovers and the Aztecs’ relentless interior pressure proved too much to overcome.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded late in the first half. After a competitive opening 15 minutes that saw Wyoming lead 19-17, San Diego State unleashed a 16-2 run to seize control. The surge was fueled by defensive stops and opportunistic scoring, primarily from forward Pharaoh Compton and guard Reese Dixon-Waters. Compton scored six points during the stretch, all at the rim, while the Aztecs forced four Wyoming turnovers. A three-pointer by Jeremiah Oden and a layup from Tae Simmons capped the run, giving San Diego State a 33-21 advantage with under four minutes remaining in the half.

Wyoming guard Khaden Bennett stopped the bleeding with a three-pointer, but the Aztecs closed the half strong, taking a 35-24 lead into the locker room. The Cowboys shot a frigid 28 percent in the opening period, a deficit from which they could never fully recover.

The second half saw Wyoming chip away, multiple times narrowing the gap to single digits. A three-pointer by Damarion Dennis with 7:14 to play cut the Aztec lead to 56-52, injecting tension back into the building. Each time, however, San Diego State had an answer, usually from Dixon-Waters or at the foul line.

Dixon-Waters, a 6-foot-6 guard from Long Beach, California, was the game’s standout performer, scoring a game-high 23 points. He was instrumental in halting Wyoming’s momentum, answering Dennis’s three with a difficult turnaround jumper on the next possession. He finished an efficient 6 of 11 from the field and a perfect 9 of 9 from the free-throw line, adding three assists and two steals in 33 minutes.

Miles Byrd provided crucial support for the Aztecs with 12 points, three assists and two blocks. Miles Heide and Pharaoh Compton each added eight points, with Compton’s energy off the bench during the first-half run proving pivotal.

For Wyoming, Bennett led the way with 14 points and four assists, but required 14 shot attempts to get there. Damarion Dennis also scored 14, and Uriyah Rojas contributed 11 points and a team-high five assists. The Cowboys’ offensive rating of 93.5 on 67 possessions underscored their struggles to generate clean looks against the Aztecs’ formidable defense, which posted a 104.2 rating on 69 possessions.

San Diego State’s ability to win despite a poor three-point shooting night highlighted its formula: defend tenaciously, control the paint and win the battle at the charity stripe. The Aztecs outscored Wyoming by 15 points from the line, a margin that directly accounted for the final scoring difference.

Wyoming will look to rebound when it hosts Utah State on Saturday. San Diego State hits the road for its next contest, a conference matchup at Air Force on Saturday.