As the final seconds ticked away in the San Diego State Aztecs thrilling 57-56 Elite Eight win over the Creighton Bluejays, the Aztecs had finally punched their first trip to college basketball’s biggest stage. For a team that was a trendy Final Four pick in 2020 prior to COVID-19 wrecking the tourney and world, this felt like redemption for the defensive-minded Aztecs.
Transfer Portal Transforms San Diego State
But this wouldn’t have been possible without SDSU taking advantage of the new transfer portal rules. Key players like Darrion Trammell, who transferred in from Seattle University after beginning his collegiate career at a community college. Also Matt Bradley, who transferred in from California, a program that just suffered an abysmal 3-29 season. Bradley got out just in time, and now he’s in the Final Four.
Then there’s Aztecs mainstays like junior Lamont Butler, who led the team with 18 points in Sunday’s win. The highly skilled wing signed with the Aztecs after high school, and honored his commitment. But no player defines what the Aztecs are built on more than fifth-year center Nathan Mensah, who was on the 30-2 team from 2019-20, which had genuine Final Four and national championship potential.
Mensah, the reigning two-time Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year, told reporters this following Sunday’s big win.
“The dream that they had,” Mensah said. “We’re making it a reality.”
“They all came here to win,” Mensah said of the newcomers. “So they are ready to sacrifice anything.”
Aztecs Culture Has Team Two Wins From Improbable Title
Sixth-year head coach Brian Dutcher, who was an assistant under former coach Steve Fisher for 27 years at Michigan and with the Aztecs, has built his team and culture with veteran players.
In Saturday’s postgame interview, Dutcher spoke about his team’s winning culture.
“Our culture is set by our fourth and fifth-year players,” Dutcher told reporters. “The transfers come in, they have to have a culture to come to. We’re not trying to add nine, 10 new guys every year.”
That’s part of it, but the aforementioned Trammell’s mom said the “beautiful weather” in San Diego didn’t hurt matters at all.
Trammell also said he when he signed he felt the team had the type of “DNA” needed to make a run in March.
Depth Is A Huge Factor For Aztecs
All four teams in this year’s Final Four rely on depth. It’s a strength. But for the Aztecs it’s a way of life. They play for one another and believe they all are equal, it’s something Dutcher learned under the aforementioned Fisher who led the 1989 Michigan Wolverines to the national title as their interim coach.
Dutcher said he doesn’t target players in the portal who are looking to score more points with the Aztecs, but instead players who embrace playing a role and being OK with it. He told reporters this on Saturday.
“Depth isn’t a strength unless you embrace it. This team embraces it.”
And because of it they’re 40 minutes from a national title game and just 80 from hoisting a national championship trophy.
How different is this Final Four which consists of SDSU, Florida Atlantic, Miami and UConn?
It’s the first one without a top-3 seed and one without a McDonald’s All-American — since 1979.
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