SDSU Claims City Championship

By Jon Greene

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State University claimed the City Championship Monday night with a 69-64 victory over the University of San Diego at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. Lorrenzo Wade led the Aztecs with 14 points, scoring six straight of those during the stretch run of the contest. SDSU upped its record to 5-0 for the second consecutive season.

The Toreros dropped to to 2-2 under first-year coach Bill Grier. Brandon Johnson and Gyno Pomare both tallied 20 points for USD. Pomare also had 10 rebounds. Johnson had a terrific first half scoring 16 points, but was shut down in the second half. "If you had told me that we would shoot 48 percent and outrebound them, I would have thought we would win," said Grier. USD outrebounded the Aztecs 33-19.

The Aztecs are becoming a solid road team, having won four of their first five contests away from Cox Arena. "You go into someone else's building, even though it's only a five-mile drive, and that's an accomplishment," said Aztecs head coach Steve Fisher.

SERIES NOTES
* The Aztecs defeat San Diego on the USD campus for just the second time since 1975

*SDSU is now 2-2 at Jenny Craig Pavilion and 6-7 at USD

*San Diego State improves to 22-17 in the history of the series.

* Since 2003, San Diego State owns a 5-1 record vs. the Toreros.

* The Aztecs are now 8-1 vs. San Diego when entering the game with an undefeated record.

North County Sports Photos/Jon Greene
SDSU's Billy White is covered by USD's Chris Lewis.
USD's Gyno Pomare puts back a rebound.
USD's Brandon Johnson attempts a shot.