San Diego State dominates Furman 75-52 to reach Sweet 16

ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) — San Diego State had little trouble ending the run of MarchMadness darling Furman, getting 16 points from Micah Parrish topace a balanced scoring attack and pulling away for a 75-52 win onSaturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

DarrionTrammell had 13 points, Lamont Butler added 12 and leading scorerMatt Bradley finished with 10 for San Diego State (29-6), which isheading to its first Sweet 16 since 2004.

Thefifth-seeded Aztecs have won 11 of their past 13 games and willplay top overall seed Alabama next week in the South Regionsemifinals in Louisville, Kentucky.

“You shouldplay your best at the end of the season, and we’re playing our bestbasketball as the end of the season,” coach Brian Dutcher said.

“Obviously wehang our hat on defense. That’s the one thing that we do everygame,” Dutcher added. “Then when we get the opportunity, we startmaking shots and play good offensively, then we’re very good.”

San DiegoState is the first Mountain West Conference team to reach the Sweet16 since Nevada in 2018. It’ll be the third regional semifinalappearance for the Aztecs and the seventh for the Mountain Westoverall.

Two daysafter shrugging off cold shooting and overcoming a 12-point,second-half deficitto shock No. 4 seed Virginia68-67on JP Pegues’ bracket-busting 3-pointer, Furman wasoutmuscled and gradually worn down by the much more physicalAztecs.

The Paladinsfeel they still showed they belong in March Madness.

“We wish wewould have played better. Wish we would have shot the ball a littlebit better. But some of that you have to give credit to (San DiegoState). But there’s nothing that can take away what this group hasdone,” coach Bob Richey said.

“It’s anunbelievable story, and I couldn’t be more proud of our team, at atime where I’m extremely disappointed that we didn’t advance,”Richey added. “But it’s really hard to not pull the lens back alittle bit and still see what that group was able toaccomplish.”

San DiegoState led 39-25 at the half, getting 14 points off the bench fromParrish and limiting Furman to one field goal over the final 11minutes leading into the break.

The Aztecstook control during a 15-0 run that turned a two-point deficit intoa 30-17 lead. Furman missed seven straight shots and turned theball over four times during a 9:56 field goal drought that dumpedthe Paladins into the big halftime hole.

SouthernConference player and the year Jalen Slawson picked up his fourthfoul with 16:27 remaining and fouled out shortly after returningmidway through the second half. The super senior stomped the floorin frustration, drawing a technical foul that gave San Diego Statea pair of free throws that put the Aztecs up 60-37.

Mike Bothwellled the 13th-seeded Paladins (28-8) with 15 points. Alex Williamshad 11 and Pegues finished with 11 as Furman shot 32%, including 6of 26 from 3-point range.

Like Slawson,Bothwell is a super senior who returned to Furman for a fifthseason after the Paladins were denied the Southern Conference’sautomatic NCAA Tournament berth by a buzzer-beater in their leaguechampionship game.

Making thisyear’s field, then getting Furman’s first win in the tournament in49 years, created memories that’ll last a lifetime.

“It’ssomething no one can take away from this team,” Bothwell said.“Greatest team in the school’s history. No one has won more gamesthan us, and we enjoyed it. That’s the best part about it.”

BIGPICTURE

Furman: ThePaladins lose Slawson and Bothwell, but feel they’ve set the tonefor continued success.

“Sometimeswhat success can do is make you complacent, and I think thechallenge going forward for us is to understand this has to make ushungrier,” Richey said. “This has to push us every day to want toget back here and continue to show that we belong in the NCAATournament.”

San DiegoState: The Aztecs are 0-2 in Sweet 16 games. Dutcher feels thisteam is capable of going further.

“Now thatwe’ve settled into the rhythm, and we know what this is about, Ithink we’ll play better moving forward,” the coach said. “Andthat’s really encouraging moving into the Sweet 16.”