LAS VEGAS – In a challenging matchup at the Players Era Festival, San Diego State faced off against the No. 7 Michigan Wolverines, suffering a loss with a score of 94-54. Despite the defeat, freshman Elzie Harrington shone brightly for the Aztecs, recording a career-high 15 points in the game.
San Diego State (2-2) started the game with energy, netting the first five points, thanks to a layup from Taj DeGourville and a three-pointer from Miles Byrd. The beginning of the first half saw back-and-forth scoring, with SDSU responding to Michigan’s efforts through timely shots from players like Reese Dixon-Waters and BJ Davis, bringing the deficit down to nine points at one stage.
Harrington’s contributions were crucial as he successfully hit multiple jumpers, closing the gap to nine just before halftime. By the break, however, Michigan maintained a solid lead, up by 12 points.
In the second half, although Michigan opened the scoring, Harrington continued to find his rhythm, adding to his tally after a couple of free throws from his teammate Magoon Gwath. The Aztecs capitalized on free throw opportunities, finishing the second half with an impressive 81.8% shooting rate from the charity stripe.
BJ Davis also made notable contributions, reaching double figures with his second three-pointer of the night. Meanwhile, Miles Heide had an impressive game, grabbing eight rebounds—five offensive—and posting a game-high five assists, surpassing his previous career best.
For Michigan, Yaxel Lendeborg led the scoring with 15 points and delivered four assists, while Aday Mara contributed significantly with eight rebounds.
Despite the setback, the Aztecs showed resilience, making strides in their performance from the free-throw line compared to their field goal shooting percentage. They will look to bounce back as they prepare for their next game against the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. PT, a match that will be broadcasted on TNT and San Diego Sports 760. Fans will be keen to see if San Diego State can turn their fortunes around.