These 5 games could decide Aztecs’ 2025-26 men’s basketball season

San Diego State opens its 2025-26 men’s basketball season on Tuesday night. It won’t be long until the Aztecs are taking on some of college basketball’s best. Here’s a look at five key games as the Aztecs embark on their final season in the Mountain West before departing for the Pac-12:

Nov. 24 vs. No. 7 Michigan (TruTV)

The opener of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas figures to be the Aztecs’ highest-ranked opponent during the regular season. It’s followed the next day by Oregon, a revenge match after the Ducks beat them in the same tournament last year.

Dec. 20 vs. No. 13 Arizona (ESPN2)

The game at Phoenix’s Mortgage Matchup Center likely will be a better gauge of the Aztecs, since Magoon Gwath should be fully healthy and integrated by then. The Wildcats have won four straight in the series, the last two coming at the Maui Invitational in 2014 and 2022.

Jan. 21 at Grand Canyon (FS1)

The Aztecs make their second trip to Phoenix in a month, this time to face controversial new conference member GCU in one of the nation’s most raucous home-court atmospheres. They know it well, losing nonconference games there in 2016 and 2023.

Jan. 31 at Utah State (CBS)

The second of three conference games on big-boy CBS, the Aztecs return to their personal house of horrors, having lost five of the last six at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 4,652 feet. It’s also where Gwath injured his knee last season in the opening moments of a 79-71 loss.

Feb. 27 at New Mexico (CBS)

This is SDSU’s final trip to The Pit as part of the Mountain West, and maybe its last forever. Coach Brian Dutcher has said he’ll entertain nonconference series against former Mountain West brethren after leaving for the Pac-12 next season … but not those at elevation.