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Syracuse entered Sunday’s Selection Show unsure if it would receive a spot in the field of 68. Not only did the Orange get in, but they also avoided a play-in game, instead earning the No. 11 seed and a first-round matchup with No. 6 seed San Diego State.

The Aztecs were one of the best teams in the country last year before the tournament was canceled. They aren’t as elite this year, but they’ll face off against Syracuse on Friday at 9:40 p.m. Here are 10 fun facts about San Diego State before the game:

1. It’s my honor

San Diego State joined the California State College system, now the California State University system, in 1960. Three years later, on June 6, 1963, former President John F. Kennedy gave the commencement address at SDSU and became the first recipient of an honorary doctorate in the CSU system five months before his assassination.

2. Aztec influence

The Aztecs were an Indigenous civilization in Mexico that existed from the early 13th to 16th centuries. Today, the university teaches the Aztec language, Náhuatl. Its school colors, red and black, also represent education and literacy in Aztec culture. 

3. Hail Montezuma

SDSU’s fight song and alma mater both include references to Montezuma. Moctezuma II was the ninth ruler of the Aztec Empire and was responsible for expanding and leading the empire at its most powerful point. Montezuma was a mythological hero in several Indigenous cultures in the southwest U.S.

4. The final countdown

San Diego State is the only school to have former athletes win finals MVPs in multiple sports in the same year. Kawhi Leonard was named NBA Finals MVP twice, most recently with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, when he averaged 28.5 points per game in six games. Stephen Strasburg won World Series MVP, also in 2019, after a two-run 8 1/3 inning appearance on the road in Houston in Game 6.

5. Slam Diego love 

San Diego State may have finals MVPs in multiple sports, but it’s still a baseball school, with famous alumni such as Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and Rockies manager Bud Black. Of the 45 former Aztecs to appear in an MLB game, 12 of them played for the Padres at some point, a whopping 27%. Six of the 45 played at SDSU before the Padres were added to the league in 1969.

6. How far I’ll go

At just a 2,521-mile flight, San Diego is closer to Hawaii than it is to Syracuse (2,740 miles). For San Diegans deciding between a tropical beach vacation or a visit to the snowiest city in the U.S., it might be a bit easier to head further west.

7.  Welcome to the show

San Diego State’s student section was named “The Show,” after a video board message in Viejas Arena said “You guys think you’re the whole show.” The Show is known for being one of the loudest and most creative student sections in the country. Ever hold a big head behind the basket during a free throw? That all started at San Diego State.

8. Criticism

One of The Show’s traditions is wearing costumes to games, and in 2010, multiple members of The Show came dressed to a conference game against BYU as Mormon missionaries. Many media members criticized the move. Near the end of the game, with SDSU losing, The Show began to chant “You’re still Mormon.” The following season, when the Cougars came back to San Diego, then-head coach Steve Fisher had to send an email to the student body encouraging them to be more respectful during the game, but few listened.

9. Not a pro city

San Diego’s had a lot of bad luck when it comes to pro sports. It had two NBA teams and an NFL team that all relocated, and the Padres were notoriously awful for a good chunk of their history. San Diego is the largest city in the U.S. to have never won a championship in a Big Four sport. Good thing it has the Aztecs.

10. Old oil can

When Viejas Arena was being built, construction workers dug up an oil can with the word “Fresno” on it. According to the legend, when Fresno State fans drove six hours down to SDSU for football games, they would bring extra oil cans in case they got stuck on a desert highway. Now, the winner of the annual Fresno State-San Diego State football game receives the Old Oil Can trophy, though it’s not the same oil can.

Published on March 19, 2021 at 10:20 am

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