Jordan Schakel and Matt Mitchell scored 15 points each to lead San Diego State to a 73-58 win against No. 22 UCLA in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night in San Diego.
Aguek Arop and Terrell Gomez added 10 points apiece for San Diego State, which returned two starters from last season’s team that finished 30-2 and ranked No. 6.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 17 points, Cody Riley had 14 points and 12 rebounds and Chris Smith contributed 10 points for UCLA.
The Bruins returned five starters this season and added Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang, but the team announced before the game that Juzang was out with a stress reaction in his right foot. In addition, 6-foot-10 forward Jalen Hill, the second-leading scorer and leading rebounder for UCLA last season, was sidelined due to right knee tendinitis.
The Aztecs took a six-point lead into the second half and Mitchell and Schakel opened the scoring with back-to-back 3-pointers to increase the advantage to 40-28.
The Bruins got back within seven, but Gomez hit a deep 3-pointer to push the lead back to double figures with 12:28 left.
After Smith picked up his fourth foul on a charge with 11:09 left, Gomez followed with another trey to make it 53-40.
