This Wednesday, the Mountain West Conference Tournament officially kicked off, and a day later, the San Diego State Aztecs won the first of the quarterfinal games over the Air Force Falcons, 73-60.

Air Force led by eight just minutes into the second half but was silenced shortly after due to the offensive and defensive success of the Aztecs starters. The Aztecs were 80% favorites entering the game and after a slow start, delivered on both sides of the ball, leading to a 13-point win.

This was the fourth straight slow start for the Aztecs and many Aztecs fans are concerned about their motivation and effort, but San Diego State just continues to deliver and show why they are a top-five team in the nation.

The 1-seed in the tournament improved to 29-1, while the Air Force Falcons fell to 12-20 in their final game of the season.

The Aztecs’ winning effort was led by Malachi Flynn, Yanni Wetzell and Jordan Schakel. Flynn scored 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Wetzell scored 16 points with three rebounds. And Schakel scored 17 points and shot a career-tying five threes with four rebounds.

The Falcons played a good game but came up a bit short. Their effort was led by A.J. Walker, Sid Tomes and Caleb Morris. Walker scored 18 points with three rebounds and three assists. Tomes scored 10 points with five rebounds and Morris scored 12 points with four rebounds.

Despite not defending the three very well, the Aztecs allowed just about their average in points for the game and shot 50% from the floor. The Aztecs, who are no. 4 in Net Rankings and no. 5 in the AP Poll, are fighting for a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament, and more importantly, the 1-seed in the West bracket.

The Aztecs next game will be Friday night at 6 p.m. PT against the winner of Boise State vs UNLV. The game will be broadcasted on CBSSN from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.