Magoon Gwath is set to make his much-anticipated season debut when his San Diego State Aztecs host a Troy team that will be playing its third game in five days as part of a four-game swing through Southern California. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Viejas Arena.
Gwath hasn’t played since the Aztecs’ loss to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four. He had surgery on his right knee in late April and was only recently cleared for contact in practice.
The Aztecs (2-0) want to be careful with their 7-foot rim protector, who missed most of the last five regular-season games plus the Mountain West Tournament quarterfinal loss to Boise State.
Despite missing so much time at the end of the season, Gwath was still named the MW Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, as well as to the All-Defensive Team.
He withdrew from the transfer portal and the NBA Draft to return to Montezuma Mesa for one more season. His 68 blocks set an SDSU freshman record. He averaged 8.5 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Troy (3-2) lost 74-63 at Loyola Marymount on Friday and 94-85 at Cal State Northridge on Sunday. The Trojans will finish their SoCal swing by visiting the Southern California Trojans on Thursday night.
It’ll still be a good test for the Aztecs as the Trojans have five players scoring in double figures, led by guard Cooper Campbell at 15.8 points per game.
Troy guard Cooper Campbell (3). / Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Troy was 23-11 last year, when it lost 76-57 to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
The series is tied 1-1, with both previous games being played at Viejas Arena. The last meeting was on December 5, 2022, when then No. 22-ranked San Diego State won 60-55.
The Aztecs have three players averaging double digits, led by guard Reese Dixon-Waters with 15 points per game.
The Aztecs are close to breaking into The Associated Press Top 25, and a good performance against the Trojans could give them the push they need with the voters.
This game will finish a three-game, season-opening homestand for the Aztecs. This will be their final tuneup for the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, where the Aztecs will face No. 7 Michigan on Nov. 24 and Oregon on Nov. 25. Their third opponent will be determined by the results of the first two games.
Below is a look at how to watch San Diego State’s home game against Troy on Tuesday night:
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
Game time: 7 p.m. PT
Where: Viejas Arena
How to watch: KUSI-TV (local)
How to listen: San Diego Sports 760
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