SDSU vs. UNLV

When: 5 p.m. Saturday

Where: Viejas Arena

On the air: CBSSN; 760-AM

Records: SDSU is 11-4 (4-2); UNLV is 10-7 (4-2)

Series history: SDSU leads 44-38 and has won 23 of the last 26. UNLV, however, won the most recent regular-season meeting, 62-58 in Las Vegas last March. Nine days later, the Aztecs won 74-71 in overtime in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament.

Aztecs update: They put their 67-game win streak in Quad 3 or lower games on the line against the last school to beat them in one: UNLV in 2020 at Viejas Arena after SDSU had opened the season 26-0. The Aztecs remain solidly in the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, who has them as a 9 seed. Utah State and New Mexico are the only other Mountain West teams in his bracket (although the Lobos have slipped to one of the last teams in). Rebounding has been an issue all season, but UNLV is statistically even worse. The Aztecs rank 214th nationally in keeping opponents off the offensive boards; the Rebels are 322nd. Since 2013-14, SDSU leads the Mountain West with an .874 winning percentage (90-13) in home conference games. Boise State is second at .788 (82-22). Utah State and Nevada are the only other programs above .700. Senior guard Reese Waters, out all season with a stress fracture in his foot, has his next bone scan scheduled for Monday. The Kenpom metric projects a 71-59 Aztecs win. All fans entering Viejas Arena will receive a Brian Dutcher bobblehead. In addition, it is the annual ALS Awareness Game, with fans raising placards during a timeout to honor, remember and advocate for those afflicted with ALS.

Rebels update: They were 9-0 against teams outside the top 100 of the major metrics and 0-7 against teams inside it until Wednesday’s 65-62 home win against Utah State, which is No. 22 in the Associated Press poll. Last year, they had a similar big home win in January (against New Mexico) that untracked an underperforming season and they went on a 10-1 run, their best 11-game conference stretch since 1992. That got them into the NIT and they won their first postseason game in 16 years, reaching the quarterfinals. This team, like the last few editions under fourth-year coach Kevin Kruger, is filled with transfers. Only one starter is back: point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (15.6 points, 4.5 assists). Another starter returned in forward Rob Whaley Jr., but he’s been injured for all but two games and is expected to take a medical redshirt. Also back is guard Jalen Hill, who tore knee ligaments in last year’s game at Viejas Arena, a 72-61 Aztecs win on Jan. 6. The Oklahoma transfer had his best game of the season in the Utah State win with 15 points (7 of 9 shooting) and eight rebounds. Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry, a 6-11, 280-pound San Diego native who spent two seasons at a JC in New Mexico, is averaging 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. The Rebels rank second in the Mountain West in 3-point accuracy at 37.1%. They’re 102nd in Kenpom, 109th in the NET.

Next up: Wednesday at Air Force (7 p.m. PST, CBSSN)

— MARK ZEIGLER