San Diego State forward Winston Shepard is fouled while shooting by Cal State Northridge Landon Drew during the first half of a NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 14, 2014, in Carlsbad, Calif. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) (The Associated Press)
SAN DIEGO – Aqeel Quinn scored 15 points and Winston Shephard had 14 for the No. 16 San Diego State Aztecs, who ran past undermanned Cal State Northridge to open the season with a 79-58 victory Friday night.
JJ O'Brien scored 13 and Dwayne Polee II had 11 for SDSU, which is coming off a 31-5 season that included the second trip to the Sweet 16 in school history.
It was an unbracketed game in the Maui Invitational. While CSUN is in the mainland portion of the tournament, the Aztecs actually get to go to Maui, opening with a game against BYU on Nov. 24.
SDSU has won 15 straight games at home and 42 straight against California schools.
Stephan Hicks scored 16 while Stephen Maxwell had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Matadors, who suited up only 10 players. CSUN announced earlier this month that several players are sitting out while the university investigates whether they violated team rules and university policies.
Landon Drew came out with an injury midway through the second half and Tre Hale-Edmerson fouled out with about six minutes left, giving the Matadors just eight available players.
Shepard scored 11 in the first 20 minutes, and the Aztecs shook off the Matadors and raced to a 41-21 halftime lead.
CSUN to an early 11-8 lead before the Aztecs went on a 9-0 run, which included a bucket and free throw by Shepard and a jump-hook by Angelo Chol, a transfer from Arizona who attended San Diego's Hoover High. SDSU later had an 8-0 run that started on a spin move layup by freshman Kevin Zabo.
Quinn made consecutive 3-pointers to give the Aztecs a 49-33 lead with 13 minutes left.
SDSU's Skylar Spencer matched his career-high with six blocked shots.
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TIP-INS
CSUN: A fan in SDSU's student section, "The Show," was haranguing Matadors coach Reggie Theus, a former NBA star, early and often. At one point, Theus turned and gave a hat-tip motion to the fan.
SDSU: The Aztecs unveiled two new banners at Viejas Arena, for winning the Mountain West Conference regular-season title and for making the school's second Sweet 16 appearance in four seasons.
UP NEXT
CSUN visits Arizona on Sunday.
SDSU hosts No. 25 Utah on Tuesday.
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