By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — San Diego State had little trouble ending the March Madness favorite Furman’s streak, getting 16 points from Micah Parrish to set the pace for a balanced scoring attack. and post a 75-52 win on Saturday in the second round. of the NCAA Tournament.
Darrion Trammell had 13 points, Lamont Butler added 12 and leading scorer Matt Bradley finished with 10 for San Diego State (29-6), which is heading to its first Sweet 16 since 2004. The Aztecs have won 11 of their last 13 games. and will play either Alabama or Maryland next week in the Southern Region semifinals in Louisville, Kentucky.
San Diego State is the first team from the Mountain West Conference to reach the Sweet 16 since Nevada in 2018. It will be the third regional semifinal for the Aztecs and the seventh for the Mountain West overall.
Two days after shrugging off cold shots and overcoming a 12-point second-half deficit to shock No.4 seed Virginia 68-67 on a 3-pointer by JP Pegues, Furman was out-muscled and gradually worn away by the much older physical Aztecs.
Conference South player of the year Jalen Slawson committed his fourth foul with 16:27 remaining and fouled out shortly after returning midway through the second half. The super senior stomped on the floor in protest, drawing a technical foul that gave San Diego State a pair of free throws that put the Aztecs up 60-37.
Mike Bothwell led the Paladins (28-8) with 15 points. Alex Williams had 11 and Pegues finished with 11 as Furman shot 32%, including 6-for-26 from 3-point range.
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