San Diego State

Reporting from Tucson It took San Diego State 40 years to get this far in the NCAA tournament ? what was two extra overtimes on Saturday? OK, it was actually excruciating. Not "40 minutes of hell," the way Arkansas used to be called. This was 50 minutes of bone-tiring brain drain. San Diego State blew an 11-point first-half lead, squandered away the final minutes of regulation, crawled back from behind in the first overtime but finally outlasted Temple, 71-64, at the McKale Center.

Kevin Norris, an assistant basketball coach under Andy Enfield at Florida Gulf Coast University the last two seasons, has joined Enfield's USC staff. Norris played guard at the University of Miami from 1995 to 1998 and played professionally overseas. " Kevin does a great job of relating to players and is a valuable addition to our program," Enfield said in a statement. Norris joins a staff that also includes new assistants Tony Bland and Jason Hart. Bland, a former San Diego State assistant, played at Westchester High and at Syracuse and San Diego State.

UCLA will play San Diego State in the Wooden Classic on Dec. 1 at Honda Center. The event, founded in 1994, lost some luster this past season, when it was a Pac-12 Conference matchup between the Bruins and Arizona. Playing the Aztecs returns the game to a nonconference game between solid programs. The Aztecs have reached the NCAA tournament the past three seasons. San Diego State, which has won 25 or more games the past four seasons, returns four starters from a team that finished 26-8 and lost to North Carolina State in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Tony Bland, a San Diego State assistant who played for the school and also at Westchester High, has accepted an offer to join USC Coach Andy Enfield's staff as associate head coach, according to a report. Bland told UTSanDiego that Enfield offered him the job last Thursday at the Final Four. Bland's compensation will increase from $120,000 to as much as $300,000, the website said. "I took a risk of losing a lot of money, of losing a chance to really provide for my family, because of my loyalty,” Bland told Mark Zeigler of UTSan Diego.

Had Connecticut guards Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb missed the bus, called in sick, or both fouled out with 38 minutes left, San Diego State might have won Thursday's West Regional semifinal game by 30. But that didn't happen. You talk about a two-man game. Walker and Lamb combined for 60 points to lead Connecticut to a 74-67 win over the Aztecs at the Honda Center to advance to Saturday's regional final game. Florida chases BYU, Jimmer Fredette out of tournament Walker scored 36 and Lamb added 24, which amounted to 81.1% of the Huskies' offense.

Reporting from San Diego ? The weather, save for the odd rainstorm, is consistently sunny and mild. The daily comings and goings of students, faculty and administrators remain largely unchanged. But D.J. Gay, a senior guard on the San Diego State basketball team, senses a shift on and off campus, especially in regard to the Aztecs athletics program. "There's definitely something different in the air," he said. That's what happens when the university's football team qualifies for a bowl game for the first time in more than a decade, and the men's basketball team is unbeaten and ranked seventh nationally.

vs. San Diego State When: 7. Where: Viejas Arena, San Diego. On the air: Radio: 710. Records: USC 1-1, San Diego State 3-1 Records vs. opponent: USC leads all-time, 10-1. Update: The Aztecs reached the NCAA tournament's West Regional semifinals last season, where they lost to eventual national champion Connecticut. Just one starter returns from that 34-3 team: guard Chase Tapley, who is averaging a team-high 21.8 points per game. With a roster featuring just one player taller than 6 feet 8, expect the athletic Aztecs to play up-tempo while USC tries to score in the middle.

SAN DIEGO - The gunman stalked the dormitory halls yelling "I'm going to kill somebody," pounding and kicking on doors, and firing his weapon in the air. The resident assistants remembered their training: turn off the lights, barricade the doors with chairs and tables, lie flat on the floor, push back if the killer tries to bust in, or jump out a window if it isn't too high. The drama was all staged but with a life-saving purpose Tuesday as a dormitory at San Diego State became a stand-in for Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary and the engineering building on the campus here - all scenes of deadly rampages.

at San Diego State 88, Nevada 75: Jamaal Franklin had 23 points and 11 rebounds as the Aztecs (20-7, 8-5 Mountain West) extended their school-record streak of 20-victory seasons to eight. Malik Story made seven of 13 three-point field goals in scoring a game-high 33 points for the Wolf Pack (12-14, 3-9). Cal State Fullerton 63, at Texas A&M Corpus Christi 57: Kwame Vaughn led all scorers with 18 points as the Titans (14-13) won back-to-back games for the first time since early January.

These were not your 2008 UCLA Bruins. Redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince didn't find a red-faced Coach Rick Neuheisel in his face on Saturday, arms flailing as if he were attempting liftoff. The offensive line provided holes to run through, rather than digging them. Bruins fans left the Rose Bowl murmuring sounds of content. There was such a different feel to UCLA's 33-14 victory over San Diego State that defensive players even complained a little about their offense keeping them off the field.

Jamaal Franklin is used to it, being questioned about whether he ever killed snakes with a basketball or saw coyotes out his back door. San Diego State's star guard, one of the best players on the West Coast, just smiles and shakes his head. "If it's possible to be an unknown star," Aztecs Coach Steve Fisher said, "that was Jamaal. " The reason: Franklin was raised and played his high school basketball in Phelan, Calif., a small, rural town near the base of the Wrightwood ski area.

at San Diego State 88, Nevada 75: Jamaal Franklin had 23 points and 11 rebounds as the Aztecs (20-7, 8-5 Mountain West) extended their school-record streak of 20-victory seasons to eight. Malik Story made seven of 13 three-point field goals in scoring a game-high 33 points for the Wolf Pack (12-14, 3-9). Cal State Fullerton 63, at Texas A&M Corpus Christi 57: Kwame Vaughn led all scorers with 18 points as the Titans (14-13) won back-to-back games for the first time since early January.

at Long Beach State 75, UC Riverside 35: The balanced 49ers shot 53% and handed the Highlanders their seventh loss in a row. It was the fewest points Long Beach (16-9, 12-2 Big West) has given up since UC Irvine scored 26 in 1980. Tony Freeland scored 14 points and James Ennis had 12 for the first-place 49ers, who had a 31-19 halftime lead and closed the game with a 28-5 run. Riverside (5-20, 2-11) shot 24%. St. Mary's 61, at Loyola Marymount 50: The Gaels used an early 14-0 run to hand the Lions their 10th consecutive loss.

A list of the Southland's top high school senior football players and where they are headed: Darren Andrews; La Puente Bishop Amat HS; WR; 5-10; 175; UCLA Brandon Arnold; Encino Crespi HS; DB, 6-1; 190; Oregon State Jack Austin; Chino Hills HS; WR; 6-3; 205; California Reginald Bell; Los Angeles Dorsey HS; QB; 6-2; 180; Tulane Marcus Baugh; Riverside North HS; TE; 6-4; 255; Ohio State Nick Begg; Santa Margarita HS; DE;...

Jamaal Franklin, a 6-5 guard at San Diego State, did something Wednesday night that you rarely see in an organized game of basketball, be it on the college or pro level: He threw down a dunk by passing it to himself off the backboard. Very impressive stuff considering he was running at full speed in transition and decided to make the pass from the three-point line. Some bloggers are calling it the dunk of the year. ESPN's SportsCenter made it the No. 1 highlight on Wednesday night.

SAN DIEGO - The gunman stalked the dormitory halls yelling "I'm going to kill somebody," pounding and kicking on doors, and firing his weapon in the air. The resident assistants remembered their training: turn off the lights, barricade the doors with chairs and tables, lie flat on the floor, push back if the killer tries to bust in, or jump out a window if it isn't too high. The drama was all staged but with a life-saving purpose Tuesday as a dormitory at San Diego State became a stand-in for Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary and the engineering building on the campus here - all scenes of deadly rampages.

No. 6 Texas Christian 55, at San Diego State 12: Andy Dalton threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more to lead the Horned Frogs (8-0, 4-0) over the Aztecs (4-5, 2-3) for their 11th straight. TCU jumped in front with touchdowns on five of their first six possessions. Dalton scored on runs of 13 and seven yards as TCU held a 31-6 halftime lead. In other games involving Mountain West teams: Jordan Wynn passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns in his first college start to lead No. 17 Utah (8-1, 5-0)

SAN DIEGO - The Poinsettia Bowl dragged into the fourth quarter, no touchdowns for either team, no excitement for the national television audience. To that point, the star of the game was the punter for Brigham Young, Riley Stephenson. By the time the evening was done, Stephenson had forced San Diego State to start a drive inside its five-yard line four times. The Aztecs started each drive by handing the ball to tailback Adam Muema. This time, after a San Diego State interception, the Aztecs started a drive on their three and tried the pass.

Click here to download TV listings for the week Dec. 9 - 15 in PDF format This week's TV Movies       SERIES 30 for 30:  This new episode profiles Bo Jackson, a two-sport athlete who excelled in the NFL and Major League Baseball (6 p.m. ESPN and 9 p.m. ESPN2). Saturday Night Live:   Jamie Foxx hosts and Ne-Yo performs (11:29 p.m. NBC). SPECIALS White House Christmas: Through the Years:  This new special recalls the holiday decorations at the nation's President's residence (7 p.m. HGTV)