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Mountain West Conference Tournament Recaps

Sat 13th, March 2010

Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Kawhi Leonard scored 16 points and set a Mountain West Conference Tournament record with 21 rebounds as San Diego State punched its ticket to the Big Dance with a 55-45 win over UNLV on the Runnin' Rebels' home floor.

Leonard went 8-for-8 from the foul line over the game's final two minutes as San Diego State won the tournament for the first time since 2006.

"I just came out wanting to win, so I just crashed every board and just got the opportunity to get the rebound," Leonard said. "And when I just stepped up to the free-throw line, I was just thinking, just win. So I just had to make all my free throws for us to win."

On Friday, the Aztecs (25-8) took out eighth-ranked New Mexico, 72-69. A day later, they won their third MWC tourney, tying UNLV for the most championships in the conference's history.

D.J. Gay added 11 points for San Diego State on an incredible day for the school with a pair of NCAA Tournament berths. Earlier Saturday, the women's basketball team topped Utah in overtime for the MWC tournament crown.

Oscar Bellfield and Tre'Von Willis each scored 11, while Chace Stanback scored 10 for UNLV (25-8), which edged BYU in the semifinals.

"I think we were a little tentative offensively," UNLV guard Kendall Wallace said. "I think that caused us to make a few turnovers. Their defense, you have to give credit to their defense as well. They were sagging in a little bit. They weren't giving us open looks. They're a long team. They gave us some problems."

Leonard's two free throws with 1:54 left boosted SDSU to a 48-42 lead, ending a 14-4 run for the Aztecs. He sank two more with 54.6 showing on the clock.

Bellfield sank a three-pointer with 43.4 seconds left, but Leonard sealed the victory at the charity stripe and sent the Aztecs to the postseason for a fifth straight year.

It was tight throughout the first half, but the Aztecs held a 25-22 edge at intermission.

UNLV scored eight in a row for a 34-30 lead, as Wallace capped the burst with a three-pointer with under 14 minutes left. It was 38-34 UNVL following a Stanback three-ball inside 13 minutes to go.

Game Notes

Before this season, at no time in the school's 89 seasons of basketball had San Diego State advanced to postseason play five straight years or won at least 20 games five years in a row...SDSU held a 37-26 rebounding advantage...UNLV finished at 32.7 percent from the field.