San Diego State’s inaugural Pac-12 Conference men’s basketball schedule brings a lean 16-game round-robin format alongside a tight scheduling quirk for marquee matchups against Gonzaga. Released on Wednesday morning, the conference slate reveals that the Aztecs will play the Bulldogs on Feb. 6 at Viejas Arena and Feb. 27 in Spokane, with both games preceded by contests just two days earlier.
The Scheduling Quirk Ahead of Gonzaga Matchups
The 16-game conference schedule forces San Diego State into a demanding turnaround for both meetings with Gonzaga. The Aztecs host Utah State on Thursday, Feb. 4, before facing the Bulldogs on Saturday, Feb. 6. Three weeks later, they host Oregon State on Thursday, Feb. 25, before traveling to Spokane for a Saturday, Feb. 27 matchup.
That setup limits teams to a single, abbreviated practice prior to facing the powerhouse. “It’s a walk-through, travel and play the next day,” SDSU coach Brian Dutcher said. “That’s tough. I would have loved more prep to play the Zags, but obviously it didn’t happen. We’ll prepare and we’ll be ready to play. Trust me, it won’t be hard to get fired up to play the Zags.” The configuration marks the only time during the conference season that the Aztecs play twice in three days, reflecting a television-driven schedule.
Expansion of Nonconference Play and Key Dates
Because the new Pac-12 features just nine teams—the eight football members plus Gonzaga—the conference schedule drops from the 20-game slates common in the Mountain West to 16 games. That reduction allows San Diego State to load up its nonconference schedule to 14 games plus three preseason exhibitions, providing Dutcher more autonomy over team scheduling.
The Aztecs open conference play on Jan. 6 at Oregon State, a departure from previous seasons when conference play began earlier in January. Their nonconference schedule features high-profile tests, including exhibition games at Arizona on Oct. 16 and at home against USC on Oct. 23, alongside a matchup against New Mexico State on Nov. 15 at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, where tickets go on sale Monday via AXS.com.
Complete 2026-27 San Diego State Pac-12 Schedule
- Jan. 6: at Oregon State
- Jan. 9: Fresno State
- Jan. 14: Colorado State
- Jan. 17: at Washington State
- Jan. 20: Texas State
- Jan. 23: at Boise State
- Jan. 30: at Colorado State
- Feb. 4: Utah State
- Feb. 6: Gonzaga
- Feb. 11: at Texas State
- Feb. 17: at Utah State
- Feb. 20: Washington State
- Feb. 25: Oregon State
- Feb. 27: at Gonzaga
- March 3: at Fresno State
- March 6: Boise State
Tip times and television network assignments for the conference slate will be finalized next month.
Staff Promotions and Roster Continuity
Alongside schedule announcements, San Diego State confirmed internal staff promotions. Shane Geschwind moves into the newly created role of director of player affairs, shifting from his previous post as a graduate assistant. Geschwind, who began his tenure as a student manager, will oversee player development and international recruiting. His former graduate assistant position is filled by Dakarai Allen, a 6-foot-5 wing who played for the Aztecs from 2013 to 2017. Allen earned Mountain West defensive player of the year honors as a senior and ranks 10th in school history with 99 victories.