LAS VEGAS — The first 5 minutes were perfect.
Fast-paced, shot-making and strong defense.
It was a blueprint for how the Colorado State men’s basketball team wants to play San Diego State.
Then it flipped and San Diego State controlled the pay and pace most the rest of the way.
It was a game in the style of the Aztecs mold and it led to a San Diego State 63-58 win in the Mountain West semifinals late, late Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.
No. 3 San Diego State (23-7) used early 3-point shooting to overcome the early lead for No. 2 CSU (25-5) and dominant defense and rebounding to build a nine-point halftime lead.
San Diego State briefly built a double-digit lead early in the second half but for almost all the final 20 minutes it hovered in the six-to-eight-point margin and then CSU made its surge.
>>Video above: Impressive CSU basketball season drawing record attendance numbers
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