San Diego State basketball: Aztecs have a loaded schedule

San Diego State's non-conference schedule is filled with top end teams and a few clunkers, but overall this is a challenging slate that will help their RPI. The Aztecs' schedule is highlighted by taking on Utah as part of ESPN's 24-hour marathon, Kansas and Cal in the Las Vegas Invitational.

However, Illinois State is a solid Missouri Valley team that won 22 games and had an RPI in the top 70 last year, Long Beach State is traditionally a solid Big West team and in the top 100. It is also possible that the Aztecs could take on West Virginia at the Las Vegas Invitational.

"It's a challenge, there's no question about it, if you look at who we're playing and where," head coach Steve Fisher said. "But you want to play some good people. Our kids want to play some good people. We need to find ways to beat enough of them, and we've done that in the past. Now we've got to continue doing that."

There is also the unique game of playing San Diego at Petco Park and weird things can happen in games in an unusual setting.

Here is the complete non-conference schedule.

Nov. 2: Cal State San Marcos (exhibition)
Nov. 13: Illinois State
Nov. 16: at Utah, 6:30 p.m. PST on ESPN2
Nov. 18: San Diego Christian
Nov. 21: Little Rock
Nov. 23: East Carolina
Nov. 26: Cal (Las Vegas Invitational, Orleans Arena), 9 p.m. on Fox Sports 1
Nov. 27: West Virginia or Richmond (Las Vegas Invitational, Orleans Arena), 5 or 7:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 1
Dec. 1: at Long Beach State
Dec. 5: USD at Petco Park, 2 p.m.
Dec. 7: Biola
Dec. 10: Nicholls State
Dec. 18: Grand Canyon
Dec. 22: Kansas