SDSU Basketball: Aztecs ready for future, on the court and in the stands

SDSU Coach Steve Fisher illustrated Aztec basketball's future perfectly in the closing seconds of SDSU's final NCAA Team Confidential video called "We just came up short." (A tear-jerker for the SDSU faithful.)

"I know we have continued to elevate our national perception in terms of who we are, expectations for our program. Now I think people all over the country are expecting us to be good," Fisher said. "I like that kind of pressure. Let's let the world know that we have a program that is to be reckoned with game in and game out, and that we can play with people all over the country who have bigger reputations because of their track record, their history. We're growing ours, and we're growing it by leaps and bounds."

It's true. This team was supposed to finish fourth in the Mountain West Conference and received zero Associated Press Top 25 votes to open the season. Then with defense, poise and confidence, the Aztecs won 31 games, took the MWC crown and spent eight weeks in the Associated Press top 10. As Fisher said, that unexpected success proves that SDSU is much more than a powerful team--it's a powerful program, and it's just getting started.

The SDSU fans--especially The Show--are just getting started, too. Over the past three to four years, The Show has entered a national spotlight of its own as one of the best, most dedicated fan bases in the country. Whether SDSU won or lost, it doesn't matter: The Show backs the team up. SDSU fans are more than ready to keep growing as the rowdiest fan base in the country, and are eager to do so on the big stage with its rapidly ascending team. Over 17,000 fans attended this game, and I would say at least two-thirds wore red and black. It was COMPLETELY a home atmosphere for the Aztecs, with any Wildcat cheers immediately drowned out by an SDSU cheer. It sounded exactly like a home game at Viejas Arena--just a little more spread out. Several "I Believe" chants, several "Victorious" songs, a LOT of fight songs. It was honestly very cool to see SDSU support its team so much at a "neutral" site.

Check out this video from the Sweet 16 in "Viejas North."