SAN DIEGO – Cal State San Marcos went into the half tied with San Diego State, but the Aztecs opened the second stanza on a 17-5 run in SDSU's eventual 67-46 victory in an exhibition Thursday evening at Viejas Arena.

Jacob Ranger registered 10 points, Quincy Lawson and Ali Langford added eight apiece, and the Cougars stood pat with the Aztecs, 26-26, for the first 20 minutes of SDSU's first-ever sold out exhibition. CSUSM held SDSU to 8-for-25 from the field, including 2-for-10 on three-pointers, and forced the Aztecs into 11 turnovers in the first stanza.

However, the Aztecs made two-thirds of their shots (16-for-24) in the second half while holding the Cougars to just 25-percent (9-for-35) from the field. In addition, SDSU converted nine of its first 10 field goals of the second half.

“I feel good about our team. This is the first time we've played this season. This is a big time crowd and our guys responded and played pretty well. I think we'll be a hard team to beat at our level,” said CSUSM head coach Jim Saia.

The Cougars certainly weren't intimidated by the red-and-black-clad fans who packed the 12,414-seat Arena.

After the Aztecs won the tip, Quincy Lawson silenced a deafening SDSU student section by swatting Jamaal Franklin's baseline three-pointer into the second row. Still, SDSU jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead, punctuated by a put-back dunk by Franklin.
Bryan Emanuel subbed in and immediately drained a three to cut the lead in half. Langford converted an open lay-up to make it 6-5.

Jose Rivera connected with a three-pointer and the Cougars took an 8-6 lead into the first media timeout at the 14:35 mark.

CSUSM found itself down after a handful of made free-throws, but pulled even at 16-16 when Langford put back a rebound off a missed free throw by Ranger at the 5:11 mark. Ranger followed by converting an open jumper his next trip down the court before draining a three with 3:20 remaining to hand CSUSM a 21-19 lead.

Chase Tapley answered with a three pointer of his own and Xavier Thames made a contested layup as the Aztecs jumped back up 24-21.

CSUSM refused to let the game get away, as Danny Redmon's left-handed lay-up brought the Cougars within one. Rivera made one-of-two from the stripe and Langford drained a pair of free throws with 34 seconds left to tie it at 26-26 heading into the break.

SDSU went 2-for-10 from three and turned the ball over 11 times in the half. The second half was a different story, though.

Tapley opened with a three on the Aztecs' first possession. Lawson answered with a lay-up, but DeShawn Stevens and JJ O'Brien registered back-to-back baskets to force Saia to take a timeout at the 18:35 mark down by five.

Redmon's lay-up out of the timeout was the only Cougar field goal until Langford put one in with 14:44 remaining to bring the Cougars within 10, 43-33.

Dwayne Polee II scored on consecutive possessions and Winston Shepard converted a three-point play to put SDSU up 50-35. James Rahon answered Emanuel's layup and another three pointer by Tapley made the score 55-37 with 9:27 left.

The Cougars would trim the lead to 13, 59-46, after Ranger hit a three, Lawson scored on an up-and-under layup and Adam Eakles hit a turn-around jumper in the lane on consecutive possessions. However, Eakles' basket at the 5:30 mark would be the last time CSUSM would score.

Tapley led all scorers with 14 points and Stephens pitched-in with 10 for the Aztecs.

CSUSM will travel to play Fresno Pacific on Saturday to officially kickoff the season.