In a game that many had pegged as a likely upset, San Diego State proved too much for Oklahoma to handle, defeating the Sooners 70-55 despite a first half deficit. Oklahoma led the Aztecs 33-31 at halftime, but San Diego State won the second half by a 17 point margin to overcome the deficit.
Leading scorer Jamaal Franklin, who averages 16.7 ppg for the Aztecs, turned in a dominant performance with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Reserve guard James Rahon also contributed 17 points. The Senior averages only 6.5 ppg for San Diego State.
Romero Osby paced the way for the Sooners with 22 points.
The Aztecs will face Florida Gulf Coast in Round 2 on Sunday. FGC turned in a thorough victory over second seeded Georgetown and look like a Cinderella that could wear the glass slipper for a little longer.
If the Aztecs advance to the Sweet Sixteen, they will face either Florida or Minnesota. The Gators are coming off a dominant win against the NCAA’s top scoring team, Northwestern State, however, their season has been marred by inconsistency. Likewise, the Golden Gophers defeated UCLA in impressive fashion.