San Diego State Aztecs Overview

Fast facts

League: Division I (NCAA)

Head Coach: Brian Dutcher

Team Mascot: Aztec Warrior

Year Opened: 1997

Capacity: 12414

City / State: San Diego / CA

Rivalries & Top Games to Attend

San Diego State vs UNLV

Rival Team: UNLV Runnin' Rebels

The UNLV Rebels are the Aztecs biggest rivals, and the two teams have been battling for conference championships for years. The rivalry has produced many memorable contests over the years and it’s a must-see matchup anytime these two Mountain West rivals meet.

City Championship

Rival Team: San Diego Toreros

The Aztecs play crosstown rivals San Diego every year for the City Championship. The winner of the matchup walks away with bragging rights over the entire city of San Diego, so you better believe this is a big matchup. The Aztecs lead the all-time series 30-18, and you won’t want to miss it when these two clash.

San Diego State vs New Mexico

Rival Team: New Mexico Lobos

San Diego State and New Mexico are two of the top teams in the Mountain West, so you better believe you’ll be in for quite the show when these two meet. Not only are bragging rights on the line when the Aztecs and Lobos square off, but conference supremacy is also on the line as well. If you want to attend one of the biggest Mountain West Conference matchups of the year, don’t miss San Diego State-New Mexico.

San Diego State Aztecs Stadium Guide

In Game

The best part of any San Diego State basketball game is The Show. The Show is the name of the student section at Aztecs games, and they do an incredible job of providing San Diego State with a great home court advantage. The San Diego State Students are rabid in their support of Aztecs basketball, and no matter what team you’re rooting for The Show will keep you entertained throughout the game.

The Show isn’t the only ones who make attending an Aztecs basketball game a great experience. Head coach Steve Fisher has the Aztecs playing some wonderful basketball over the last couple decades and the San Diego State spirit squads and pep band put on quite a performance.

Another nice aspect of attending a San Diego State basketball game is the stadium features an open-air concourse. The outdoor concourse allows fans to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather, which is great because nobody wants to be cooped up indoors when visiting San Diego.

Finally, there are tons of great places to grab a bite to eat or something to drink near Viejas Arena. McGregor’s Grill and Ale House is an excellent place to grab a drink, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. No matter what kind of cuisine you’re in the mood for you’ll find it as San Diego is home to just about everything including Hawaiian barbecue.

The Show provides an incredible atmosphere that makes a trip to San Diego worthwhile for any college hoops fan, so plan your trip to beautiful San Diego today.

Things to check out

Outdoor Concourse

One of the unique aspects of attending a San Diego State basketball game is the fact the concourses are located outside the arena. The open air concourse allows fans to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather and are a feature you’ll only find at one or two other arenas.

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Banners

Hanging above the court are banners celebrating the Aztecs basketball program’s accomplishments from over the years. The banners show off the school’s conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, so make sure to check them out.

Big Heads

All around the country you’ll see student sections distracting fans with big head cardboard cutouts. The tradition began at San Diego State and is a big part of any Aztecs game, so keep an eye out for the big heads when attending a game.

The Show

The show is the name of the San Diego State student section and is one of the best student sections in the country. The students here dress up in all kinds of crazy costumes and have a variety of chants, so enjoy The Show when attending an Aztecs basketball game.

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Montezuma

The Aztec Warrior mascot has been making appearances at San Diego State sporting events since 1941. Montezuma exudes enthusiasm and school spirit as he riles up the crowd to give the Aztecs as much of an advantage as possible.

Pep Band and Spirit Squad

The Show aren’t the only ones putting on a show at Aztecs games. The pep band and spirit squad do an excellent job of creating a fun and lively in-game atmosphere, so enjoy their performances when attending a San Diego State basketball game.

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Fight Songs

  1. S-D-S-U! Chant

    S-D-S-U!

    S-D-S-U!

    S-D-S-U!

  2. Fight Song

    Fight on and on ye Aztec men
    Sons of Montezuma
    We will win again
    Keep your spirits high
    Never bow a knee
    We will fight till victory
    Fight on and on ye Aztec men
    Proudly raise your banners high
    For it’s the Red and Black
    Hail to our team
    San Diego Aztecs fight! 

  3. Uprising

    When the band plays this song the student section chants along with the chorus “They will not force us/They will stop degrading us/They will not control us/We will be victorious!”

    Paranoia is in bloom,
    The PR transmissions will resume
    They’ll try to push drugs that keep us all dumbed down
    And hope that we will never see the truth around
    (so come on)

    Another promise, another seed
    Another packaged lie to keep us trapped in greed
    And all the green belts wrapped around our minds
    And endless red tape to keep the truth confined
    (so come on)

    They will not force us
    They will stop degrading us
    They will not control us
    We will be victorious
    (so come on)

    Interchanging mind control
    Come, let the revolution take its toll
    If you could flick the switch and open your third eye
    You’d see that we should never be afraid to die
    (so come on)

    Rise up and take the power back
    It’s time the fat cats had a heart attack
    You know that their time’s coming to an end
    We have to unify and watch our flag ascend
    (so come on)

    They will not force us
    They will stop degrading us
    They will not control us
    We will be victorious
    (so come on)

    Hey, hey, hey, hey
    Hey, hey, hey, hey
    Hey, hey, hey, hey

    They will not force us
    They will stop degrading us
    They will not control us
    We will be victorious
    (so come on)

    Hey, hey, hey, hey

  4. Tarzan Boy

    Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…

    Jungle life, I’m far away from nowhere
    On my own like Tarzan Boy
    Hide and seek, I play along while rushing ‘cross the forest
    Monkey business on a sunny afternoon

    Jungle life, I’m living in the open
    Native beat that carries on
    Burning bright, a fire that blows a signal to the sky
    I sit and wonder, does the message get to you?

    Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…

    Night to night
    Gimme the other, gimme the other
    Chance tonight
    Gimme the other, gimme the other
    Night to night
    Gimme the other, gimme the other world

    Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…

    Jungle life, you’re far away from nothing
    It’s all right, you won’t miss home
    Take a chance, leave everything behind you
    Come and join me, won’t be sorry
    It’s easy to survive

    Jungle life, we’re living in the open
    All alone like Tarzan Boy
    Hide and seek, we play along while rushing ‘cross the forest
    Monkey business on a sunny afternoon

    Night to night
    Gimme the other, gimme the other
    Chance tonight
    Oh, yeah
    Night to night
    Gimme the other, gimme the other
    Night to night
    You won’t play

    Night to night
    Gimme the other, gimme the other
    Chance tonight
    Oh, yeah
    Night to night, night to night
    Gimme the other, gimme the other world

    Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…

  5. Bro Hymn

    To all my friends, present past and beyond
    Especially those who weren’t with us too long
    Life is the most precious thing you can lose
    While you were here the fun was never ending
    Laugh a minute was only beginning
    Canton, Colvin, Nichols, this one’s for you

    Ever get the feeling you can’t go on
    Just remember whose side it is that you’re on
    You’ve got friends with you till the end
    If you’re ever in a tough situation
    We’ll be there with no hesitation
    Brotherhood’s our rule we cannot bend

    When you’re feeling too close to the bottom
    You know who it is you can count on
    Someone will pick you up again
    We can conquer anything together
    All of us are bonded forever
    If I die you die that’s the way it is

    To all my friends, present past and beyond
    To all those who weren’t with us too long
    Life is the most precious thing you can lose
    While you were here the fun was never ending
    Laugh a minute was only the beginning
    Canton, Colvin, Nichols, this one’s for you

  6. Seven Nation Army

    I’m gonna fight ’em off
    A seven nation army couldn’t hold me back
    They’re gonna rip it off
    Taking their time right behind my back
    And I’m talkin’ to myself at night
    Because I can’t forget
    Back and forth through my mind
    Behind a cigaretteAnd the message comin’ from my eyes says, “Leave it alone.”Don’t wanna hear about it
    Every single one’s got a story to tell
    Everyone knows about it
    From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell
    And if I catch it comin’ back my way
    I’m gonna serve it to you
    And that ain’t what you want to hear
    But that’s what I’ll doAnd the feeling coming from my bones says, “Find a home.”I’m going to Wichita
    Far from this opera for evermore
    I’m gonna work the straw
    Make the sweat drip out of every pore
    And I’m bleeding, and I’m bleeding, and I’m bleeding
    Right before the lord
    All the words are gonna bleed from me
    And I will think no more

    And the stains comin’ from my blood tell me, “Go back home.”

  7. I Believe That We Will Win

    I believe that we will win!

    I believe that we will win!

    I believe that we will win!

  8. Aztecs Bombaye

    This chant performed by The Show dates back to the 1974 Rumble In the Jungle boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Ali was greeted with chants of “Ali bombaye! Ali bombaye!” The chant translates to “Ali defeat him!” and the Aztecs have adapted their own version, which goes “Aztecs bombaye! Aztecs bombaye!” The chant dates back to a 2005 football game but quickly became a staple at basketball games as well. The cheer can be heard when the Aztecs need a stop badly, so join in the chant when it's performed.

    Aztecs bombaye! Aztecs bombaye!

    Aztecs bombaye! Aztecs bombaye!

    Aztecs bombaye! Aztecs bombaye!