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San Diego State slips past Dons

Dec 22, 2010 - 6:07 AM Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Kawhi Leonard recorded a game-high 23 points and 14 rebounds as No. 7 San Diego State slipped past San Francisco, 62-56, in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic.

D.J. Gay donated 14 points for the Aztecs (13-0), who have the nation's second-longest winning streak -- they trail only No. 1 Duke, which has won 20 in a row dating back to last season. Malcolm Thomas chipped in 10 points for the victors.

Michael Williams had 16 points for the Dons (4-7), who have lost four of the last five. Perris Blackwell and Angelo Caloiaro both posted 14 points in the loss.

SDSU jumped to a 10-3 lead thanks to Leonard's five points, but with 8 1/2 minutes left in the first half, Williams made a layup to knot the game at 14 apiece.

The game remained tight when the teams traded points while San Francisco still held onto a slim lead, 23-21, with five minutes remaining.

The lead tilted toward the Aztecs thanks to an eight-point spurt capped by a Leonard lay-in. Thomas made two free throws with less than 30 seconds left, but Caloiaro again tied the game with a three-pointer for a 31-31 score at the half.

Neither team built a lead bigger than three in the second half until Thomas' tip-in gave the Aztecs a 55-50 edge with just under three minutes to play. Gay added a layup during SDSU's next trip to extend the advantage to seven.

But San Francisco answered with four straight points to keep it close.

It was a three-point game after Rashad Green's three-point play with 23 seconds left, but Gay made 4-of-4 free throws during the final 19 seconds as the Aztecs held on to win.

Game Notes

The Aztecs shot 51.1 percent from the floor, while the Dons shot 42 percent...Leonard was 10-of-16 from the field...The score was tied 13 times with 12 lead changes. SDSU's biggest lead was nine, which was during the first half...San Francisco won the battle on the glass, 32-30.