Kim Villalobos sets a San Diego State women’s basketball record every time she takes the court.
The fifth-year forward plays in her 151st career game at 2:30 p.m. Monday, when the fourth-seeded Aztecs (22-9) play New Mexico (18-13) in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas.
“I’d love to push the record to beyond 155 games,” Villalobos said last week.
Hitting that number would mean the Aztecs reached the NCAA Tournament as champions of the Mountain West.
Why not? The Aztecs are capable of beating any team in the Mountain West as evidenced by their 59-58 victory over regular-season champion Nevada-Las Vegas on Jan. 25.
They are also capable of losing to lesser foes.
“I feel as confident as you can be,” said Aztecs’ head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson. “This group is eager and hungry. It’s a very tough league, but the players who were in the championship game last year . They are focused and locked in.”
No one more than the 6-foot Villalobos, who was a member of the Mountain West’s All-Freshman team back in the 2020-2021 season.
In addition to being the leader in games played, the forward also ranks among the Aztecs’ career leaders in rebounds (fifth, 817), blocks (ninth, 106), points (tied for 14th, 1,273). She is one of seven players in the nation with 1,200 points, 800 rebounds, 100 blocks and 200 steals.
But Villalobos’ No. 1 attribute, according to Terry-Hutson, is loyalty.
“I will be forever grateful for Kim,” said the coach. “During her first two years here, we weren’t winning. I know she could have gone elsewhere. She stuck it out and believed in the program.”
And Villalobos had offers to move on through the transfer portal.
“Leaving was an option,” said Villalobos. “There are so many voices around you. But if you have something good, why change it? Home is only two hours away from San Diego State.
“It just seemed right to stay. Here, I had everything that I wanted … people, family, San Diego. Why change something when you’re going in the right direction.”
And Villalobos and the Aztecs have been going in the right direction ever since she arrived on Montezuma Mesa.
“I’ve grown so much as an individual and we’ve grown as a team,” said Villalobos. “During my first season, we won seven games. And I made huge growth as to how I approach every day. My mindset has shifted and my expectations raised. Much of that is because Coach has always challenged me.
“When I first got here, I gained her trust. I can’t fully explain how much that meant to me.”
Terry-Hutson said the iration is mutual.
“Kim is such a tough and humble person,” said Terry-Hutson. “I’m grateful to have that type. She’s been the constant. I appreciate the loyalty in this modern transfer climate. She is family to me. She is a very mature young lady.”
Villalobos saved perhaps her best game as an Aztec for Wednesday’s Seniors Night at Viejas Arena. Playing in front of a dozen family , she scored 14 points with six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots in a 75-61 win over Fresno State.
“I’m completely proud and grateful that I’ve been healthy all five years,” said Villalobos. “But going out that way in front of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings, some who were seeing me play for the first time in college, was incredibly special.”
Terry-Hutson said her performance “was emotional for our entire team.”
“She got us going early,” Terry-Hutson said. “And afterward, she thanked her teammates for helping her have that moment. Kim’s just a wonderful human being … fiercely caring of her family and teammates.”
The Aztecs and New Mexico split their two conference meetings this season, each winning on the others’ floor.
Elsewhere
• The UC San Diego men led wire-to-wire Saturday night in a 68-57 win at UC Davis to advance directly to Friday’s Big West Tournament semifinals in Henderson, Nev., as the No. 1 seed. Tyler McGhie led the Tritons with 18 points. Nordin Kapic scored 16 and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones had 15 as UCSD went 10 for 25 from 3-point range.
The Big West champion Tritons finished the regular season 28-4 overall and 18-2 in league play. Friday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m.; the Tritons will play either UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Bakersfield or Cal State Northridge.
• UCSD’s women’s basketball team (17-15, 13-7) opens its Big West Tournament play in Thursday afternoon’s quarterfinals after earning a first-round bye.
+ Point Loma Nazarene University will host the Western Regionals of the NCAA Division II Tournament starting Saturday and continuing March 16 and 18. The top-seeded men (27-5) will open play Saturday at 8:30 p.m. against No. 8 seed Seattle Pacific (18-14).
+ The PLNU women will be the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Division II West Regionals at Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Sea Lions (25-5) open play at noon Friday against No. 6 seed Central Washington (21-7).
+ Palomar College (24-6; No. 4 SoCal seed) will play College of the Sequois (30-0; No. 1 NorCal seed) in the 3C2A quarterfinals Friday at 5 p.m. at Mount San Antonio College.
