Thirteen years ago, the San Diego State women played their most recent NCAA Tournament game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
The Aztecs lost 64-56.
Among those celebrating the LSU victory that night was San Diego native Stacie Terry-Hutson, who was an assistant coach with the Lady Tigers.
Saturday night, Terry-Hutson returns to Baton Rouge as the coach of the Aztecs as San Diego State (25-9) takes on 10th-ranked LSU (28-5) in the final tip-off of the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament (7:15 p.m. ESPN).
“It’s a great story, but this is about these women who are playing in this game,” Terry-Hutson said.
“We’re a little bit of the underdog. There’s star power going against us. The place will be rocking and we’ve discussed that as a team. We know it will be deafening. We haven’t played in this type of an environment. But we’re excited. We’ve put in hand signals to communicate.”
But she did it to being a “little torn.”
Terry-Hutson followed Nikki (Caldwell) Fargas from UCLA to LSU before the 2011-2012 season. After two seasons at LSU, the El Capitan High School grad was named head coach at San Diego State.
“I have a lot of love for LSU,” said Terry-Hutson. “I have family here. I had a great time here. I know where to eat in Baton Rouge. And I’ve been really proud to watch what coach (Kim) Mulkey has done with this program. I thought we did a good job while we were here. But to see Kim win a national championship was really, really cool. And to see this place packed is exciting.
“On the flip side, it’s exciting for us to play in this environment. I’m excited for my players. We’ve made it more about them than me. I’m excited to be back with this team for this opportunity. We have a very resilient group. We have depth. The Mountain West is a tough league that I don’t think gets a lot of respect.”
The Aztecs go into the game riding an eight-game winning streak – the most recent March 12 victory a triple-overtime, 72-68 triumph over Wyoming that gave the Aztecs the Mountain West title. A night earlier, the Aztecs ousted No. 1 seed UNLV.
And two of LSU’s top three players — Flau’Jae Johnson (shin inflammation) and Aneesah Morrow foot) — are battling injuries.
Even so, third-seeded LSU is a 25½-point favorite over the 14th-seeded Aztecs. “I saw ESPN gave us a 1.2% chance of winning,” said Terry-Hutson.
No problem according to Aztecs seniors Kim Villalobos and Veronica Sheffey.
“Being the underdog is a great opportunity,” said Villalobos, who is finishing her fifth season at San Diego State. “You always want to leave something better than it was when you came in. I think the seniors on this team can finish with that.
“I never put a ceiling on what we can do. And I’d rather be the underdog.”
“We know it’s going to be tough,” said Sheffey, who transferred from USD before this season.
“We know it’s going to be loud. We know they are good and are going to be favored. But we’ve been underestimated all season. We’re a group of competitors. It’s what we do. We do not give up. That’s what makes it so special. We’ve had success on the road. We’re going to have our hands full. But we’re ready.”
Terry-Hutson put it this way: “We’re speeding down the highway right now.
“I love our team. I enjoyed seeing the joy on their faces in the Mountain West Tournament. In those overtimes against Wyoming, they just refused to lose.
“What I’ve learned from this team is its undeniable will to win. We fear nobody, but respect everyone. Every player on this roster has stepped up at some time this season.
“You never know.”
Sheffey, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the Mountain West Tournament, said the Aztecs “have been tested and we’re still playing.”
And Terry-Hutson would once again like to be on the winning bench of a LSU-San Diego State NCAA Tournament game.
“What a crazy coincidence,” said Villalobos. “I know she had fun here. Hopefully, she’ll have fun again (today).”
