SAN DIEGO -- Freshman Jeremy Hemsley matched his career-high with 20 points, including five during a key stretch in the second half, and San Diego State beat San Jose State 77-62 Wednesday night for their third straight victory in Mountain West Conference play.
Winston Shepard and Zylan Cheatham each scored 17 for the Aztecs (10-6, 3-0), while Trey Kell had 10.
Ryan Welage and Princeton Onwas each scored 23 points for San Jose State (5-10, 0-3). The Spartans went on a 9-0 run late in the first half to keep it close and then took a 40-39 lead early in the second on a 3-pointer by Welage.
The Aztecs responded with a 12-0 run to take a 41-40 lead and weren't threatened again. Hemsley started the salvo with a jumper and then a 3-pointer. Shepard converted a 3-point play, Kell made a jumper and a layup, and Cheatham made a layup.
Hemsley scored the Aztecs' first eight points of the game, making a 3-pointer, two free throws and another 3.
Cheatham had two nice alley-oop slam dunks, both on passes from Shepard. One was early in the first half and the other capped cap a 7-0 run that gave SDSU a 32-21 lead.
The Spartans then went on a 9-0 run, including two layups by Onwas and a 3-pointer by Frank Rogers, to pull within two.
Hemsley hit a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left in the first half for a five-point lead, but Onwas answered with a 3 to make it 37-35 at halftime.
Hemsley also scored 20 points in the season-opener against Illinois State on Nov. 13 and in a win against Nicholls State on Dec. 10.
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TIP-INS
San Jose State: The Spartans have lost all four games to SDSU since they joined the MWC prior to the 2013-14 season. Overall, they've lost five straight to the Aztecs.
San Diego State: The Aztecs were playing for the first time since being notified Tuesday by the NCAA that allegations made against the program were not substantiated.
UP NEXT
San Jose State hosts Colorado State on Saturday.
San Diego State visits Colorado State next Wednesday night.
