TUCSON, March 17 (UPI) -- Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and had 11 rebounds Thursday in helping No. 2-seeded San Diego State to a 68-50 NCAA tournament win over Northern Colorado.
The Aztecs (33-2) roll into the third round of West Region play, where they will meet seventh-seeded Temple (26-7). The Owls were 66-64 winners over Penn State Thursday.
San Diego State trailed just once in the game. Northern Colorado's Taylor Montgomery slammed home a dunk that made the score 12-11 with 13:33 to go in the first half but the Aztecs answered in 16 seconds.
The Bears were within 35-32 before a 9-3 Aztecs' run -- with Northern Colorado getting a 3-pointer by Devon Beitzel came with 14:16 to play and then going scoreless for the next 6:56. By then the Aztecs were up 51-35 and cruising.
Leonard made nine of his 14 shots and hit 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Chase Tapley added 14 points and Billy White and James Rahon each had 12 for the Aztecs.
Beitzel, powered by 6-kf-10 3-point shooting, led all scorers with 25 points.
