LAS VEGAS, March 10 (UPI) -- Kawhi Leonard helped No. 6 San Diego State overcome a sluggish shooting performance Thursday to down Utah 64-50 in the Mountain West Conference quarterfinals.
San Diego State kept pace with eighth-ranked Brigham Young, preserving the chance of those two teams meeting in the tournament title game. BYU won both regular-season meetings with the Aztecs.
BYU survived an upset bid earlier in the day to defeat TCU 64-58 and set up a semifinal meeting with New Mexico. San Diego State (30-2) will take on either Nevada-Las Vegas or Air Force in Friday's semifinals.
Leonard scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He made 6-of-13 shots from the field in what was an overall 40 percent shooting effort by the Aztecs. Malcolm Thomas also had 13 points with 10 rebounds.
San Diego State held Utah to a single point over the final 4:45 of the first half while taking a 30-15 lead at the break.
Will Clyburn scored 20 points for Utah (13-19).
