In the 2023 NCAA tournament, they reached the Final Four for the first time in program history, losing to UConn in the championship game.

[3] The Aztecs joined the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in 1926 following a season as an independent, and competed in the NAIA until 1956, when they transitioned to the newly founded NCAA Division II.

Finishing as runners up in 1939 and in 1940, the Aztecs finally prevailed and won the 1941 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament.

[6] Prior to entering the Mountain West, the team had been to three NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments.

[6] In the 2010–11 season, the Aztecs were ranked as high as 4th in the nation and won their first ever games in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet Sixteen.

The 2020 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament was cancelled at the end of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 1, they became the first team from the Mountain West Conference to reach the National Championship after defeating FAU 72–71 on a buzzer-beating shot by point guard Lamont Butler.

In the 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game, the Aztecs were defeated by the University of Connecticut Huskies by a score of 59–76.

Viejas Arena is the home of the San Diego State Aztecs men's and women's basketball teams.

Additionally, at 30–2 and ranked in the Top 10 they were considered a virtual lock for the 2020 NCAA Tournament, which was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On January 16, 2020, the Aztecs announced that they would be retiring former small forward Kawhi Leonard's number 15 jersey on February 1, 2020.