Maybe what they should do is politely ask the officials and the other team if they could just start the game down 15. Or 21. Or 17. Or some ridiculous amount.

Maybe that way they could save everyone the trouble of setting back basketball 50 years before deciding that, oh, hey, it’s time to start playing like they can.

San Diego State did it again. Fell waaaaay behind against San Jose State again. Came from waaaaay back again. Won a game it probably shouldn’t have again.

The only difference in the same, tired script was that this time the Aztecs trailed San Jose State by 17 in the first half and used a 17-0 run to win 69-66 in San Jose on Tuesday night. And this time, the Spartans were without their top two scorers.

Two weeks ago at Viejas Arena, San Diego State trailed the Spartans by 21 in the first half and by 16 midway through the second, roaring back with an 18-0 run to win by three (71-68).

Then four days later, the Aztecs needed a 20-0 run to beat Wyoming. Now, down 17 at the half against the Spartans, a 17-0 run to open the second half and another improbable three-point victory.

The Aztecs (16-6) finally took their first lead midway through the second half but couldn’t get separation against the short-handed Spartans. They were ahead 66-62 inside 40 seconds to go, coaxed a Spartans miss and grabbed the rebound only for Jermaine Washington to strip the ball and lay it in to cut the margin to two.

That was as close as the Spartans would get.

The Spartans (12-14, 5-9 Mountain West) were without leading scorer Josh Uduje (16.4), the MW sixth man of the year at Utah State last season who had 21 points in the game at Viejas Arena. He had a back injury.

UCLA transfer Will McClendon, the Spartans’ second-leading scorer (12.0), also sat out.

Latrell Davis led San Jose State with 21 points. Donovan Yap Jr. added 19. Nick Boyd led the Aztecs with 17 points, including 7 of 9 at the line.

Georgia Tech knocks off Stanford >> Naithan George had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Georgia Tech (12-13, 6-8 ACC) beat Stanford 60-52 in Atlanta.

Jaylen Blakes was the lone double-digit scorer for Stanford (16-9, 8-6). Maxime Raynaud, averaging a team-high 20.4 points per game, was held to eight points on 4-of-13 shooting, including 0 of 6 from 3-point range.

Stanford shot just 23.3% from the field in the first half.

Marciulionis leads Saint Mary’s over Santa Clara >> Augustas Marciulionis scored 24 points as Saint Mary’s beat Santa Clara 73-64 on Tuesday in Moraga.

Marciulionis also contributed six assists and three steals for the Gaels (22-4, 12-1 West Coast Conference). Luke Barrett added 13 points.

Johnny O’Neil led the way for the Broncos (17-10, 9-5) with 18 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Jake Ensminger added 13 points for Santa Clara.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.