SAN DIEGO — The Aztecs women’s basketball team has reached 20 wins for the first time in a decade, marking second season the team has met that threshold under head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson.

“Well going into this year (and) into this last weekend with 21 wins, it’s (took) us a while to get there,” Terry-Hutson said to FOX 5. “I’m really happy that we’ve arrived.”

Terry-Hutson, an El Capitan High School grad, says team chemistry and unselfishness has led to their recent success.

“We’ve got a great group of young women that really have bought into the culture that we have here at San Diego State. They’ve sacrificed they’re individual game to really come together as one,” she said.

Guard Mercedes Staples noticed a drastic change in the team energy from last year when they won 15 games.

“Man, everything, I mean, everyone just wants it. It’s like a different vibe in here,” Staples told FOX 5. “If you would have come in here last year compared to this year, you would see a whole 180.”

The fifth year senior appreciates how far the program has come.

“Going through that seven win season, that was tough. And mentally going, and we’re pushing and getting better, seeing the progress all of it over time, it’s been really fun,” says Staples.

As many Aztec fans know, the women’s team shares Viejas Arena with the men’s team. But they have more in common than this court: they are also one of the few basketball programs throughout the country where the men’s team and the women’s team both have 20 or more wins.

“I know the work they put into it,” Men’s Head coach Brian Dutcher said. “They work hard, they’re deserving and I’m wishing them good luck down the stretch — just like we need good luck down the stretch.”

“We’re here, we’re all Aztecs and we’re trying to push to be great,” said Terry-Hutson. “We’re our biggest cheerleaders.”

The Aztecs have not played in the NCAA Tournament since 2012 and Coach Terry-Hutson believes they can make it back this season.

“We’re still trying to eliminate some of the mistakes and keep improving and playing team basketball,” Terry-Hutson said. “If we can do that we can finish this season on a high note.”