LAS VEGAS -- There was an extended run, something San Diego State had obviously been a part of many times before with that scoring margin at a plus-16.9 this season and plus-18.6 in conference play. The Aztecs, they can slice up a team.

This time, though, they were on the other side of it, out of sync and running around in wild circles with seemingly little idea what was going on, or how to stop it.

With the Mountain West Conference tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line, Fresno State really put it to them — it had a 12-0 run to end the first half and extended it to 23-0 into the second.

And that was just enough of a cushion to withstand a frenetic rally from the Aztecs through the stretch, the Bulldogs going on to claim a 76-70 victory and all its rewards Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"We knew they were going to begin the second half with intensity and we wanted to go into halftime knowing that we were in a good place,” said the Bulldogs’ Ki-Ki Moore, who led the way with 22 points and was selected the tournament MVP in what will be her final college season because of chronic injuries and pain.

"We knew that (San Diego State point guard Chelsea Hopkins) was on the bench and we just wanted to get a little intensity and get a little pace into the game."

The Bulldogs did that, finally forcing some turnovers with their pressing and trapping while Hopkins sat out with two fouls. They quickly spurted away, finishing the half with a steal and layup by Taylor Thompson when the Aztecs were trying to get up the floor after a make by Bree Farley.

"We usually start and finish halves really well. That’s been a trademark of our team," San Diego State coach Beth Burns said. "What happened to us at the end of the first half, which was just an end result of our lack of defensive composure the majority of the half, really hurt us."

But the Bulldogs’ fifth conference tournament title in the past six years -- the first four were in the Western Athletic Conference -- didn’t come without its lumps.

Thompson was leveled by a crushing screen with 9:12 remaining and had to be helped off the court and back to the locker room.

And it didn't come without a few more anxious moments when San Diego State, which had breezed through its first two games in the tournament against Nevada and New Mexico, made its run.

"We made our run, they made their run, that's what good teams do," said Thompson, who was able to return to the floor at the 5:41 mark. "We knew that we couldn’t stop fighting."

The Bulldogs (24-8) were up 58-36 with 15:56 remaining. But the Aztecs cut into it, bit by bit.

San Diego State (26-6) got to within 10 before the Bulldogs again pulled away a bit, extending the lead back to as many as 14. But back came the Aztecs, to within 10 again with 4 minutes to go, and still they kept coming.

They were within 71-65 with 3:22 remaining when Kiyana Stamps hit a 3-pointer from the right baseline, then four when Erimma Amarikwa was fouled in the lane with 2:02 to go and made two free throws, then just two when Cairese Culberson scored off a steal with 1:11 to play.

But Fresno State had enough at the end — with a lot of help from the Aztecs. The Bulldogs got away again when Hopkins fouled Alex Sheedy (Note: the original version of this incorrectly reported it was Rosie Moult) as she shot a 3-pointer with 49.5 seconds remaining.

Sheedy made all three free throws, extending the Bulldogs' lead to 74-69.

Hopkins blew a chance to make it a one-possession game, hitting only the second of two free throws with 40 seconds remaining. There was a missed 3-pointer at that end, and then that was it.

The Bulldogs were celebrating another title, having ended the Aztecs’ 17-game winning streak.

"Oh, it was so fun … That's my thoughts, so fun," first-year Fresno State coach Raegan Pebley said.

The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday. The Bulldogs, with the MWC's automatic berth in hand, know they will be part of it for a sixth straight season.

"It’s really exciting, just to be in this new conference and to end up on the top of it at the end of it all," Moore said. "We were the underdogs and just to come out and win a championship with this team, I think it’s just really exciting and a big thing for our team."