The journey ended on the side of a desert highway, standing next to the car, blinking in the bright sun, wiping sand from their eyes, waiting for the tow truck, out of gas. San Diego State needed to win four games in four days but never got to the fourth, losing 71-63 to second-seeded Colorado State in the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament late Friday night and likely ending its season without 20 wins or a postseason berth for the first time in 12 years.