Cardiff Kook Pulls for Aztecs in NCAA Tournament

With San Diego State University's men's basketball team one win away from the “Elite 8” in the NCAA basketball tournament, even the Cardiff Kook is rooting for the Aztecs.

The “Magic Carpet Ride” surfer statue at Chesterfield Drive and S. Coast Highway 101 has been clad in a black number 15 SDSU jersey worn by star Aztec forward Kawhi Leonard. He's also wearing sneakers and has a basketball attached to his fingers, while holding a red spear and standing on a surfboard.

Underneath, a sign reads “Black & Red! Black & Red!” and small tombstones are stuck in potted plants, one of which reads “RIP Bears” and the other “RIP Owls.” The tombstones represent the mascots of the Aztecs' victims in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament—the University of Northern Colorado and Temple University.

The statue is frequently dressed up in humorous garb and gained notoriety last year for being the “victim” of a shark attack.

SDSU plays the University of Connecticut at 4:15 p.m. Thursday. The 34-2 Aztecs had never won a game in the tournament until this year.

City News Service contributed to this report.