The Colorado State Rams have not been playing their best basketball of late, dropping their last two games by double-digit margins, and the road doesn't get any easier on Saturday afternoon when they host the San Diego State Aztecs. Head coach Steve Fisher has the Aztecs playing outstanding basketball, as SDSU has won 11-straight games and holds an 18-2 record for the season. The Rams do host the big game, but San Diego State has also won seven consecutive matchups in Fort Collins, CO and 14 of 15 overall in the head-to-head matchup.
Not everything is tilted against CSU, however. They stack up very well on paper in comparison to the Aztec offense in terms of points per game (72.3 vs. 72.8) and they actually hold an advantage in field goal percentage (48.7% vs. 47.1%). Unfortunately, SDSU holds a huge advantage in rebounding and their defense has been holding opponents under their season averages for shooting nearly all year long and especially in their last few wins.
The Rams are led by junior guards Wes Eikmeier and Dorian Green. Eikmeier averages 15.6 points per game and shoots 36.5 percent from three, while Green adds 13.5 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field and a spectacular 49.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The bad news is that Eikmeier has struggled mightily over the last three games, totaling just 18 points combined on a troubling 8-29 shooting.
The Aztecs get their scoring from junior guard Chase Tapley and sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin, who average 16.4 and 15.2 points per game, respectively. The other big name to watch is Xavier Thames, the team's leading assist man. Here is the information you need to find the game on Saturday:
No. 13 San Diego State Aztecs (18-2, 4-0) vs. Colorado State Rams (13-6, 2-2)
Game date, time: 2:00 p.m. MT, Saturday, Jan. 28th, 2012
Location: Moby Arena, Fort Collins, CO
Radio: AM 560
TV: NBC Sports Network
Spread: The Aztecs are currently favored by 2 points across two different sites and 1.5 points on another. The over/under currently ranges from 137.5 points to 138 points.
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