SDSU Men to Play Disappointing Colorado State

Many people thought Colorado State would be the surprise basketball team in the Western Athletic Conference this season.

They were right. But the surprise has been an unpleasant one for Rams (12-8), who are currently sixth in the league with a 4-4 record. In the WAC coaches’ preseason poll, the Rams were picked to finish second in league.

If there’s a pleasant surprise in the WAC, it has been provided by San Diego State (16-5), which is currently tied for second although the coaches’ poll put the Aztecs in fifth. The Aztecs even with Brigham Young and New Mexico at 7-3, one game behind Texas-El Paso.

The WAC’s surprise teams meet at 7:35 tonight in the Sports Arena. It is the first of six consecutive Aztec home games, which will be broadcast live by KSDO (1130).

The Rams went 7-3 in their preconference schedule, playing United States International University twice, Northern Colorado and Southern Colorado. Coach Tony McAndrews’ primary concern seems to have been building team confidence, not playing a tough schedule to prepare for the WAC season.

Colorado State has lost to BYU and Wyoming by one point and to New Mexico by two points. It snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating the Lobos, 61-52, at home Saturday night. In that game, the Rams limited New Mexico to 12 points in the first half. The Lobos went 4 for 19 from the field during the half.

The Aztecs are coming off a 67-65 loss at Utah on Saturday.

Aztec Notes

Colorado State has beaten the Aztecs three straight times. A 20-footer by junior forward Rich Strong gave the Rams a 61-59 victory at the Sports Arena last season. Strong leads the team in scoring (13.8 average) and rebounding (6.6) . . . WAC leaders: Aztec guard Anthony Watson leads the conference in free-throw percentage, hitting 60 of 76 for 78.9%, and is fourth in scoring average at 17.3. Center Leonard Allen is second in field-goal percentage, 98 of 163 for 60.1%, and third in rebounding with a 7.5 average. Creon Dorsey leads the conference in assists with a 5.8 average.