SDSU’s Juan Espinoza Out 3-4 Weeks With Stress Fracture

Juan Espinoza, San Diego State basketball forward, will miss three to four weeks because of a stress fracture in his back, Coach Jim Brandenburg said Tuesday.

The fracture was discovered in a bone scan taken earlier in the day, Brandenburg said.

Espinoza had missed two games in the past two weeks because of back spasms and had played in only the first half of two others.

The loss of Espinoza leaves the Aztecs with only nine scholarship players for their Western Athletic Conference games at Air Force Thursday and Colorado State Friday.

Espinoza, a 6-foot 8-inch senior from Grossmont College and Helix High School, is averaging 5.3 points and 1.8 rebounds. He started five of the Aztecs’ first seven games but recently has been used in a reserve role.