Colorado State University Athletics
GAME NOTES: CSU travels down snowy 1-25
1/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
GAME NO. 18 COLORADO STATE (6-11/0-3) at Air Force (10-7/2-2) Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008 | Colorado Springs, Colo. | 8 p.m. MT
THE MATCHUP
Colorado State travels to Colorado Springs for its second road game against a Colorado team this season, against Air Force. The Rams are 0-1 on the road in the Mountain West.
LOOK AT THE RAMS
The Rams find themselves in the middle of a four-game skid and are 0-7 on the road this season. CSU is led in scoring by Marcus Walker who is averaging 17.2 points per game, first in the Mountain West. Right behind Walker is Willis Gardner averaging 12.5 points per game, sinking 24 shots from beyond the arc. Freshman Andre McFarland has the best three-point percentage on the team at 50.0 percent. Ronnie Aguilar has stepped up with the absence of Stuart Creason and had his first career double-double (18r-12p) against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
ABOUT AIR FORCE
The Falcons are 8-1 at home and 10-7 overall this season. Air Force is 2-2 in Mountain West action, having lost to New Mexico in its last game, 59-44. The Falcons have started the same five in every game this season and are led by Tim Anderson who averages 14.5 points per game. The second leading scorer is Andrew Benke who averages 10.8 points off the bench. Air Force's leading rebounder is Benke at 4.6 a game. The Falcons have not lost at home since Nov. 29 to Colorado.
SERIES WITH AIR FORCE
Colorado State holds a 61-27 advantage in the series including a 25-18 record in Colorado Springs. The Rams fell 67-58 in the last meeting at Air Force and are currently on a six-game losing streak.
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT (2003-04)
The No. 8 seeded Rams were pitted against the MWC regular season champions in the quarterfinals of the MWC Tournament during the 2003-04 season. After two losses to Air Force during the season, the Rams were the clear underdog to the Falcons who had just been voted in as the No. 25 team in the nation the week prior. However, CSU did not let up. The Rams used a balanced offensive attack by finishing the game with four players in double-figure scoring. The offense wasn't the only thing that went right for the Rams; the defense came up with nine steals and forced 13 turnovers. Ronnie Clark had 14 points to lead the Rams to a 60-48 upset victory.
RAM RECORDS VS. THE FALCONS
The Rams connected on 46 field goals in a 1972 contest vs. Air Force, good for a single-game CSU record. CREASON INJURY Senior center Stuart Creason is out indefinitely after being stepped on in practice. The injury is an aggravation from a recurring foot issue for Creason. No timeline for his return has been established. SPREADING THE LOVE Marcus Walker leads the league in scoring but isn't afraid to share the ball as he ranks 10th in the league in assists per game (3.0). Also spreading things around is Willis Gardner (3.2), ninth in the league. The pair combine to average 6.18 assists per game.
PERFECT 10
Marcus Walker was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line for the Rams' seventh perfect game in 2007-08. CSU is shooting .719 from the line as a team, good for third in the league.
McFARLAND IMPACT
Andre McFarland, a true freshman, is averaging 7.9 points per game and despite playing the forward position is the Rams' top three-point shooter. McFarland is second in the league in freshman scoring and third among freshman rebounders.
SEEING DOUBLE
Ronnie Aguilar's shoes are a half-size smaller than injured center Stuart Creason's but Aguilar has filled Creason's shoes on the court with style in the last four games. Aguilar notched his first career double-double Jan. 8 in a career-high 29 minutes. Against UNLV, Aguilar had 11 rebounds. In MWC competition he averages 9.3 rebounds a game.
SCORING TRIO
Marcus Walker, Stuart Creason and Willis Gardner each average double figures for the season in scoring. The Rams' leading scorer has come from the trio in every game this season. Together they account for 58.4 percent of CSU's total points.
WALK IN THE PARK
While Marcus Walker may be new to CSU after stepping back into his true position, shooting guard, this season he has exploded offensively for the Rams. He averages 17.2 points per game, first in the Mountain West. When he isn't making baskets, Walker is setting up teammates. He currently averages 3.18 assists per game and has a career-high seven in two games.
ACES AND EIGHTS
Willis Gardner and Marcus Walker are a pair of aces when it comes to the free-throw line as each shoots .800 or better. Gardner is hitting .896 (43-46) while Walker is 38-46 for .826.
POINTS ON THE BOARD
Marcus Walker had CSU's best scoring outing in more than 30 years as he scored 43 points against Tennessee State Nov. 17 at the BP Top of the World Classic. Walker shot the lights out, hitting on 15-of-18 from the field, 83.3 percent.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Colorado State won its first Top of the World Classic championship in Fairbanks, Alaska, Nov. 18. Stuart Creason was named the tournament MVP and Marcus Walker, who set the tournament record for most points in a game with 43 against TSU, joined him on the squad.
