Colorado State University Athletics
GAME NOTES: Border War heats up in Laramie
1/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2008
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GAME NO. 19 COLORADO STATE (6-12/0-4) at Wyoming (6-11/0-5) Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008 | Laramie, Wyo. | Arena-Auditorium | 2 p.m. MT
THE MATCHUP
Colorado State travels to Laramie for its third MWC road game this season, against Wyoming. The Rams are 0-2 on the road in conference play and will look for their first conference victory Saturday in the Arena-Auditorium.
LOOK AT THE RAMS
The Rams find themselves in the middle of a five-game skid and are 0-8 on the road this season. CSU is led in scoring by Marcus Walker who is averaging 17.6 points per game, first in the Mountain West. Right behind Walker is Willis Gardner averaging 12.0 points per game and leading the team in assists with 54 on the season. Freshman Andre McFarland has the best three-point percentage on the team at 48.6 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 and has led the team in rebounds for six straight games.
ABOUT WYOMING
The Cowboys are 6-11 this year and are currently on a five-game skid. They are the only other team in the Mountain West to not have a win in conference play (0-5). They are led by a high-scoring backcourt of Brandon Ewing (17.5 ppg) and Brad Jones (12.6 ppg). Joseph Taylor is the Cowboys' big man, pulling down 6.8 rebounds a game.
SERIES WITH WYOMING
At a total of 205 contests over 98 years, it is CSU's longest standing rivalry. The two teams have a 4-4 record against each other over the past four seasons, splitting the series in each season over that span.
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT (2005-06)
The longtime series heated up in a contest that was televised on ESPN2. The Cowboys had recently defeated the Rams in Fort Collins earlier in the year. CSU was determined to get a win against one of its greatest foes. Junior Michael Harrison put on a show when he shot 10-of-13 from the field to finish with 28 points in front of a crowd of 7,856 in Laramie. The Rams weathered the storm of Brad Jones and Brandon Ewing for a majority of the game. But the Cowboys battled back, forcing the game into a last-minute shot attempt. Cory Lewis was the hero for the Rams when he blocked a three-pointer as time expired by Brandon Ewing to seal the 80-78 victory for CSU.
RAMS RECORDS VS. THE COWBOYS (2006-07)
Jason Smith tied a MWC record for rebounds, by dominating the glass and grabbing 22 boards (good for sixth all-time in CSU history) to go along with his 27 points in a 86-68 win over the Cowboys in Moby Arena.
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 is in the top 20 in the league in assists per game (2.9). Also spreading things around is Willis Gardner (3.0), tenth in the league. The pair combine to average 5.9 assists per game.
PERFECT 10
Marcus Walker was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line vs. TCU (Jan. 19) for the Rams' seventh perfect game in 2007-08. CSU is shooting .726 from the line as a team, good for third in the league.
McFARLAND IMPACT
Andre McFarland, a true freshman, is averaging 7.8 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 five 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 8.5 rebounds a game.
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 17.6 points per game, first in the Mountain West. When he isn't making baskets, Walker is setting up teammates. He currently averages 2.9 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 (43-48) while Walker is 40-48 for .833.
GARDNERING SOME ATTENTION
Willis Gardner leads the team in free-throw percentage, dishes out a team-high 3.0 assists per game, ranks fourth on the team with 3.9 rebounds a game and leads the team averaging 33.2 minutes per 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 57.7 percent of CSU's total points.
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. IRON MAN GARDNER Gardner became the first player since Micheal Morris on Nov. 19, 2005, to play the full minutes in a game on Nov. 9 at Montana. He is the first Ram in two decades to play all 40 minutes in his Colorado State debut. He also played 40 minutes against North Dakota State.
NOTING THE AIR FORCE GAME
- With 23 points, Marcus Walker had his fourth straight 20-plus point game.
- Jesse Woodard set career highs in free throws made and attempted going 6-of-7 from the line.
- Colorado State had the fewest rebounds in conference action this season with just 22.
MOUNTAIN WEST ACTION
Colorado State has just one player averaging double-figures in MWC action this season. Marcus Walker, who leads the league in scoring (conf. - 22.5, overall - 17.6) is the only Ram to score in double-digits in every MWC game this season. Ronnie Aguilar (8.0), Jesse Woodard (8.3) and Andre McFarland (8.0) each average at least eight points a game in conference games.
LOOKING AHEAD
CSU will return to Moby Arena Tuesday as the Rams host San Diego State at 7 p.m. CSU BASKETBALL
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to all home games are available by calling 1-800-491-RAMS or online at CSURAMS.com, or at any King Soopers or City Market grocery store location throughout the state of Colorado.
