Colorado State University Athletics
GAME NOTES: Rams travel to San Diego
2/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
GAME NO. 28 COLORADO STATE (6-21/0-13) at San Diego State (18-10/8-6) Saturday, March 1, 2008 | San Diego, Calif. | Cox arena | 8 p.m. MT
BY THE NUMBERS...
4...Number of double-doubles for CSU this season. Stuart Creason (2), Ronnie Aguilar and Marcus Walker have each doubled up in points and rebounds.
10...Number of games with at least 20 points for the Mountain West scoring leader Marcus Walker this season.
19.9...MWC-leading scoring average for Marcus Walker in conference action this season.
Possible Starters:
Colorado State Rams:
No. Pos. Name Pt. Reb.
13 F Andre McFarland 7.4 4.4
43 G Willis Gardner 10.4 3.3
04 G Marcus Walker 18.0 3.1
30 C Stuart Creason 12.7 5.9
21 G Josh Simmons 5.0 2.7
San Diego State Aztecs:
No. Pos. Name Pt. Reb.
31 F Lorrenzo Wade 15.7 4.6
32 F Billy White 8.8 5.9
43 C Ryan Amoroso 10.5 6.2
21 G Matt Thomas 2.0 1.5
23 G D.J. Gay 5.1 1.5
BY THE NUMBERS...
4...Number of double-doubles for CSU this season. Stuart Creason (2), Ronnie Aguilar and Marcus Walker have each doubled up in points and rebounds.
10...Number of games with at least 20 points for the Mountain West scoring leader Marcus Walker this season.
19.9...MWC-leading scoring average for Marcus Walker in conference action this season.
Possible Starters:
Colorado State Rams:
No. Pos. Name Pt. Reb.
13 F Andre McFarland 7.4 4.4
43 G Willis Gardner 10.4 3.3
04 G Marcus Walker 18.0 3.1
30 C Stuart Creason 12.7 5.9
21 G Josh Simmons 5.0 2.7
San Diego State Aztecs:
No. Pos. Name Pt. Reb.
31 F Lorrenzo Wade 15.7 4.6
32 F Billy White 8.8 5.9
43 C Ryan Amoroso 10.5 6.2
21 G Matt Thomas 2.0 1.5
23 G D.J. Gay 5.1 1.5
THE MATCHUP
Colorado State heads to the west coast for the Rams' second matchup with the Aztecs on the season. Both teams are in the bottom half of the conference in offense with the Rams scoring 59.7 and the Aztecs putting in 68.5 points a contest. However, the last time these two teams played, the score was 83-82, in favor of San Diego State.
LOOK AT THE RAMS
CSU looks to snap a 14-game losing streak. The Rams set their longest single-season streak with the loss to Wyoming on Wednesday.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE
The Aztecs come into the game with an 18-10 record, and are fourth in the conference standings with a 8-6 record in conference play. They feature a trio of double-digit scorers in Lorrenzo Wade (15.7 ppg), Kyle Spain (13.2 ppg), and Ryan Amoroso (10.5). Amoroso was the hero for the Aztecs in the Rams' last meeting with them, when he scored a team-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
SERIES WITH THE AZTECS
Although the Rams hold a 35-23 series lead over San Diego State, the Aztecs have a 8-5 edge since the 2002-2003 season, including neutral site matchups.
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT (2003-04)
After losing four straight games at the beginning of conference play, the Rams welcomed the Aztecs in a mid-season match-up. CSU shot lights-out when it finished the game with a 56 percent shooting clip from the field, including going 7-for-8 in the two overtime periods. SDSU's Brandon Heath hit a three-pointer with 6 seconds left to tie the game at 73 after the first overtime. Fueled by Matt Williams' 21 points and 10 rebounds as well as Matt Nelson's 21 points and 13 rebounds, the Rams went on to defeat the Aztecs 92-82 in a double-overtime contest. Michael Morris led the Rams in scoring with a team-high 24 points.
records set vs. SDSU
Ram guard Eddie Hughes set the school's single-game assist record vs. SDSU in 1982 when he had eight in one game.
Local Connections
The Rams feature three players from Southern California. Ronnie Aguilar, Flynn Clayman and Jesse Woodard are all from the Los Angeles area.
Aguilar INJURy
Center Ronnie Aguilar underwent an MRI on Feb. 17 to determine the severity of his foot injury; his return is still undetermined.
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 (2.6). Also spreading things around is Willis Gardner (2.9). The pair combine to average 5.5 assists per game.
RAINING THREES
The Rams went 16:05 without a two-point basket in the first half against Air Force (Feb. 23), scoring all 24 points on three-pointers. The stretch was the longest CSU has gone in a half without a two-point basket since the inception of the three-point line in 1986-87. Creason had the layup and converted on the free-throw after a foul for a three-point play to break the streak. To that point CSU was 8-of-9 from beyond the arc.
McFARLAND IMPACT
Andre McFarland, a true freshman, is averaging 7.4 points per game and despite playing the forward position is the Rams' top three-point shooter. He is shooting 38.6 percent from beyond the arc. McFarland is second in the league in freshman scoring and third among freshman rebounders.
RETURN OF THE BIG MAN
Stuart Creason sat out nine games with a foot injury but has returned to the Rams' lineup with a mission. Creason is averaging 14 points a game since his return. He also has 23 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in the last five games.
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 18.0 points per game, first in the Mountain West. When he isn't making baskets, Walker is setting up teammates. He currently averages 2.6 assists per game and has a career-high seven in two games.
ACES
Willis Gardner and Marcus Walker are a pair of aces when it comes to the free-throw line as each shoots .750 or better. Gardner is hitting . 909 (50-55) while Walker is 68-85 for .800.
NOTING THE WYOMING GAME
-Wyoming swept the series for the first time in four years.
-The Rams' current losing streak, 14 games, is the longest single-season slide in school history. CSU has had longer streaks over a two-year period in its history.
-Marcus Walker has been in double-figures in 12 of the Rams' 13 Mountain West Conference games.
-Stuart Creason's season-high four blocked shots moved him into sole possession of fifth place on CSU's all-time career list.
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.
WINTER CHILL
CSU was winless in the first month of 2008, going 0-7 during January. The freeze has continued as the Rams dropped all seven games in February.
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. - 19.9, overall - 18.0) prior to the game vs. BYU was the only Ram to score in double-digits in every MWC game this season.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Rams make their longest road trip of the Mountain West Conference season as they travel to San Diego State Saturday and then face Utah Tuesday. The team will not return to Fort Collins between games.
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.
