Game notes: Rams, Aztecs clash Saturday afternoon at Moby

Jan. 28, 2010

Game 21:  Colorado State vs. San Diego State
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010 | 4 p.m. MT | Fort Collins, Colo. | Moby Arena (8,745)

Television
Network: The Mtn.
Play-by-Play: Rich Cellini
Color Analyst: Blaine Fowler
Channel: Comcast (411), DirecTV (616)

Radio
Network: Colorado State Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Jerry Schemmel
Flagship: KLZ (560 AM)

Online
Live Statistics: CSURams.com
Streaming Audio: CSURams.com/allaccess
Streaming Video: None

Up next
The Colorado State men's basketball team closes a two-game homestand Saturday, playing host the San Diego State Aztecs.  The Mountain West Conference game is set for 4 p.m. MT from Moby Arena (8,745). 
 
The game will be televised live on The Mtn. with Rich Cellini (play-by-play) and Blaine Fowler (color analyst) bringing fans all the action from courtside.   

The Rams (12-8, 3-3 MWC) are coming off of a 63-57 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs on Wednesday.  The Aztecs (14-6, 3-3 MWC) were idle this week after falling 71-69 vs. BYU at home last Saturday. 

The Rams enter the contest looking to improve upon their 9-1 home record at Moby Arena. 

With the exception of the team's MWC-opening victory over New Mexico (74-64), and a road loss at UNLV (66-76), four of SDSU's last six games, all MWC contests, have been decided by an average of 2.8 points per game. 

Fans can listen to the game on the Colorado State Sports Network. Jerry Schemmel will call all the action courtside. The game will be carried on flagship KLZ (560 AM) in Denver and on KCOL (600 AM), locally. Rams fans worldwide can listen to the action live streaming audio on CSURams.com/allaccess.

Live statistics are available by clicking the "GameTracker" logo on the men's basketball "Schedule/Results" page on CSURams.com. 

Looking ahead
The Rams open February with a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, to face the Utah Utes on Wednesday.  CSU then returns to Moby Arena to begin the final round of MWC play with a home tilt against Border War rival Wyoming, Feb. 6, at Moby Arena.  Both games will be televised on The Mtn at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. MT, respectively. 
 
About San Diego State
San Diego State brings back eight letterwinners from its 2008-09 squad that finished the season 26-10, earning a trip to the NIT. This season, the Aztecs are 14-6, with impressive wins against Arizona and at then-No. 15 New Mexico. San Diego State is off to a 3-3 start to conference play, however, and is tied with CSU and Utah for fourth place in the league standings. 

Steve Fisher is in his 11th year as head coach of the Aztecs, posting a record of 187-146. During his 18-plus-season career as a head coach, Fisher has recorded 371 wins.

The Aztecs have an experienced core of two seniors and five juniors. Billy White, Malcolm Thomas and D.J. Gay lead the attack among the junior class, combining for 45 percent of the team's offensive production. White and Thomas shoot better than 50 percent from the floor and all three have connected on more than 30 percent of their three-point attempts. Malcolm also ranks second on the team with 7.9 rebounds.

While the junior class is getting the job done, it's freshman Kawhi Leonard who is leading the team in points and rebounds. The first-year forward averages 11.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, and is also tied for the team lead with 28 steals.

Series vs. San Diego State
Despite claiming 61 percent of the battles in the series since it formed in 1961, the Rams have dropped the four most recent games, and the last four at Moby Arena. CSU's last win over San Diego State was a 69-64 upset in the quarterfinals of the 2006-07 MWC tournament. CSU has dropped the last eight regular-season meetings, and is looking for its first home win since a 93-88 overtime win during the 2004-05 season. CSU, however, holds a strong advantage over the Aztecs all-time at Moby Arena, winning 22 of the 28 meetings.

Last season vs. San Diego State
The Rams dropped a home contest against the Aztecs last January, 78-59, but were able to keep the game closer in San Diego, falling 68-59, in the regular-season finale.

Current Rams vs. San Diego State
No player is averaging double figures in his career against San Diego State. Harvey Perry has done the most damage, scoring 15 points in two games. Andy Ogide has added 14 points in a pair of contests, while pulling down nine rebounds. In a road game against the Aztecs his freshman year, junior F Andre McFarland hit five field goals on his way to a 13-point, six-rebound effort.

Defending the Fort
Colorado State won its first eight home games of the season before suffering an 80-72 loss vs. visiting UNLV on Jan. 20.  The eight-game streak marked the longest home winning streak for the Rams since the team rattled off nine straight at Moby between the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons. 

The Rams improved their home mark to 9-1 on Wednesday with a 63-57 victory over  the TCU Horned Frogs. 

Through the years, Moby Arena has been a tough environment for opposing teams. CSU has won 70 percent (437-189) of its games at Moby Arena. Since the 2002-03 season, the Rams have had several winning streaks to start their home season: 2002-03, 13 consecutive; 2004-05, 9; 2005-06, 8; and 2006-07, 6.

Home Court Advantage
CSU looks to reel in its 10th win of the season at Moby Arena on Saturday. The last time the Rams had 10 wins on their home court was in 2006-07 when the team went 10-4.

The Rams' 9-1 home record to start the season marks the best home record through 10 games since 2004-05, when CSU also started the season 9-1 at home. That year, the Rams finished with an overall record of 11-17, with all of their season's wins coming at Moby Arena (11-4 home record).

With an all-time 70 percent (443-189) winning percentage at Moby Arena, a win on Saturday would give the Rams a double-digit season win total for the 23rd time in the arena's history.

Green goes for 20
Freshman G Dorian Green scored a team-leading 20 points in the Rams' loss to UNLV on Jan. 20.  Green, the Rams' leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, reached 20 points for the second time in his 18-game career at CSU.  He tallied a personal-best 21 points in the Rams' 77-62 victory over Colorado on Dec. 10. 

Green's 20-point scoring effort marked the eighth such game by a Rams player this season.  The following is a list of CSU's 20-point scoring games for 2009-10:

 Andy Ogide (24), vs. UC Davis (11-13-09)
 Andre McFarland (20), vs. UC Davis (11-13-09)
 Travis Franklin (24), vs. San Francisco (11-29-09)
 Travis Franklin (22), vs. Colorado (12-10-09)
 Dorian Green (21), vs. Colorado (12-10-09)
 Travis Franklin (22), vs. Northern Arizona (12-20-09)
 Andy Ogide (22), at Wyoming (1-6-10)
 Dorian Green (20), vs. UNLV (1-20-10)

Block Party
Led by senior Mame Bocar Ba's two blocks, the Rams swatted away a season-high five shots against TCU on Wednesday.  It was the most blocked shots since CSU recorded five against Air Force on Jan. 20, 2009.  The Rams also blocked a half dozen shots twice last year.

Streaking vs. TCU
With Wednesday's win against TCU, it gives the Rams a two-game winning streak against the Horned Frogs. The two game streak is the longest current winning streak for the Rams among any of their conference opponents. CSU also has won the most recent meeting against Wyoming and Air Force.

Strong Freshman Class
The Rams have a talented trio of freshmen that have turned many heads during their first year of collegiate basketball. Through two-thirds of the regular season, these freshmen are eying several categories in CSU's freshman record book.

Dorian Green not only leads the team but ranks No. 9 in the MWC with a scoring average of 13.2 points per game. His current average would go down as third all-time among freshmen at CSU behind former players Eddie Hughes (15.4 ppg.) and Matt Nelson (14.0 ppg.).

Pierce Hornung has been great on the glass, averaging 5.0 rebounds a contest. His current average is tied for fourth all-time with Nelson.

Greg Smith is coming off of his best performance vs. TCU on Wednesday, posting career highs in minutes (29) and points (15).  He has turned his play up a notch over the past two weeks. Since Jan. 16 at BYU, the freshman is averaging 11.8 points per game. On the season, he averages 7.6 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Busch in the starting lineup
Senior forward Travis Busch made his first start in a Rams uniform on Jan. 23 at New Mexico, tallying a career-high-tying seven points in 25 minutes.  Busch remained in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game in the Rams' victory over TCU on Jan. 27, once again tying his career-high at CSU with seven points again the Horned Frogs in 20 minutes of action.   

Smith hitting his stride
Over his last four games, entering Saturday's contest against San Diego State, freshman F Greg Smith has shown steady improvement for the Rams and has seen his production, and minutes, rise steadily in MWC play.

Smith is coming off of his best performance as a freshman at CSU in which he posted career highs in minutes (29) and points (15), leading CSU to a victory over TCU on Wednesday at Moby Arena. 

That performance capped a four-game stretch in which Smith averaged 11.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest, while hitting 81.5 percent (22-for-27) from the free-throw line during one of the Rams' toughest stretches on their schedule. 

Smith was a bright spot during a three-game losing streak for the Rams. He posted a then-career-high and team-leading 13 points at BYU on Jan. 16, and matched that effort and tied for team-high honors with another 13-point effort at New Mexico on Jan. 23.  Smith also tallied six points and four rebounds in a tough home loss to UNLV on Jan. 20. 

Rams giving back to the community
Members of the Colorado State men's basketball team will, once again, be participating in "Senior Night Out," a community service project in which the team volunteers to spend time with residents at Worthington Independent Living Center in Fort Collins.  The Rams' visit will take place Thursday evening, and many of the residents will then be special guests of the CSU men's basketball program at Saturday's game against San Diego State.  

CSU staff lacing `em up for Coaches vs. Cancer
Members of the Colorado State coaching staff will be donning sneakers as part of their game-day attire on Saturday against San Diego State, to show their support for the American Cancer Society and the Coaches vs. Cancer "Suits and Sneakers" awareness weekend.  

Franklin a force for the Rams
Despite struggling from the free-throw line (3-for-14 FTs) in the Rams' 80-72 loss vs. UNLV on Jan. 20, junior F Travis Franklin turned in one of the best single-game performances by a CSU player this season.  Franklin poured in 17 points, while pulling down a game-high-tying nine rebounds and dishing out a team-leading five assists.  It marked just the second time this season that a CSU player had scored in double-figures, and led the team in both rebounds and assists.  Franklin also accomplished the feat when he tallied 10 points and added 10 rebounds, while dishing out a pair of assists at Northern Colorado on Dec. 1., a 70-63 CSU loss.  Freshman Greg Smith also accomplished the feat at New Mexico on Jan. 23 with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.   

Scoring for the Rams
Freshman G Dorian Green, junior F Travis Franklin and junior F Andy Ogide rank 1-2-3 for the Rams in terms of scoring through 20 games this season. Green (13.2 ppg.) has scored in double figures in 13 of his first 20 collegiate contests as a true freshman, while Franklin (11.0 ppg.) has reached double-figure scoring in 10 of his last 15 games.  Ogide (11.2 ppg.) has led CSU in scoring in five games this season, including the Rams' first two MWC victories, at Wyoming (22 points) and vs. Air Force (13 points). 

Entering Saturday's game vs. TCU, Green ranks ninth in the MWC in scoring, and first among freshmen.  Ogide is 16th and Franklin is tied for 20th. 

Putting it on the line
CSU has become one of the top teams in the Mountain West Conference when it comes to getting to the free throw line this season.  Entering Wednesday's contest vs. TCU, CSU is averaging 26.8 free throw attempts per game as a team.  This ranks third in the MWC behind Wyoming (30.7 per game) and the New Mexico (27.6 per game). 

This season, the Rams are 11-1 when attempting more free-throws than an opponent.  The Rams are 11-0 when making more free-throws than an opponent.

McFarland climbing the three-point charts
For his career at Colorado State, McFarland has hit 119 three-pointers, just one shy of cracking the program's top-10 list.  David Turcotte (1984-88) currently holds the 10th spot with 120 career three-pointers.  McFarland's career three-point percentage of .420 is currently ninth, just behind Turcotte (.426), in the Rams' record book.

Hot start
The Rams began the 2009-10 season with a record of 7-3 through 10 games.  It marked the best start for CSU through 10 games since the 2006-07 season (8-2). 

Nigon heating up
Junior Adam Nigon entered the season averaging 2.87 points per contest through two seasons. This year, the guard is averaging 8.5 points, and is just two points shy, entering Saturday's contest vs. SDSU, of matching his career scoring total from his freshman and sophomore campaigns, combined.  Nigon is shooting 40.1 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent from three-point range. During a five-game stretch from Nov. 29 to Dec. 12, he averaged 11.6 points, including a career-high 17 against Montana, helping the Rams to a 4-1 record during that stretch.   

Entering Saturday's contest vs. SDSU, Nigon has scored in double figures in four of his last nine games.  He was the lone Ram to connect from long range at BYU on Jan. 16, and will look to extend his streak of consecutive games with a trey to eight games against the Aztecs. 

Seeing double
Junior F Travis Franklin recorded his second career double-double performance in the Rams' victory over rival Colorado (Dec. 10).  Franklin tallied 22 points, his second 20-point effort of the season, and capped off the double-double performance with 10 rebounds to help CSU to the 77-62 victory.  Franklin shot 7-for-9 from the field and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, while adding a block and two steals against the Buffs.  Franklin also recorded a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) nine days earlier in the Rams' 70-63 loss at Northern Colorado (Dec.1).  

Seeing double, part two
Freshman F Greg Smith recorded his first career double-double on Dec. 20 in the Rams' victory over Northern Arizona.  Smith, playing in just the seventh game of his career at CSU, tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds to help the Rams to the 64-56 victory. 

Seeing double, part three
Senior F Andy Ogide became the third player this season to record a double-double for the Rams, joining classmate Travis Franklin and freshman Greg Smith.  Ogide recorded 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the Rams 63-57 victory over TCU on Wednesday.  It marked Ogide's fifth career double-double, but his first since Jan. 17, 2009 at Utah (19 points, 10 rebounds).  The Rams are 3-2 all-time when Ogide records a double-double. 

McFarland back in action
Sidelined by back stiffness, junior Andre McFarland missed four straight games for the Rams after playing in every game of his career at CSU to that point.  McFarland missed victories over CU (77-62), Montana (62-61) and Northern Arizona (64-56), and was unable to go in the Rams' loss at UCLA (75-63).  McFarland returned to the court for the Rams at Fresno State, tallying three points and one rebound in 12 minutes of action, and played in five consecutive games between Dec. 28 and Jan. 16, before missing the Rams' home game vs. UNLV on Jan. 20.  McFarland returned to the CSU lineup at New Mexico on Saturday, knocking down a pair of three-pointers and finishing with eight points, his highest scoring effort since a nine-point game vs. Yale.  The junior missed his sixth game of the season on Wednesday, in the Rams' victory vs. TCU.   

Draining the three
After shooting just 1-for-13 from three-point range at BYU (Jan. 16), the Rams got back on track from behind the arc against UNLV on Jan. 20, hitting 8-of-20 attempts for 40 percent.  The Rams followed up that performance shooting 6-for-16 at New Mexico on Saturday. 

Colorado State ranks among the top schools in the Mountain West in terms of three-point shooting percentage this season.  The Rams are shooting 35.5 percent from long range, which ranks third in the league behind nationally ranked programs from BYU (.416) and New Mexico (.375).

Balanced rebounding attack
Despite only having five 10-plus rebounding efforts this season, the Rams have three players - Andy Ogide, Travis Franklin and Pierce Hornung - ranked in the top 16 in the MWC in rebounding average: Ogide (5.8), tied for seventh; Franklin (5.5), tied for ninth; and Hornung (5.0), tied for 15th.  As a team, Colorado State ranks fifth in the MWC pulling down 36.0 boards per game.  The Rams' are outrebounding opponents by 3.5 per game, the fourth-highest rebounding margin in the league (SDSU, +7.7; BYU, +5.6; and New Mexico, +4.9). 

Green means go
Entering Saturday's game vs. San Diego State, freshman G Dorian Green, the Rams leading scorer at 13.2 points per game, has reached double-digits scoring in a team-leading 13 games this season.  His scoring average ranks ninth overall in the MWC and first among freshmen.

BYU freshman Tyler Haws (12.1 ppg.), SDSU's Kawhi Leonard (11.6 ppg.), and Utah's Marshall Henderson (11.3 ppg.), rank 12th, 13th and 15th, respectively, in the MWC in scoring, and are the only other freshmen to appear in the top 20.      

Freshmen strong in debuts
Freshmen Dorian Green and Pierce Hornung impressed in their first weekend of action at the BTI Tip-off tournament (Nov. 13-15).  Green started all three games for the Rams at point guard and wasted no time making his mark, with 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists in the Rams' opening game vs. UC Davis.  He earned all-tourney honors after averaging 12 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. 

Hornung looked sharp, pulling down two rebounds, and recording four assists and three steals in 23 minutes in his first collegiate game against the Aggies.  He added a pair of blocks in the Rams' win over Winston-Salem State, and closed the weekend with six rebounds, two assists and one steal against the Oregon Ducks. 

Greg Smith, who saw his first action in the Rams' fifth game of the season, was also impressive in his debut performance, filling up the stat sheet with 10 points, six rebounds three steals, two assists and two blocks. 

If I can be frank
Junior F Travis Franklin has started 19 of CSU's 20 contests this season; he came off the bench against DU (Dec. 5).  Franklin has left his mark at both ends of the court for the Rams. The Baton Rouge, La., native ranks second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rebounds per game) and third in scoring (11.0 points per game), while leading the team in offensive rebounds (46), and free-throw attempts (151).  He enters Saturday's game vs. SDSU ranking in the MWC in a number of categories, including tied for 20th in scoring, tied for ninth in rebounding and sixth in offensive rebounding (2.3 per game).

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