We have a big Mountain West Conference showdown to look forward to tonight as the Colorado State Rams hit the road to visit the San Diego State Aztecs. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET and the game will air on CBS Sports Network. CSU took the first matchup between these two teams 79-71 on January 30.
Colorado State (19-5, 7-4 MWC) has crawled back into the conference title race with four straight victories, last handling San Jose State in a 66-47 victory on Friday. The Rams were in control for the entire contest as they held the Spartans to just 32.8% shooting from the field. Nique Clifford had a very productive evening, producing 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and two steals in the win.
San Diego State (18-6, 7-4 MWC) fell out of the AP Top 25 this week and that was a result of its 70-66 overtime loss to surging Nevada on Friday. These two squads went back and forth throughout the entire game and the Wolf Pack were able to get the last laugh in OT when a Tre Coleman layup and a pair of Kenan Blackshear free throws gave them the final edge. Jaedon LeDee led the Aztecs with 20 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
Colorado State jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the first matchup between these teams a few weeks ago and forced San Diego State to play catch up for the rest of the game. That game was in Fort Collins and the Rams will have a more difficult time duplicating that on the road, where they are 1-4 in conference play. The Aztecs have won every one of their league home games by double digits so far and a huge part of that has been them holding MWC opponents to just 49.2% in effective field goal shooting.
What this game means for Colorado State
It’s going to be an all out brawl for the Mountain West Conference regular season title in the next few weeks and Colorado State is going to be right in the middle of it barring a late-season swoon. However, the Rams must overcome their struggles on the road if they want to capture the conference crown and it begins with handling business in southern California tonight.
What this game means for San Diego State
San Diego State is also right in the thick of the MWC title race despite being up and down for the last month. The Aztecs need to establish some momentum heading into the final few weeks of the regular season and a loss at home would do the exact opposite. They can’t afford a slip up on their home floor.
Colorado State vs. San Diego State odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: SDSU -6
Total: 140.5
Moneyline: SDSU -250, CSU +205