When teams used to see San Diego State on their schedules, head coach Steve Fisher said they would look at SDSU as “just another game.”
But then the Aztecs started winning. They rattled off five in a row, then 10 in a row, then 15 in a row and then 20.
And when SDSU’s name was suddenly a mainstay in the weekly Top 10 rankings, that “just another game” mentality morphed into something completely different.
“We’re a game that they star now,” Fisher said.
The 21-1, No. 6 / 7 Aztecs have become rockstars on the road. Everybody wants to see them, everybody wants a piece of them and everybody can’t wait to watch them fall.
Tonight in Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo., things will be no different.
“This will be the first time in my 12 years that I’ve gone into their arena with it full,” Fisher said.
Typically, sold-out games like these at Moby Arena have been reserved for the BYUs, Utahs and New Mexicos. But with SDSU heading into tonight’s game as the top dog in the Mountain West Conference, Fisher and the Aztecs are expecting that same VIP treatment.
“Take a look at their BYU game and see how many people were there,” Fisher said. “We’re going to have the same thing when we come into town (today). So we’re looking forward to it; it’s a big game for both teams.”
Colorado State has gone through a bit of a transformation of its own as well this season. When the polls came out on Monday, SDSU was sitting pretty in the Top 10. But way down at the bottom of the AP Poll, Colorado State made its way into the “others receiving votes” category — a sign of how close the Rams are to the Top 25.
CSU (15-6, 5-2 in MWC play) already has victories at UNLV and Utah this season. They also came within nine points of stopping Jimmer Fredette and BYU two weeks ago. Today, the Rams look up at the MWC standings and find themselves just one game out of first place in the MWC standings.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” sophomore guard Chase Tapley said. “Colorado State is a great team this year. It is tough playing at that altitude, but you have to fight through it and go as hard as you can to get the win.”
AT A GLANCE:
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Fort Collins, Colo.
TV: CBS College Sports, Channel 4 San Diego
Twitter: @Agustin_Aztecs, @EdwardFLewis
Why to watch: SDSU will try to avoid an upset on the road tonight.
