Backcourt
San Diego State: The Aztecs rely heavily on a four-guard rotation of juniors Jamaal Franklin and Xavier Thames, and seniors Chase Tapley and James Rahon, who combine to score 47.8 points per game, or 68 percent of the Aztecs’ points. Franklin leads the team in scoring at 17.4 points per game and also in steals, assists and rebounds. He is statistically the best rebounding guard in all of college basketball, grabbing 25 percent of all opponents’ missed shots while on the floor.
Air Force: Senior guard Michael Lyons is the only player averaging double figures, scoring at 18.2 points per game and is also the Falcons’ leading rebounder. His backcourt partner senior Todd Fletcher might be one of the most underrated players in the conference and one of the most efficient scorers in the nation, shooting 51 percent on 2-pointers and 47.6 percent on 3-pointers.
Edge: Aztecs
Frontcourt
SDSU: Sophomore JJ O’Brien and freshman Winston Shepard are both listed as forwards but have taken turns running the point while Thames, the regular point guard, has battled a back injury. Both have seen their scoring and rebounding averages rise in conference play, while the scoring average of senior starter DeShawn Stephens has dipped since conference play began. Freshman center Skylar Spencer has provided a much-needed defensive presence for the Aztecs and leads the team in blocked shots despite averaging 15.3 minutes per game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Spencer play in the starting lineup.
AFA: Senior forward Mike Fitzgerald is leading the Falcons in scoring through the first five conference games at 15.8 points per game. Senior center Taylor Broekhuis also played well this season and is an excellent shot blocker. No Falcon is averaging more than 3.8 rebounds per game in conference play.
Edge: Aztecs
Coaching
SDSU: After the Aztecs’ excellent defensive performance against the University of New Mexico last Saturday, head coach Steve Fisher was quick to deflect credit to his players. But Fisher has guided his team to consecutive 21-point victories after losing two games in a row.
AFA: Falcons head coach Dave Pilipovich assumed control of the Air Force program during the middle of last season and promptly led the Falcons to a 58-56 win against then No. 13 SDSU. The Falcons didn’t win another game all season, but that upset may have been a big reason why Pilipovich earned the job full-time. He has Air Force playing at a much quicker tempo than in previous years. Though he may not have the résumé of Fisher, he is 1-0 versus the Aztecs thus far.
Edge: Even
Intangibles
SDSU: The Aztecs have won two straight games by 21 points and will have had a week off to rest and recover. The team may also be looking for revenge after Air Force upset SDSU last season without Franklin.
AFA: The Falcons are 8-1 at home despite rarely drawing more than 2,000 fans to their games. Their advantage of being accustomed to the Colorado altitude may be offset by the Aztecs’ week of rest and deep bench.
Edge: Even
