SDSU Basketball: No. 25 SDSU vs. Fresno State (Game Preview)
The 25th ranked team (USA Today Coaches Poll) in the nation the San Diego State Aztecs will play host to the Fresno State Bulldogs at Viejas Arena (12,414) on the campus of San Diego State University this Saturday. The Aztecs will enter Saturday’s game as the favorites against Fresno State. The players to watch in Saturday’s game are Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley. Jamaal Franklin enters the game against Fresno State averaging 17.6 points and 9.4 rebounds in 21 games this season. Chase Tapley enters the game against Fresno State averaging 13.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 20 games this season.
The Aztecs are still trying to improve with shooting from the floor and behind the arc. The Aztecs are shooting 44.1% from the floor and 32.1% from behind the arc. This team has a plethora of shooters and can blow out teams when they are shooting their best as they did against Arkansas Pine Bluff, UCLA, UCSB, first half of the Colorado State game, second half of the Nevada game and game against New Mexico. The Aztecs need major improvement in the free throw game but have improved their free throw shooting average to 67.3%. The Aztecs have also been working harder this season on offensive and defensive rebounds. Rebounding is the number one weakness of San Diego State. The Aztecs have a ton of work to do in the rebounding game.The Aztecs have out rebounded teams this year 815 to 734.
The Aztecs are ranked 25th in the USA Today coaches poll. The Aztecs did drop out of the AP Top 25 poll with the loss to Air Force. Being ranked 25th in the coaches poll makes it 25 straight weeks that SDSU has been ranked in one of the two major polls.The Aztecs starting five for Saturday’s game will be JJ ‘O Brien, Jamaal Franklin, Chase Tapley, James Rahon and DeShawn Stephens. The line up could change before game day depending on how star point guard Xavier Thames’s back is doing. Once again the only San Diego State freshman who is red-shirting this season is Matt Shrigley. Look for Skylar Spencer, Winston Shepard, Dwayne Polee II and James Johnson to receive a lot of minutes in Saturday’s game.
The Bull Dogs have some height on their team with Jerry Brown (6-7), Kevin Foster (6-8), Braeden Anderson (6-9), Tanner Giddings (6-10) and Robert Upshaw (7-0).The smallest players on the Fresno State team are Allen Huddleston (6-2), Tyler Johnson (6-2) and Kevin Olekaible (6-2).The Bull Dogs have a good-sized squad that will put up a fight on the boards against a very talented Aztec squad.
Highlights from last match up.
Poll Question
Game Day Information
Game information: Tipoff 3:00 p.m. PT at Viejas Arena (12,414) in San Diego, California.
Radio: KOGO 600 – for link to internet radio please Click Here
TV: CBS Sports Network
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