Perfect at foul line, Rams rip No. 13 Aztecs

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Colorado State fans packed into Moby Arena thanks to a promise of free pizza and T-shirts.

They were treated to quite a show, too.

Wes Eikmeier scored 19 points and Colorado State made all 23 free throws, beating No. 13 San Diego State 77-60 on Saturday for its first home win over a ranked team in more than eight years.

Will Bell added 17 points and the Rams (14-6, 3-2 Mountain West) frustrated the fatigued Aztecs (18-3, 4-1), limiting them to 3-for-21 shooting from 3-point range.

It was the first time Colorado State beat a Top 25 team at Moby since knocking off Purdue 71-69 on Dec. 30, 2003. Fans were eager to join the celebration as the student section rushed onto the floor, some waving cardboard cutouts of Rams coach Tim Miles and Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

The victory was just what Colorado State needed after dropping two straight on the road, putting a serious crimp in its NCAA Tournament hopes.

"It gives us hope," Eikmeier said. "But at the same time, we are still humble because of our last two games. We know how bad we can be. We know how good we can be."

Jamaal Franklin had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Aztecs, whose 11-game winning streak ended. Chase Tapley, the conference's leading scorer, was held to 10 points, 6.4 under his average.

"We got beat by a better basketball team today. I don't think they're a better basketball team, but they were today," San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said.

Miles partly agreed, saying: "I think we caught them on a bad shooting game, which helped."

Colorado State led by 18 midway through the second half, then weathered a surge by San Diego State, which hadn't lost since Nov. 30 against Creighton.

The Aztecs' loss capped an arduous week of travel. Because of heavy snow, it took San Diego State 20 hours to arrive in Laramie, Wyo., for a game Tuesday against the Cowboys. After beating Wyoming 52-42, the Aztecs chartered a flight and flew home, not wanting to miss any more class time than necessary. They then flew back to face Colorado State.

"I'm not going to place the blame on us traveling. We understand how our conference is and the climates," Aztecs forward Tim Shelton said.

At halftime, Colorado State introduced new football coach Jim McElwain, who is settling in after helping Alabama win a national championship as offensive coordinator. McElwain led the football team onto the court to a rousing ovation.

■ New Mexico 71, Texas Christian 54 -- At Albuquerque, N.M., Tony Snell compiled 18 points, four rebounds and four assists, carrying the Lobos (17-4, 3-2) to a blowout of the Horned Frogs (12-8, 2-3).

Snell made a 3-pointer to cap a 9-0 run in the first half that gave New Mexico a 22-16 lead. Early in the second half, he sandwiched 3-pointers around a Hugh Greenwood fast-break layup during a 12-0 spurt as the Lobos pulled away.

Amric Fields scored 16 to lead TCU, and J.R. Cadott added 15 points and nine rebounds.

■ Wyoming 75, Boise State 64 -- At Boise, Idaho, Luke Martinez scored 17 points and Francisco Cruz had 16 as the Cowboys (17-4, 3-2) handed the Broncos (10-10, 0-5) their sixth straight defeat. Wyoming led by as much as 22 and shot 65.8 percent from the floor (25 of 38).