Fort Collins – Don’t blame Michael Harrison for Colorado State’s 15-game losing streak in foreign Mountain West Conference arenas. He was safely tucked away at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling during most of the damage.
The same holds for two other first-year CSU starters. Point guard Cory Lewis, the catalyst for the revved-up Rams’ 11-2 nonconference start, was at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College. Freshman shooting guard Stephan Gilling, who brings outside scoring to a team that was inconsistent for two years behind the arc, was honing his game in high school in Chino Hills, Calif.
CSU enters its MWC schedule tonight at preseason favorite San Diego State (7-5). CSU carries the MWC’s highest Ratings Percentage Index (18) and a nonleague résumé of wins over Auburn and Colorado as well as second place in the Rainbow Classic, beating Hawaii in Honolulu. If the NCAA Tournament bracket came out today, CSU would have a reasonable chance of seeing its name on the big board.
But that’s why conference play is the most significant part of the season and why CSU isn’t going anywhere until the Rams learn to win on the road.
“We’ve had six games away from Moby, we’ve won four. I think we have to take it to another level, but that is a good step. We’re as prepared as we can be, but we have to ramp it up for another level,” CSU coach Dale Layer said.
Confidence is another newcomer to the CSU lineup.
“We might take some people by surprise in the first couple of games,” said senior Micheal Morris. “We expect to win now. Before we hoped to win.”
CSU’s 15-game streak is only the third-longest road losing streak in the relatively brief history of the MWC. Air Force set the bar for incompetence with 27 consecutive league road losses. New Mexico posted 22. Both ended their streaks at CSU, in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Both teams made it to the NCAA Tournament in those years.
“We know every road win is a tough one in the Mountain West,” Harrison said. “We know we have to take care of home. We know on the road stuff happens there. The coaches emphasize us going in with chemistry and pulling for each other.”
CSU plays four of its first five games away from Moby Arena. After tonight, the Rams travel to New Mexico for “Pack the Pit” night Saturday, return home Jan. 14 to play defending champion Utah, then head out for games at Nevada-Las Vegas on Jan. 18 and Texas Christian on Jan. 21.
Harrison, one of three players to start every game for CSU this season, gives the previously missing dimension of an athletic forward who can run the floor with the likes of the MWC’s best front-court players.
One of those is San Diego State’s Marcus Slaughter, the preseason pick for MWC player of the year. Slaughter is averaging 17.4 points and 10.2 rebounds, but a sprained knee sidelined him in late December.
Aztecs coach Steve Fisher told reporters Monday that Slaughter is doubtful for the team’s league opener.
San Diego State is just getting a look at Mohamed Abukar, a 6-foot-10 junior and transfer from Florida who is the league’s most touted four-year transfer since former New Mexico star Danny Granger.
Between ailing Slaughter and Abukar just getting his legs back, the timing couldn’t be better for the Rams to play the Aztecs.
“Once San Diego State puts it all together, they are still the most talented team in the league,” Layer said.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
