FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Lorrenzo Wade shook off the flu to score a season-high 25 points in San Diego State’s 78-59 win over Colorado State Saturday night.
The win helps the Aztecs (15-5, 5-2 Mountain West) keep pace with UNLV and Utah atop the Mountain West Conference.
“I felt like I had a small flu bug that I picked up from one of my teammates and I didn’t eat much, missed the shoot-around and stayed in the hotel,” Wade said after the game. “I wanted to do whatever I could to help this team.”
Wade also grabbed four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 36 minutes of play.
“I was worried about him and my hope was to play him three or four minutes at a crack,” San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said about Wade. “I look up and see that played 36 minutes.”
Kyle Spain added 15 points and eight rebounds for San Diego State, which has beaten Colorado State six straight times in the regular season.
The win was the Aztec’s eighth in 10 games.
“We didn’t let them get a lot off of their set plays,” Fisher said. “It was a collective effort.”
The Aztecs’ defense also lead to 20 Rams’ turnovers that San Diego State converted to 31 points.
“I was really disappointed with our energy, our enthusiasm and our effort level,” Colorado State coach Tim Miles said. “I thought it was a poor effort and that’s not what we’re about.”
Willis Gardner and Marcus Walker led Colorado State (7-15, 2-6) with 12 points each. The Rams shot 42 percent in their third straight loss.
“I think we just as a team weren’t ready tonight,” said Colorado State guard Jesse Carr, who struggled to score two points after averaging 17 points over the previous three games. “We weren’t ready to compete the way we had to for us to beat a team like San Diego State.”
Wade had nine points as San Diego State led 35-24 at the half.
Aztecs guard Richie Williams was seen on crutches after the game.
“I don’t know how he is,” Fisher said. “We’re going to have to get him looked at.”
