FORT COLLINS — Considering that Adam Nigon spent his freshman year on the Colorado State intramurals courts, venues don’t get any bigger than tonight’s game at UCLA’s fabled Pauley Pavilion.
That’s against 3-7 UCLA, by the way, owner of the worst nonleague record in the Pac-10. The Bruins are struggling after losing two players to the NBA last spring and another, center Drew Gordon, who recently quit the team. Never mind that UCLA won 26 games last season and appeared in the previous three Final Fours.
These aren’t exactly John Wooden’s Bruins. Still, it’s Pauley Pavilion, where 11 national championship banners hang.
“It’s great. I’m excited,” said Nigon, a senior from Broomfield. “That’s like basketball heaven, where it all began. At the same time I can’t get in awe of everything. We have to come out and compete.”
This is Nigon’s kind of game. It isn’t his job to fill it up. All he has to do is scrap for every loose ball, steal and rebound. That is how the former walk-on earned a scholarship and a spot in CSU’s starting lineup.
“We know it’s a tough game,” Nigon said, “but they are beatable if we come out and play like we did against Colorado, with the same energy.”
The Rams (8-3) defeated UCLA the last time the teams met — 10 years ago today at a tournament in Hawaii. How-ever, CSU’s only win in an opponent’s gym during the coach Tim Miles era came late last season at Air Force.
Besides understandable losses to Notre Dame and Kansas, UCLA has lost to Cal State Fullerton, Portland, Long Beach State and Butler. The Bruins showed glimpses of the UCLA teams of old, venting frustration with a 100-68 walloping of New Mexico State.
“UCLA is still UCLA,” said CSU forward Travis Franklin, who is showing signs of a breakout season. “They still have a great coach (Ben Howland) and team.”
Added Miles, “It should be a great experience for us.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
