FORT COLLINS — Finally, Colorado State’s Wes Eikmeier sheds his role as a bystander in the Colorado rivalry. He’s 2-1 against the Buffs, the reverse of any of his third-year teammates, but he has mostly watched from the bench.
The transfer from Iowa State was 1-1 vs. CU in 2008 Big 12 play. He played a combined 12 minutes for the Cyclones in the split with CU. When the Rams beat their in-state rivals for the first time in Tim Miles’ tenure last season, Eikmeier watched as a redshirt transfer.
The rivalry resumes at 8 p.m. today in Boulder and the 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard figures to get serious playing time.
“At Iowa State, CU wasn’t as big of a game as some of the other (Big 12) games,” Eikmeier said. “But they play at a high level. They know what it’s like to get banged up throughout a whole season in the Big 12. They are going to be a good opponent for us.”
Eikmeier has shown surprisingly little rust for having basically a two-year hiatus. He saw limited time after Christmas of his only season at Iowa State, in part the result of an ankle injury and several illnesses.
“It was a long year sitting out,” Eikmeier said. “It was tough practicing daily and then when game time shows up, you can’t go out and play. . . . It’s exciting for me to be just playing again.”
Eikmeier starts alongside sophomore Dorian Green in the backcourt. Sophomore Jesse Carr, who sat out a medical redshirt last season, creates a three-man rotation with the guards. All average between 20.4 and 25.6 minutes a game.
Eikmeier averages 7.2 points per game but has yet to find his shooting touch, with a .281 percentage from the field. He has taken most of his shots from beyond the 3-point line.
“I’m very impressed with Wes because he’s in the right spot all the time, offense and defense,” CSU coach Tim Miles said.
He welcomed the transfer in part on the word of Carr, another former Nebraska high school standout. “He’s been there with Kansas and Texas and all the big hitters,” Miles said. “We’re going to need him, his ability and poise for a game like this.”
To that end, Carr said of the Coors Events Center: “It’s a tough place to play. It’s a tough place to win. We’re going to have to handle their personnel really well. . . . I think we are going to have to be the team that’s the aggressor because if we’re not, we’re not going to win.”
Natalie Meisler: 303 954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
