Spotlight on Junior F Drew Gordon: Gordon started five games for UCLA as a sophomore before bolting in midyear after playing all but one game as a freshman. Like Danny Granger’s first year, it has taken some time to get back in playing form. Now he’s good for nearly a double-double every night (averaging 12.3 ppg and 9.7 rpg). He has 11. Gordon and CSU’s Andy Ogide will make for a very interesting matchup.
Notebook
Colorado State (16-7, 6-3): The Rams have matched last year’s win total. With seven games left plus a minimum of one MWC Tournament appearance, CSU is seriously looking at the school’s first 20-win season since 20-9 in 1998. The biggest concern for the Rams is the lingering tendinitis in Wes Eikmeier’s foot. He gave CSU some needed depth and outside scoring in the backcourt. Greg Smith has moved into his spot in the starting lineup. He had an entire week to rest up. . . . CSU is looking for its first win over the Lobos since an upset at The Pit in 2007.
New Mexico (17-7, 5-4): The Lobos have improved steadily through the course of MWC play as Gordon acclimates to the league and freshmen guards Kendall Williams and Tony Snell have matured. . . . CSU shut out New Mexico top scorer Dairese Gary in the first meeting. . . . The Lobos have recovered from a three-game slump early in league play to win four in a row, including the MWC’s only win over BYU. . . . UNM coach Steve Alford, who won his 400th career game at Air Force to start the month, calls the CSU matchup “a pretty pivotal game in February.”
