BYU at Colorado State (-2.5) - 2:30pm Pacific - Game #577-578
The Rams have won 12 of 14 games and their only losses in that span came vs league heavyweight Air Force and at San Diego State when the Aztecs were in a must win situation after a week off. CSU bounced back from that loss to win at TCU by 12 last time out despite starter Tyler Smith missing the game with a minor foot strain and several key players limited by foul trouble. The win made CSU one of only two teams with multiple conference road wins in the MWC. Ram junior F/C Jason Smith is the top player in the conference and a sure fire NBA prospect. His supporting cast has improved with the addition of two key JC transfers and returnees center Stuart Creason and point guard Cory Lewis are having fine seasons. Team chemistry has significantly improved and players call this team completely different from last year. CSU is always tough at home and is 7-1 here this season. The biggest crowd of the year is expected Saturday.

BYU has won 8 of 9 games but all 8 wins have been at home and they do not own a single quality win all season. Per Sagarin ratings, the highest rated opponent they have beaten is Idaho State (84) at home back in early November and they needed OT to do it. The Cougars are 1-4 on the road including losses at Boise State and Lamar, with their only road win coming at Weber State in overtime. Their most recent road loss came at UNLV where they lost by 8 but trailed by 16 with 3:00 left and UNLV played without starting point guard Kruger. The Cougars lost backcourt depth when senior guard Rashaun Broadus was suspended for the season three games back. He started 11 games and was fifth on the team in minutes played before his departure. BYU won both meetings last year including a 2 point win here. Expect the Rams to get some revenge today. Give the points.

RAS Official Play: Colorado State -2.5 1 UNIT

Cal State Fullerton at UC Irvine (-2) - 7:00pm Pacific - Game #665-666
UC Irvine has just begun to play their best basketball of the season and is poised to be a contender in the Big West conference race. The Anteaters moved promising freshman point guard Michael Hunter and senior forward Nic Campbell into the starting lineup three games back. Hunter, the teams lone true point guard, lacks experience but has 29 assists and just 13 turnovers in his last 7 games and doesn't shy away from competition. Campbell is the team's leading returning scorer from last year and a solid all around player but missed the first nine games of the season with a back injury and has not been 100% until recently. Irvine did not match up well in game at CSUN three games back, but still rallied from an 18 point second half deficit to lead by 2 late in the game and easily could have won if not for a few bad breaks. They bounced back from that game with their best performance of the season, a 25 point drubbing of Pacific in Stockton on ESPNU and took care of business on Thursday with an easy win over UC Riverside.

While UCI coasted at home Thursday, Fullerton lost 95-85 in a hard fought game at Long Beach State. The Titans are now 1-2 in Big West road games. Both of their losses have come against teams ranking second and third in FG% defense in the Big West. Today they face a UC Irvine team that ranks first in that category by a large margin. CSUF's defense allowed LBS to shoot 56% in the second half of last game and has not been good all season. If their offense struggles at all, which it figures to do, they will be in trouble. The Titans are also very undersized and badly lack depth. Their tallest regular is only 6'7, and just six players play the majority of meaningful minutes. Meanwhile, UC Irvine is one of the biggest teams in the Big West and easily goes nine deep with little drop-off. The Anteaters should control all halfcourt aspects of this game and eventually wear down Fullerton. UCI is 6-1 at home this year and this is a critical game for them if they are to contend for a BYE in the Big West tournament. Give the points.

RAS Official Play: UC Irvine -2 1 UNIT


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