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Just when you thought it couldn't get much worse for the San Diego State Aztecs (11-4, 1-1 Mountain West), they drove up Interstate 5 to Fresno and left with their first conference loss of the season. Now SDSU will prepare for the New Mexico Lobos (10-4, 2-0 Mountain West) who are fresh off of a win against the previously unbeaten Colorado State Rams.
Make what you will of CSU's schedule up to that game. The point is that UNM will be coming to Viejas Arena, a venue that has been unkind to the Lobos in recent years, with a considerable momentum advantage. You can bet your bottom dollar they want to steal a game and send the Aztecs, and their fans, into further distress.
Deshawn Delaney is having himself a solid year for UNM so far, averaging just under 14 points per game on 54-percent shooting. He also grabs around six rebounds per contest. The Aztec defense is still good enough for seventh in the nation at 54.3 points allowed per game, but had no answer for Fresno State's Marvelle Harris on Saturday night. Hopefully that's not a foreshadowing of further regress from SDSU.
It's basically been the same story for the Aztecs for the past month. No rhythm, no reliable scorers, and not the slightest bit of positive consistency in any offensive facet of the game. You've got to think that if Steve Fisher's boys can put together two halves where they shoot 35 percent or more, they've got as good a chance as any to avoid a rare home loss.
Either SDSU plays the way it's been playing and gets steamrolled, or a spectacular turnout from the home crowd, a full moon, and a little bit of Flubber on the sneakers combine to lift SDSU out of its funk to a season-shifting victory.
Score Prediction: Sorry, flubber isn't a real thing. Aztecs lose big, 63-52