The undefeated San Diego State University men's basketball team faces its stiffest test of the season Wednesday. The fourth-ranked Aztecs travel to Utah to play the Brigham Young University Cougars, ranked number nine in the same national poll.
BYU has only lost one game and the team features one of the nation's best scorers in guard Jimmer Fredette, who averages nearly 27 points a game.
Aztec's head coach Steve Fisher said the game will be played in front of nearly 23,000 fans. He expects the BYU arena to be a madhouse. The coach said his team is pumped about the opportunity to play against another highly ranked team.
"Our players are excited. Hopefully they won't play with the anxiousness that sometimes comes with the build-up and try to do things too fast,” Fisher said. “That's the key. You know and I know both teams will play very, very hard.”
Fisher said his team understands it is an important game that will serve as a measuring stick for the squad. But he said the players also know it is not the end of the world if they lose to the Cougars.
"We're looking forward to the challenge,” Fisher said. “And it will be a big game not only locally and in the Mountain West Conference, but nationally.”
The Aztecs are one of two unbeaten NCAA division one teams in the country. This is the first time in school history the basketball team has started a season with 20 straight wins.
The winner will be undefeated in conference play and has a good shot at winning the regular season title.
The community has responded to the team’s success: All the remaining home games at Viejas Arena are sold out.
