By Don Le — Reporter
San Jose State men’s basketball (5-11, 3-9 Mountain West) will take on one of the top teams in the Mountain West when they visit San Diego State (13-4, 7-3 MW) on Monday.
The Spartans have struggled offensively and defensively this season, scoring 66.7 points per game and allowing 83.7 points per game. They are currently seeded ninth in the conference with a 3-9 MW record.
But they have stepped their game up while their leading scorer, senior guard Richard Washington, is recovering from a head injury he sustained in a game on Jan. 21.
They are currently on a three-game win streak after beating the Air Force Academy Falcons twice, including a 75-62 victory on Jan. 30.
Senior forward Ralph Agee had an impressive performance that game with 22 points and 14 rebounds while sharpshooting junior guard Trey Smith had 21 points off five made three-pointers.
Agee, who was named Mountain West Player of the Week last week and is averaging 11 points and five rebounds a game, will be expected to have a big impact in order for the Spartans to claim victory tonight.
But their opponent tonight is no joke.
The Aztecs have consistently been a top team in the Mountain West over the years and this season is no different as they are fourth in the conference. They come into tonight’s game on a four-game win streak, winning those games by an average of 31.5 points.
The Aztecs are led by senior forward Matt Mitchell, who is averaging 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists a game.
Mitchell scored 26 points in his last game against the Wyoming Cowboys on Jan. 30, and is a force to be reckoned with.
The Spartans have a tough task on hand, but one thing is for certain, one team’s win streak will be coming to an end tonight.
Tip off is at 8 p.m. Monday at Viejas Arena in San Diego. The game will be aired on Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and on the TuneIn app.
Follow Don on Twitter @SJSUDonLe
