For all intents and purposes, Wednesday's Mountain West Conference opener between Colorado State and Wyoming will be the Rams' biggest game of the season. Sure, it's against the Border War rival Cowboys, but there is so much more at stake.

It's a chance for the Rams to regain sanity in a crazy roller coaster of a non-conference season CSU just completed.

Colorado State enters the Border War with a 9-5 overall record, with seven wins coming at home inside of Moby Arena, two on neutral sites and all five losses being handed to them on the road. The nine wins is equal to the team's total from the 2008-2009 season.

Wednesday will mark the first conference game of the year for either team as well as the first road contest for CSU that truly means something.

On paper, the two are pretty evenly matched. The Rams hold a scoring margin just one point higher than the Pokes (7-7); Wyoming is averaging one more rebound and assist per game than the Rams; Colorado State doesn't turn the ball over as much, but the Cowboys have more steals on the season; and both squads have three players averaging double digit points per game. Any edge one team holds, the other seems to cancel it out in another category.

The biggest difference is Colorado State's ability to shoot the three-pointer, with a field goal percentage of 37 percent from behind-the-arc compared to only 23 percent from Wyoming. This is where the Rams will have to take advantage in a very hostile environment that if is anything like last season, won't have much green in the crowd.

The two key players are going to be the Cowboys' sophomore wing Afam Muojeke and Andy Ogide for the Rams.

Last year in Laramie, Muojeke scored what was then a career-high with 25 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks while playing all 40 minutes of the game. He was the dagger that killed all rallies Colorado State was able to muster up.

Ogide had a solid game in the post at Wyoming last season with 13 points and six rebounds, but foul trouble limited how aggressive he could play in the second half. He was expected to be the Rams' star this season, but hasn't quite shined on a consistent basis, averaging 11 points and six rebounds per contest. Colorado State needs Ogide to step up in Mountain West Conference action, aided by Travis Franklin at the other forward spot.

Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be televised on The Mtn.

...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now for a FREE Trial