GAME NOTES: Two of the five teams tied for third place in the Mountain West Conference standings heading into play on Saturday get together at Moby Arena, as the Colorado State Rams host the Fresno State Bulldogs.

The Rams are off to one of the best starts in program history, losing just three of their first 21 outings, but the most recent setback may have hurt the most. Colorado State has the best overall record of any teams in the MWC, but has a 5-3 league mark after being defeated by Boise State earlier in the week, 82-78. The setback dropped CSU behind both Wyoming and San Diego State in the standings.

As for the Bulldogs, they weren't expected to do much this season given how much they lost off last season's roster, and still here they are with a 5-3 MWC mark to match CSU, Boise State, New Mexico and Utah State heading into the weekend. The Bulldogs, who are shooting for a 6-3 start to a conference slate for the first time in a decade, have won 13 of their last 18 regular season conference bouts.

Fresno was matched up with San Diego State on Tuesday night on the road and was just the latest visitor to go down inside Viejas Arena, 58-47, marking the second loss in the last three outings for the Bulldogs.

Colorado State clings to a 13-12 advantage in the all-time series with Fresno State, winning 11 of the 13 opportunities at home over the years. The teams will lock up once more in the regular season on Feb. 18 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno.

The Bulldogs made a total of just eight field goals in the first half against SDSU, missed all four chances behind the 3-point line in the period and fell behind by double figures at the break. The team tried to turn the corner after intermission, limiting the host to only eight field goals, but the Bulldogs were then outscored at the free-throw line, 10-2.

Marvelle Harris accounted for just 13 points and Paul Watson 10, while Alex Davis logged 10 rebounds, eight points and four blocked shots in the road loss during which FSU was outscored at the charity stripe by a 20-8 margin.

Harris has typically been the go-to guy on offense for the Bulldogs, particularly in conference games where he has put up 19.8 ppg on 49.1 percent shooting from the floor. He is also first in assists (24) and steals (19) and among the best on the glass with 4.6 rpg as well. Watson checks in with 12.9 ppg and 5.5 rpg, but his 60.6 percent accuracy at the free-throw line is disappointing given his frequent trips to the stripe.

Leading by as many as 12 in the second half, the Rams took their foot off the gas against Boise State on Tuesday night at Taco Bell Arena and it cost them a much-needed victory as they bowed by four to the hosts. Except for Tiel Daniels who finished with seven points, every CSU starter scored in double figures as Daniel Bejarano led the way with 19 points, to go along with eight rebounds. Joe De Ciman produced another 15 points, Stanton Kidd 13 and J.J. Avila 10 points to go along with a team-best nine boards in the setback.

Avila, who has started all seven conference games in which he has appeared, is responsible for 17.3 ppg in those decisions and is also first with 7.3 rpg, although Bejarano (11.1 ppg) is hot on his heels with 7.1 rpg. However, the big difference between the two has Avila shooting 56.0 percent from the field and Bejarano making only 33.8 percent of his attempts from the floor. One of the players flying under the radar a bit is John Gillon (9.8 ppg) who is averaging close to four assists per game and shooting 45.8 percent beyond the arc.

The Rams can't afford to lose any more ground behind the leaders in the MWC, but they also can't assume that Fresno State will be an accommodating opponent this weekend either. As long as the CSU defense is prepared to play the full 40 minutes then the hosts should come out on top.