Praise for Pope

Mark Ziegler writing after San Diego State's win over Colorado State: "There’s just something about Malik Pope and the Colorado State Rams. In four career regular-season games against them, the 6-10 sophomore is now averaging 13.8 points while shooting 56.7 percent from the field, 77.8 percent on 3s and a perfect 8 of 8 at the line.

In his other 50 games as an Aztec: 4.4 points, 37.4, 27.8 and 62.7.

While his 10 points Tuesday included maybe the game’s most important basket – a driving bank high off the glass with 2:14 to go, the Aztecs down three, the shot clock in the red – it was the other stuff he did that illustrated his continuing, albeit overdue, progress.

He had five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and no fouls in 23 minutes. He was on the floor for nearly 13 of game’s final 15½ minutes, even though Colorado State went small and essentially played with four guards. That put him on Antwan Scott or Joe De Ciman, the Rams’ top two perimeter scorers.

Said Fisher: “Malik was good tonight. Malik was good in areas he hasn’t been good, and that’s moving his feet, guarding, staying in front of a guy, changing the arc of some shots, blocking some shots. I was nervous when we had him in when they had four guards. But he did an admirable job, and he made some huge plays for us defensively.”

Malik Pope and defense, not something we’ve heard often in the same sentence."