Rams drop nail-biter to SDSU

SAN DIEGO (AP) Chase Tapley scored 12 of his 19 points in overtime, including two 3-pointers and a layup off a steal, and No. 16 San Diego State held off Colorado State 79-72 Saturday night.

After Colton Iverson made two free throws for a 65-63 lead 57 seconds into overtime, Tapley re-energized the Aztecs (14-2, 2-0 Mountain West). He made a jumper for the Aztecs' first field goal since 7:43 left in regulation and then hit a 3-pointer for a 68-65 lead with 3:14 left.

CSU's Wes Eikmeier made a 3-pointer to tie it before the Aztecs regained the lead on JJ O'Brien's tip-in.

Tapley then stole the ball went coast-to-coast for a layup and then made another 3-pointer for a 75-68 lead with 1:18 left.

Jamaal Franklin had 23 points, including five 3-pointers, and Xavier Thames 14 for SDSU.

Eikmeier had 22 points for CSU (13-3, 0-1), which had its seven-game winning streak snapped. Iverson had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Daniel Bejarano had 13 points and 11 boards.

San Diego State led 59-46 after Tapley's jumper with 7:43 left. That was the Aztecs' last field goal in regulation.

Eikmeier made a layup with 6:42 left to start a 17-4 run that allowed the Rams to force overtime. He had nine points in the run, including a 3-pointer that pulled the Rams to 59-56 with 4:06 left.

Thames made two free throws for the Aztecs before Iverson made one of two for the Rams. Bejarano rebounded the miss and made a layup to make it 61-59.

Eikmeier made a long jumper to tie it at 61 with 1:38 to go and Thames made one of two free throws for a 62-61 lead. Iverson came up with a rebound but Eikmeier was whistled for traveling with 30.3 seconds left.

Franklin inbounded the ball off a Rams player and James Rahon was fouled by Dorian Green, making the first but missing the second. Green rebounded for the Rams and Iverson scored off a rebound to tie it at 63.

Franklin missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

San Diego State's first nine baskets were 3-pointers and the Aztecs made 10 of 18 3-pointers in the first half. The Aztecs' first two-pointer didn't come until 3:47 left in the first half, when O'Brien made a jumper, was fouled and converted the three-point play for a 37-23 lead. That was part of a 9-0 run that carried the Aztecs to a 41-23 halftime lead.

Franklin was coming off a big game in the conference-opening win at Fresno State on Wednesday night, when he had 20 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and a highlight reel play when he threw the ball off the backboard during a fast break, caught it in midair and dunked between two Bulldogs defenders.

Of SDSU's opening salvo of eight 3-pointers, Franklin had four, Thames three and Winston Shepard and Rahon one apiece.

Tapley made SDSU's 10th 3-pointer of the half to begin the half-ending 9-0 run. That run ended when Franklin had a slam dunk off a nice bounce pass from Thames.

Thames returned after missing the Fresno State game with a back injury

The Rams went on a 17-4 run to open the second half and pull to 45-40. Greg Smith and Hornung each made a 3-pointer and Eikmeier had five points, including a three-point play.

SDSU scored the next seven points to run its lead to 52-40.