Aztecs ready for showdown with No. 4 Gonzaga

Driving the news: Gonzaga rolls into Viejas Arena at 7pm tonight.

• Next Tuesday, the Aztecs face 14th-ranked Creighton in another tough test during their out-of-conference schedule.

State of play: The showdowns with Gonzaga and Creighton give SDSU opportunities to notch marquee wins for their tournament resume, before they turn their attention to Mountain West play.

What we're watching: Guard Miles Byrd, a key reserve last year who's stepping into a bigger role this year, is nursing a sprained ankle, but shed his walking boot last week and returned to practice, but still may not play.

• Guard B.J. Davis, who played sparingly last year, has led the team in scoring so far this year, while transfers Nick Boyd, Wayne McKinney III and Jared Coleman-Jones are playing big minutes.
• Keep your eyes on forward Magoon Gwath, a seven footer with three-point range and tantalizing potential, playing in his first season after an injury forced him out last year.

The other side: Gonzaga, coming off a 31-6 record and Elite 8 appearance last year, are led by forward Graham Ike and guard Michael Ajayi, but boast a deep, complete team consistent with the powerhouse that coach Mark Few has built the program into.