ESPN Men's Basketball

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Kyle Spain scored a career high 22 points as San Diego State outlasted Colorado State, 81-76, in a Mountain West Conference game Saturday afternoon.

With the victory the Aztecs improved to 12-5 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

The Rams, who had won 11 of their last 12, are 12-4, 2-2 in the MWC.

The game was tied fives times the last at 56-56 when Spain and Mohamed Abukar keyed a 12-1 run that gave San Diego State a 68-57 lead with a little over seven minutes left to play.

Cory Lewis, who scored a team-high 21 for Colorado State and Jason Smith, who had 19 points, sparked a late surge by the Rams, who cut the Aztecs lead to three points twice at 74-71 and 77-74 in the final two minutes. However, a three-pointer by Brandon Heath and a pair of free throws by Abukar answered both of those surges as San Diego State held on for the victory.

Spain, a 6-5 sophomore forward, who was 7-from-9 from the field and 7-from-9 from the free-throw line, was one of four double-figure scorers for the Aztecs bettering his previous high of 18 set on two occasions.

Abukar had 16 points while Heath had 15 and Lorrenzo Wade 13 along with nine rebounds for San Diego State. Richie Williams had seven points along with a game-high six assists.

There were eight lead changes in the game with Colorado State garnering its last lead at 54-53 on a shot by Tim Denson with 13:18 left.