SAN DIEGO (AP) Gian Clavell had the ball in his hands with Colorado State trailing in the final seconds against San Diego State on Saturday night, and Rams coach Larry Eustachy couldn't have been happier.

''When you got someone like him,'' he said, ''you've got a chance.''

Clavell drove the length of the floor for a layup with 3.8 seconds remaining and his basket lifted Colorado State past San Diego State, 78-77.

After Clavell scored, Jeremy Hemsley immediately took the inbounds pass and ran the floor, but his 3-point attempt from the top of the arc hit the back of the rim at the buzzer.

Clavell's bucket capped a remarkable comeback for the Rams (14-8, 6-3 Mountain West) as they trailed by 10 points at halftime and erased a 13-point deficit early in the second half.

But the Aztecs (11-9, 3-5) have had trouble holding leads all season as Saturday marked the fifth time they had squandered double-digit advantages. That, along with career-high scoring games from Clavell (37) and Emmanuel Omogbo (24), was too much for sputtering San Diego State to overcome.

The Aztecs have beaten the Rams 13-straight times at home, their longest active run against anyone. But that streak was snapped as Colorado State won its third straight and prevailed in San Diego for the first time since 2003.

''It means a lot because we haven't won here in over 10 years,'' said Omogbo, who had a game-high nine rebounds. ''For us to do it, and the way we won, it was crazy.''

All because Clavell, who banked in a 3-pointer to put the Rams up by four with 80 seconds left, seized the moment with his aggressive move through the lane.

''(Dakari) Allen tried to reach in a little bit so I put it a little between my legs,'' Clavell said. ''I knew (Malik) Pope wasn't going to stay with (Omogbo) so when he reached in I just threw it up against the backboard and thanks to God it went in.''

Trey Kell sank two free throws with 11 seconds left to give the Aztecs the lead before Clavell's game-winner.

''You saw a tremendously entertaining, hard-fought, big-time, Division I game,'' Aztecs coach Steve Fisher said. ''If you're an Aztec player, coach or fan, you feel as if a part of you has been ripped off. We have been on this side way too many times this season.''

Added Kell: ''It's tough. We feel we have the talent to win these close games no matter who we are playing.''

The game had nine lead changes and was tied 10 times. The unlikely ending made for some confused reactions.

''Half their guys didn't shake our hands and half our guys didn't shake their hands because everyone was just stunned,'' Eustachy said. ''It wasn't out of disrespect; these two programs have the most respect for each other as anyone in the conference. But I was sitting there going, `What just happened?'

Pope scored a season-high 19 points and Hemsley added 17 to pace San Diego State, which missed its final four field goals over the last 3:11.

But it was clear the two best players on the floor were Clavell and Omogbo.

''When you have two special players you've always got a chance to win,'' Eustachy said. ''Gian just took over. Then Emmanuel took over. But everything had to fall right for us to win that game.''

Omogbo converted all four of his 3-pointers. Clavell missed but two of his six shots behind the arch, although he took some good-natured ribbing for his straightaway 3-pointer off the glass.

''I wasn't thinking about anything,'' said Clavell, who added eight rebounds. ''I didn't know what I had or where I was. It was a weird feeling, but it was good. And that was a good win.''

BIG PICTURE

Colorado State: The Rams have won three straight since losing two in a row by double digits. Colorado State remains in a second-place tie in the Mountain West Conference with Boise State, and both are a game back of Nevada.

San Diego State: The Aztecs got forward Malik Pope back on Saturday, after he sustained a scary injury on Tuesday. The 6-foot-10 forward was pinned between two Air Force players when diving for a loose ball and suffered a neck strain. Pope started for the first time since Dec. 22. Forward Zylan Cheatham was out with a foot injury.

UP NEXT

San Diego State hosts Wyoming on Tuesday.

Colorado State hosts Boise State on Tuesday.

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