That play-in game, it's something best avoided. Basketball teams don't often make it from there to anywhere. At the Mountain West Conference Tournament in two weeks, the winner of that No. 8-No. 9 matchup will run smack into the top seed less than 24 hours later.

Fresno State has a chance to avoid the Mountain West men's play-in game, but only if it can find a way to beat Air Force on Saturday night at the Save Mart Center on senior night, the final home game for Kevin Foster, Garrett Johnson, Jerry Brown and Brad Ely.

"Huge game," Coach Rodney Terry said. "It's a huge game for seeding for both of us. They're playing for something, and we're still playing for something. It's a pivotal game."

It's also pretty simple for the Bulldogs, who are 9-18 and, at 3-11, in last place in the conference. To have a chance to move up to the No. 7 seed, they have to get at least four wins, passing Nevada (12-15, 3-10) and hoping to tie Wyoming (18-10, 4-10) in the process.

The Cowboys end the season with games at New Mexico and against Colorado State, which stand 1-2 now in the conference. In a tie for seventh, Fresno State is likely to win a tie-breaker, which starts with head-to-head competition (they split with both Nevada and Wyoming) and then going to the best record against the conference champion on down until the tie is broken.

The Bulldogs were swept by the Lobos and Rams, and Wyoming lost the first matchups. But Fresno State has a victory over UNLV, which is in third place and has a good chance to stay there with games remaining at Nevada and at home against Boise State and the Bulldogs.

San Diego State, in fourth place, has games remaining against Air Force and at Boise State.

None of that matters if the Bulldogs can't get a fourth victory -- they have two chances, against Air Force and then at UNLV to close out the regular season.

"Coach talks about it all the time," said guard Tyler Johnson, who is leading the Bulldogs with 12.0 points per game, 13.2 in conference play.

"Just the urgency, there's something that we're still playing for. To play four games and try to get into the NCAA Tournament, I mean, it's not impossible, but you're just making your road that much harder. But if you get into that seventh spot you have that extra day to get situated, another day for prep, and you put yourself in a lot better position."