San Diego State received a major boost for its struggling season when former UCLA signee and McDonald's All-American Evan Burns was declared eligible by the NCAA Thursday.

The school told ESPN.com that they received word earlier Thursday that an appeals committee granted Burns a waiver to play as a freshman. At issue, was whether a core course counted toward his initial eligibility out of Fairfax High in Los Angeles.

"I was so excited when I heard the news, I almost had tears in my eyes,'' Burns said. "I was ready to go. I was ready to practice at 11:01 this morning.

"It was a long time coming but I learned the virtue of patience. Now I'm just ready to get going.''

The 6-foot-7 Burns will be in uniform when the Aztecs play host to No. 1 Arizona on Saturday, but he might not play much because he has been limited in practice. The Aztecs couldn't practice Burns until the school formally submitted the waiver, meaning he missed the first 23 practices. Burns wasn't eligible for games and has missed San Diego State's (2-2) first four games.

"Right now, I'm still learning the ups and downs of the offense and where to be in defensive positions and all that but pretty soon, I'll be ready. I'll be good,'' Burns said.

San Diego State coach Steve Fisher might have to simplify the offense to get him on the court because he has been absent. Burns is the highest-profile name Fisher added to the Aztecs but he got him only because UCLA denied his admission in September. UCLA can't take ineligible players and sit them out for the season and the Bruins couldn't wait for a ruling.

"He's a very talented basketball player,'' Fisher said. "We're starting to get a few more pieces into the puzzle.''

Burns could have as much impact for the Aztecs as some of the other top freshmen in his class like North Carolina's Rashad McCants, the Tar Heels' leading scorer, so far. Burns would have given the struggling and winless Bruins (0-2), the athletic, scoring small forward that they lack this season.

San Diego State will add 6-11 Oregon State transfer Chris Manker for the Arizona game but will have to wait another week for the eligibility of 6-6 Arizona transfer Travis Hanour.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.