So for many Ram fans, their first look at the 2023-24 Colorado State Mens Basketball squad will be at 3:30PM at Moby Arena on Saturday, October 14th, prior to the football game with Boise
I thought I’d share some of my preseason thoughts based on what I’ve been able to gleam from attending several practices over the course of the summer and fall. And from speaking with key people inside the program.
It’s easy to overestimate the performances of players in any intrasquad scrimmages. Coaches get to look at all the players in different situations at practices and on tape. To draw any conclusion as the whether a player will go crazy in the upcoming season based upon a scrimmage between teammates who are familiar with their opponents and the offensive sets they run is probably a stretch.
That being said, coaches are going to be very interested in how certain players perform when the lights come on in front of a crowd. Normally, the Rams would play an exhibition game prior to beginning the regular season but not this year. After a pair of closed door scrimmages against Big Ten Minnesota and a Pac12 program from the Pacific Northwest, the Rams will launch into the regular season against a solid Louisiana Tech squad on November 6th in Moby Arena.
So yes players can help themselves in these scrimmages but probably not in a dramatic way.
So let’s take a look at what I think so far.
There are Three Players I See as Locks to Start
Isaiah Stevens, Patrick Cartier, Joel Scott.
Every conversation about the roster for the 23-24 team begins and ends with Isaiah Stevens who returns to Fort Collins for his 5th COVID season. Stevens is on track it’s become the alltime career CSU assist and scoring leader. He’s also on track to become the career assist leader and 2nd leading scorer alltime in the MWC, trailing only alltime BYU great Jimmer Fredette.
If all of that comes to fruition, Stevens will be in the argument for the best ever career at CSU and the best ever point guard career in the Mountain West. As we move forward in the upcoming season, I will regularly update where Isaiah stands relative to all of these records.
And you will hear my voice get louder and louder to raise Stevens’ #4 jersey in the Moby rafters on Senior Night. I hate when schools wait a long time to honor players. Let the player be honored in front of those who were there for the entire career, not in front of people 20 years from now that can’t appreciate the accomplishments.
Pat Cartier is a lock to start at the 5. After an All-American career at the D-2 level, Cartier fit seamlesslesly into the lineup last season, scoring 12 a game. He struggled defensively at the start of the season but improved over the course of the season and bigger things will be expected out of him.
From my perspective, Joel Scott is a lock to start at the 4. CSU has had success with D-2 All Americans in the past two seasons with Cartier and Chandler Jacobs. Scott was the D-2 Player of the Year, averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds. Will he score 23 a game? Probably not. Probably more like 12-14 a game. Will the rebounding level translate? Most likely as history says that rebounding usually translates at higher levels. Add in a defensive edge that allows him to defend both inside and out with a high level of physicality at 6’7” and 225 pounds and you can see that Scott will be an integral part of any success CSU has in 23-24.
Nique Clifford, Jalen Lake, and Josiah Strong Round Out the Top 6
Don’t conclude that is the order in terms of starting or playing time. I listed them alphabetically because that is the safest way right now.
Nique Clifford comes to CSU from that school in Boulder after starting 60 games for the Buffs over the past two seasons. He was a CSU target as a prep as a Top 100 player from Colorado Springs. At 6’6” and 200 pounds, he is a long and athletic wing who can defend the perimeter, rebound, and run. He has a variety of offensive skills just waiting to be unlocked within the CSU system ( Stevens) after having minimal impact as a junior at CU playing alongside a shoot first lead guard.
Jalen Lake returns for his junior year at CSU after a successful sophomore season where he demonstrated improved perimeter defense and posted 40+% shooting from beyond the arc. At 6’4” and 200 pounds, he’ll be looking to continue to develop at both ends of the floor with a higher level of physicality. Lake is a future program leader when the 5th and 6th year players depart.
Josiah Strong returns for a 6th season after missing much of the 2022-23 season due to mono. A 6’4” 200 pound wing, he is a smart and physical defender with a history of being an elite perimeter shooter at Illinois State, his prior stop. The year before he came to CSU, he made over 80 3-balls at a 42% clip for the Redbirds.
Personally, I like the thought of Clifford and Lake as the starters with Strong coming off the bench and playing significant minutes. That being said, after speaking with several coaches, we could see Lake And Strong together as starters, especially when CSU is matched up with teams that play with three guards.
All in all, the Top 6 are a significantly stronger group that last years Top 6. And strong enough that one of the coaches told me he’d take those 6 ahead of any Top 6 in the MWC.
The Rest of the Minutes are Totally Up For Grabs
It’s rare that a team plays more than an 8 or 9 man rotation at the D-1 level. Last years team rarely had 9 healthy players. The NCAA Tournament team the year before played 9 regularly. So I’m going to assume 9 for the 23-24 season. Which means three more spots – a guard, a wing, and a big.
Tavi Jackson is the logical choice to be the guard coming off the bench. After a strong start as a freshman, his inaugural season was derailed by a foot injury and COVID. Unfortunately, his 2023-24 season is off to a rocky start, again affected by injury. Surgery over the summer to remove some loose cartilage and then a hip injury has limited his ability to practice. As a result, freshman guard Kyan Evans might be forced into action right from the get go. Evans was voted the 2023 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year and brings great instincts and strong perimeter shooting to the floor. Young, talented but in need of developing physically, Evans could play valuable minutes in a limited role given that Isaiah Stevens is a 35+ minutes player.
The competition for the wing spot is between UNM transfer Javonte Johnson, and returners Joe Palmer and Jack Payne. They are all around 6’5” and 200 pounds and offer a variety of abilities. Johnson had 60 starts in his two previous seasons at New Mexico and shot 40% from the perimeter in MWC games. Palmer is an all around hustler who transferred from the D3 level and does all the right things on both ends of the floor. In his limited minutes last season, he was one of the few Rams to be a positive +/- player. Payne redshirted last season but has a year of experience in the CSU Program and offers defensive intensity and smarts. These are three I’d watch closely at the intrasquad scrimmage.
The last of the rotation nine is Cartier’s backup at the 5. The two candidates are sophomore Kyle Evans and freshman Rashaan Mbemba. Evans is the taller at 6’10” and offers solid shot blocking, rebounding, and passing and runs the floor well. Mbemba is the stouter at 6’7” and 250 pounds and not your typical freshman at 20 years old with experience in the Austrian Professional League. Who wins the battle? I have no idea. Both are young and inexperienced and offer different things. I will say that Mbemba has made significant progress since he anrrived in Fort Collins for summer workouts. Definitely a pair to keep an eye on at the scrimmage.
The Challenge for the Coaching Staff and Players in 2023-24
Quite simply, the 2023-24 team is really deep, especially with veterans. Two 6th-year players, three 5th- year players, and two 4th-year players, a retuning 3rd year starter. The team has 8 players who have started and played 30+ minutes per game at some point in their careers. 8×30=240. There are only 200 minutes to share so there is a chance for some level of disappointment for some players in terms of playing time.. It’s a challenge for both the coaches and players and will be a test of the Team Together culture that Niko Medved, staff, and players have built over the first five years. Early signs point to a squad that supports each other on and off the court.
So there you have it as to what to look for on Saturday. Watch how Stevens drives the bus. Watch newcomer Joel Scott. Watch Clifford, Lake, and Strong as they demonstrate their wing skills. And especially watch the others as they compete to be important components of the regular rotation.
And most of all, have fun watching a team three weeks away from beginning a season where they will once again be highly competitive in a very good MWC. The season begins with a bang on November 6th against a very solid Louisiana Tech squad. Not you normal early season cupcake.
Rams KO Aggies on Fight Like a Ram Night
75-55.
Make no mistake about it. It could have been worse . Much worse.
The Colorado State Rams bullied their way to a famous victory on a night when they honored local cancer warriors. They dominated the paint. They owned the glass. They took the visitors completely out of their game with suffocating defense.
The Rams’ intent to score in the paint was very much apparent from the get go as senior forward Joel Scott scored their first 7 points at the rim and reserve forward Rashaan Mbemba scored the next 4 at the rim as the Rams led early 11-7.
The next few minutes featured back and forth play until the Rams exploded with a 14-2 run, punctuated by a Tavi Jackson steal and Isaiah Stevens layup to push the lead to 32-16.
The visitors never got it inside single digits the rest of the way. They were getting beaten so badly they were forced to play a 1-3-1 zone in an attempt to kill the Rams’ rhythm. It worked somewhat as it kept the final margin at 20. Only poor shooting from the perimeter by the Rams (4-23) kept it under 30 as the Rams repeatedly missed wide open corner 3-balls.
The final tally would reveal a dominant 48-26 margin in favor of the Rams in points in the paint. A rebounding margin of 45-32, including 14 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second chance points.
Isaiah Stevens would lead the way with 18 along with 8 assists. Two of the assists were out of this world 30-footers over the top of Utah State’s zone to a cutting Nique Clifford for dunks. Joel Scott would finish with 17 and 8. Clifford was a bucket short of a double-double with 8 and 10. For the visitors, big Great Osabor would lead the way with 15 and 13, showing great skill in finishing at the tin.
Late Surge Propels Rams To 78-75 Win Over UNLV
Following a script from earlier in the week, urged on by a sellout horde of Orange honoring their Aggie tradition, the CSU Rams overcame a double digit deficit with a late run to defeat the hot but hard luck Rebels from the City of Sin.
The visitors had been on a bit of a run entering the game, scoring impressive wins over MWC top half teams New Mexico and Boise State, which sandwiched around a tough loss to Utah State. And their quality surfaced early, overcoming an early CSU 14-8 lead (fools gold driven by hot shooting from the perimeter) with a 14-2 run, driven by perimeter shooting by bench player Jackie Johnson and the inside/outside double threat of the Boone twins, Kalib and Keylan.
The run put the Rebels fully in control. Every time the Rams would reel them in, the Rebels would counter as they were humming on the offensive end to score at the rim and their defense was overplaying passing lanes to produce a bit of disjointed flow for the normally machine-like Ram offense.
The Rebels led 39-32 at the half and would play the next 15 minutes of the second half much like the first. The Rams were forcing turnovers and moving quickly but then Rebels continued to thwart every rally. The lead would close, the Rebels would counter and they pushed their lead to 10 within the half’s first 8 minutes.
The trend would continue. Rams fight back, Rebels counter.
The Rams drew even on the inside scoring of Joel Scott, the Rebels fought them off with some acrobatic scoring from the Bone named Keylan who was making perimeter jumpers,of the highest quality and inside on improbable tip-ins.
Just inside of five minutes, the Rebel lead was 68-63, and the game had reached a critical point. Fight of flight time. Otherwise known as Zay Time.
In a script written so many times over the past five seasons, the indomitable Isaiah Stevens, the finest player in CSU history, led the Rams all the way back.
Stevens had been hounded the entire game by an assortment of Rebel defenders. UNLV had done their best to wear him out with Luis Rodrigues, Justin Hamilton, and Jackie Johnson but in the end, it wasn’t to be.
A Stevens three-ball, an exquisite 20-foot bounce pass to a cutting Josiah Strong for a layup, another Stevens three-ball, a penetrate and kick pass to Patrick Cartier for another three and the Rams led 74-70. The Rebels weren’t going to go away easily as Kalib Boone scored on a short baseline jumper. Inside a minute, the lead was 74-72.
From there the Rams closed at the free throw line as first Cartier, then Clifford calmly drained a pair of one-and-ones. A three at the buzzer by Hamilton produced the game’s final margin.
Nique Clifford would lead the way for the Rams with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists. Stevens finished with his customary 18 and 7, Scott with 14, and Cartier 10. For the Rebels, it was the Boone twins leading the way, Keylan with 21 and Kalib with 15. Freshman point guard DJ Thomas would score 11 and dish out 9 assists. Stocky big Rob Whaley came off the bench to score 10.
Every game has a winner and loser. The best games are those where both teams are competing at their best levels on both ends of the floor. And this was one of those games. In the end, Zay Time was the difference.
Friday Night Officiating
If you’ve listened to my podcast (you can find me on Spotify at Crackers College Hoops), you’ve heard me rant and rave about the quality of the officiating on Saturday (too many games, not enough quality officials). And why you want to play on Friday Night when you can expect a strong officiating crew with fewer games being played. Tonight was a perfect example.
The crew of Mike Reed,Ray Natili, and Randy Richardson was very good. Not a crazy amount of whistles, letting both teams assert their own style. It made for a nice flow and what proved to be an exciting game.
Yes I thought they missed a call when they ruled a clean block and not a foul when Joel Scott rose to dunk a ball while behind the defense, but to be fair, the officials were trailing the play because it unfolded so quickly and didn’t see the forearm in the back that pushed Scott to the floor. Yes it could have been a Gamechanger. But it happened with 7 minutes remaining, and the Rams had enough time to overcome it.
Yes it was a late start on Friday Night but I’ll take that every time when you get a great game with quality officiating.
Stevens’ Understated Assist Total
Zay finished with 8 on the scoresheet. But it would have been more as many of his passes to wide open shooters on the perimeter weren’t converted. Stevens and Clifford combined to go 7-11 from beyond the arc. The rest of the team was an abysmal 3-17 as Cartier was 1-5, Lake and Strong 1-3, and Joe Palmer 0-5.
Speaking of Headband Joe…
Everybody loves Joe Palmer. For good reason as he brings so much to the floor, his contagious energy along with scoring, rebounding, defending. Tonight wasn’t his night to score as he missed numerous open looks.
I’m happy that CSU players are so open and friendly. And I’m happy that they can take some good natured ribbing. After the game, I told Joe that at halftime a student had made a halfcourt shot on his first try to win free beer for a year. And suggested that maybe next game Joe should come out at the half and get some shooting pointers. He laughed, looked at me and said he’d be in the gym tomorrow.
Elevation Played Its Part
The Rebels were playing their first game at elevation this season and to my eyes it had an effect. The Rams were pushing the pace and you could see it taking its toll over the course of the game.
Coming into the night, the Rebels’ Rob Whaley was one of the hottest players in the MWC. In his previous two game he had averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. Whaley visibly showed the effects of elevation in his first shift and his subsequent shifts were very short. He would play only 18 minutes. And while he scored 10 points (including a pair of thunderous dunks), his presence in the paint was not at its recent level, finishing the game with 0 rebounds and a pair of turnovers.
And the decision making by UNLV down the stretch was poor which I attribute to fatigue. The Boone foul in the last minute on Cartier was unnecessary jersey grab necessitated by him being gassed.
The Play of the Game
So many to consider. But in my eyes, the play of the game came with the game knotted at 68. The Rebels ran their stuff to feed Kalib Boone on the left block, isolated on Pat Cartier. As per the plan, Cartier turned him toward the baseline where he knew he had help. Boone rose up to shoot and Nique Clifford timed a double team perfectly to produce a jump ball with the possession arrow favoring the Rams.
I talked briefly with Pat and Nique post game and congratulated them on the play of the game. Nique looked at me and said “No. It was Pats three”. I chose to disagree. Then Pat said “We did it exactly how we had practiced it.”.
You know that thing about Practice Makes Perfect. It’s true.
Last Minute Rally Propels Rams to 78-69 OT Win Over Falcons
Some nights it feels like the basketballs gods have conspired against you.
Some nights, for some inexplicable reason, you don’t bring your A game and your opponent does.
And most of those nights you find yourself on the south side of the final score.
Unless you find a way to make just enough winning plays in the final minute, including clutch free throws and a steal to overcome a 4-point deficit in the final half minute. Enough to send a game into overtime that you had trailed for nearly the entirety. And when that overtime comes, you magically find a way to put the game to bed.
And that the Colorado State Rams did, finding a way to finish on the front foot and the north side of what became a highly entertaining affair.
The Rams opened the scoring with a Joel Scott three-ball and little did anyone know it would be their largest lead of regulation time. The visitors from Colorado Springs forced their way into the lead as their matchup zone was giving the hometown team troubles and their version of the Princeton offense was clicking inside and out. Three balls from Ethan Taylor and Beau Becker were dropping, and CSU Coach Niko Medved was forced into an early timeout as the Falcons forged a 16-8 lead.
The Falcon precision would continue to build their lead to 27-15 at the 6:18 mark and the Rams were definitely riding the struggle bus. A mass substitution with just over 4 minutes remaining in the half brought Scott, Joe Palmer, and Jalen Lake on the floor alongside Isaiah Stevens and Nique Clifford. And for the first time all night, the Rams found some traction.
Stevens was sitting on goose eggs, but opened his scoring account with an assist on a Clifford three-ball, followed by a trademark midrange jumper. The Rams concluded the half on a steal by Stevens and a flying dunk by Palmer, ending on a 12-0 run to bring them within 27-24.
The joy entering the second half was short-lived as the Falcons got back to their ways, grinding it out on the offensive end and making it difficult for the Rams to score. The Falcons lead hovered between 4 and 7 until a quick burst punctuated by a Josiah Strong three ball gave the Rams a 51-50 lead. The Falcons’ Rylis Petraitis took things in to his own hands, scoring the games’s next five points from the charity stripe (4 of them on a rather interesting flagrant foul call).
Back and forth the game went as the Falcons held their lead into the final minute. Heroic CSU steals and blocks on the defensive end led to sloppy turnovers. The Rams seemed finished as they trailed 64-60 with only 27 seconds remaining.
A pair of Clifford free throws brought them within 2 with 20 seconds remaining and they chose not to foul (or did they?) on the following sequence. An early trap, some chaos at mid court, a steal by Stevens, a long pass to Clifford for an open layup and the Rams were tied at 64.
Late heroics by Petraitis fell short and it was on to overtime where the Rams finally asserted themselves. An early three by Strong, followed by makes from Clifford, Stevens, and Strong again, and the Rams looked to be home free as they pushed the lead to 73-66 midway through the stanza. They closed smartly, securing a game that had looked to have been lost more times than Jennifer Lopez’ innocence.
They had played solid defense throughout, forcing five shot clock violations over the entirety of the game. The Falcons had made many tough shots and important free throws, finishing 10-22 from beyond the arc and 13-17 from the line. A large early rebounding advantage for the visitorshad been reeled in by games end. and somehow the Rams found just enough offense to get over the top.
Nique Clifford led the Rams with 18 points. Scott finished with 13, Stevens 12, and Palmer came off the bench to score 11. The Falcons were led by their three-headed monster of Petraitis with 22; Taylor and Becker scored 18 each. The three Falcons had performed valiantly but it wasn’t enough to overcome the grit and the fight of a Ram team that somehow found a way.
Headband Joe Continues His 6th Man of the Year Candidacy
Early in the game, Joe Palmer came off the bench and immediately brought energy to a lifeless arena. Said Niko Medved postgame “I thought Joe Palmer changed the game for us tonight. We really had nothing going and he brought a ton of energy. Offensive rebounds, knocked down a few shots, had a huge block.” It’s that kind of performance that has endeared him to CSU fans. More importantly, it’s that kind of performance off the bench that allows the Rams to wear their less deep opponents down. And win.
The 719 Boyz Refused to Lose
Joel Scott and Nique Clifford both hail from Colorado Springs, home of the Air Force Academy. Both were integral to the Rams’ victory. With Pat Cartier struggling, Scott was forced to do much of the dirty work inside on his own. Only a pair of field goals to show on the scoresheet but 8-10 from the free throw line alongside 7 rebounds. Clifford did what he does all over the entire 94’. Plenty of highlights but none better than an acrobatic reverse layup after rebounding his own miss.
AAU Brethren
Sometimes games feature more than opponents matching up. In this case, the Rams’ Jalen Lake and the Falcons’ Rylis Petraitis were AAU teammates back in Texas several years ago.
Petraitis is a talented sophomore who nearly slayed the Rams last night. He is the poster child for all that is good at AFA but also might become anotherposter child for how hard it is to build a successful program at the Academy. In todays day and age or portals and NIL, Air Force players are easy targets after two years there. Jake Heidbreder transferred to Clemson after an All MWC level season. Petraitis will certainly be a target after this season and he’ll have a tough decision to make. Whether he want to commit to 2 more years at the academy and six more years of service, or whether he wants to pursue a different path. It will be something to keep an eye on at season’s end.
”Hey Padilla, You Stink…”
Something that just might have been shouted directly at official Tony Padilla last night. Just maybe from Section F, Row 7.
On paper, the officiating crew was about as good as you can expect for a regular season game. Three well-respected officials with Final Four experience. And to be honest, the officiating in the first half was first class.
But then something happened. A flopping technical foul was called on CSU’s Tavi Jackson and a free throw was awarded to Air Force. Only 20 seconds prior, CSU’s Rashaan Mbemba scored over an Air Force defender who had gone to the ground exactly as Jackson had. No call on that one. Padilla explained it by saying that the second call was his and the first call wasn’t, essentially throwing officiating partners Verne Harris and Randy McCall under the bus.
Minutes later, Joe Palmer was ruled to have committed a flagrant foul on an air ball where he accidentally undercut Petraitis. Palmer’s back was to Petraitis so he had no idea he was even there. Petraitis took a hard fall. A common foul yes, a flagrant no way. It turned what looked like an empty possession for the Falcons into a 4-point possession, nearly giving them the cushion they needed down the stretch.
And there were several CSU attempts at the rim where there was contact. The most egregious was a 4-footer from Isaiah Stevens that resulted in an air ball. The contact on his arm could be heard all the way up in Row 7. That one was Padilla’s call and he whiffed it.
But I guess you could say it was made good in the final sequence of regulation when CSU trailed by 2. After Air Force had broken a trap and it looked like CSU was trying to foul. There was certainly enough contact to call a foul but the refs chose to swallow the whistle. CSU steal, Clifford layup, game tied. I guess I should be happy that there was more drama than necessary. But make no mistake, it was a missed call seen by virtually everyone I talked to postgame.
But the absolute best of the night came in overtime. CSU had jumped out to an early 7-point lead when The Falcons nailed a three. For some reason, Air Force coach Joe Scott went apoplectic, running onto the court waving his arms while the ball was technically still in play. Referee Verne Harris didn’t want to T him up so he signalled that Air Force had called a timeout. When Harris informed him of the timeout, Scott yelled back at Harris that he hadn’t called for a timeout. Scott had no idea that Harris was trying to protect him. It was comedy.
After a successful non-conference portion to open the 2023-24 season, Colorado State kicked off their Mountain West 18-round battle with a resounding win over the previously 12-1 New Mexico Lobos.
The Lobos began the game smartly as sophomore guard Donovan Dent was leading their pack, shredding CSU’s pick and roll defense with crisp and accurate passes to their bigs Nelly Junior Joseph and freshman JT Toppin. An early 5-0 run to begin the game, continued success between Dent and Toppin and the Lobos led 17-11 at the 12:00 mark.
The Rams began to find some traction their halfcourt offense and went on their first major run on the game, initiated by a pair of three balls from veteran leaders Isiah Stevens and Pat Cartier. The Rams had their first lead at 19-17 on a Stevens jumper and the 10-0 run was completed with a pair of free throws by freshman KC Evans.
The Rams would never trail again.
Part of that was driven by the building success of Cartier inside. The other part was driven by extraordinary incompetence at the free throw line by the Lobos. The Rams would finish the first half leading 33-30. The Lobos would shoot 1-8 from the charity stripe for the half.
The second half began with Lobo all-MWC guard Jaelin House on the bench saddled with 3 fouls, and the Rams high octane offense began to take over. Cartier and forward Joel Scott began to dominate the paint and the Rams led 47-42 inside of 15:00.
And then it happened.
The Rams went to their bench. Specifically, 6th Man of the Year candidate Joe Palmer, sophomore guard Tavi Jackson, and freshman big Rashaan Mbemba. And those three, alongside the leadership of Stevens and Nique Clifford triggered the Rams on the decisive run that put the Lobos on the edge of extinction.
A six point burst, interrupted by a personal 5-point tirade by the Lobos House. Then an 11-2 burst to build the lead to 62-45 and the Rams appeared to be home free as the 5:00 mark.
A few Iill-advised shots early in the shot clock, a few careless turnovers combined with quality shooting by New Mexico back into the game but the Rams were able to close the game effectively from the free throw line. The Lobos would get as close as 6 points and that was it.
In the end, it was the defensive effort of the bench posse that had allowed the Rams to bust this one open, allowing their vaunted offense to get some easy in the paint and built the insurmountable lead. They would conclude the game with a 38-29 rebounding edge and a 32-26 edge on paint scoring against a bigger Lobo frontline, and a wide advantage from the free throw line (18 made free throws to 4).
Pat Cartier led the Rams with 21 points, Stevens would deliver to his typical standard of excellence with 18 and 8 assists, Clifford finished with a 12 and 10 rebound double- double, and Scott finished with 10. The Lobos were led by freshman big Toppins 17 and Dents near double-double of 10 with 9 assists. House and Mashburn went off late to combine for 29 points but their impact on the game had been severely limited by the defensive efforts of Jalen Lake, Clifford, and Jackson.
Round One of the MWC Heavyweight battle went to the Rams. Their IQ, their discipline, their quality depth had driven them to a famous conference win over a top opponent.
Stevens Joins the 2000 Club
Sitting on 1999, it was only a matter of time that guard Isaiah Stevens would break the vaunted 2000 point barrier. He would do it early on a patented pull-up jumper from the elbow while being fouled. Make no mistake about it. This is an incredible achievement for a pass first point guard.
Stevens would join fellow Rams Joel Scott and Pat Cartier in the 2000 point club. Photo credit of the three players postgame goes to Pat Cartier. Stevens took forever to come out postgame and I had to get home and go to bed. Pat sent me the picture.
Jalen, Nique, Tavi, and Rashaan…
Made all the difference in the world on the defensive end as already mention. Lake had an early block on Mashburn that had Mash looking over his shoulder every time he rose for a jumper. Clifford limited Dent’s ability to get to the rim where he thrives. Jackson was all over with fast hands and Mbemba ate up the paint. Guess what. Th8is is part of the core of the team that can return next year. I don’t assume anything in this day and age of NIL/portal but the future looks bright.
My Favorite Lobos
it was good to see New Mexico beat writer and top MWC scribe Geoff Grammer prior to the game. If your looking for a great Twitter/X follow, catch him at @geoffgrammer.
Nd it was also great to see former CSU assistant and current Lobo assistant Aaron Katsuma both pre and post game. Of course I had to tell him that he looks better in green than he does in black.
Mission Accomplished.
Holiday rust gone (if there was any to begin with). No new injuries (as far as we know). All done at a standard that has been set since the opening game of the season.
in front of a holiday crowd of 6852 (best winter break crowd in recent memory), the 15th-ranked Colorado State Rams passed and shot their way to their second century mark win of the season over the visiting Grizzlies from Alamosa.
After honoring Isaiah Stevens pre-game for becoming CSU’s alltime leading scorer (more on that later), the Rams strolled out to a 28-14 lead after only 8 minutes. 5-5 from beyond the arc from four different players. 7 early points from Jalen Lake playing his first game since November after recovering from a broken finger.
The onslaught would continue at much the same pace as the Rams built their lead to 56-35 at the half. The ball was moving, the players were sharing and making shots. And defensively, they were forcing the visitors into mostly difficult shots; to thei Grizzlies credit, they made several.
The second half was much the same with a bit more scoring in the paint and less from the perimeter and the home crowd was delighted and entertained when the end of the bench players delivered in the final minutes.
Pat Cartier and Isaiah Stevens would lead the scoring with 13 points each and 5 others joined them in double figures. Lake finished with 12 in his return, Joe Palmer had 11 off the bench and New Mexico transfer Javonte Johnson had 10, his first double figure game in the Green and Gold.
For the game, the Rams shot 63% and a scintillating 50% (14-28) from beyond the arc. Their Team Together brand was in the forefront as 12 of the 13 players combined for 33 assists, of course led by Stevens with 7.
And now it’s “Out the old and in the new” as the Rams move from a successful non conference schedule where they have achieved their highest national ranking and positioned themselves well for the NCAA post-season into an MWC season with a regular season conference title at stake.
Honoring Stevens Pregame
Isaiah Stevens was honored pregame with a video from former record holder Pat Durham, having become the Rams alltime leading scorer in the previous game pre Christmas. He also had a chance to be the first Ram Mens player to break the 2000 point barrier, needing only 14 points vs Adams State. Isaiah would finish the game with 13, ending the night at 1999 after being pulled from the game with 13:30 remaining on the clock. Coach Niko Medved quipped postgame “I guess I did Isaiah a little dirty”. Not to worry as that barrier will in all likelihood be broken on Tuesday night vs New Mexico.
Stevens is also moving up the alltime NCAA Career Assist list, now at 113th with 713 assists. One of the players he passed vs Adams State was the great Duke point guard Tommy Amaker, who led Duke to the national championship game I. 1986 and is now the Head Coach at Harvard. Lots of other greats are in his sights and I’ll try to keep everyone posted.
J Lake is Back! And Josiah Strong isn’t Far Behind!
After his heroic 16-point performance vs CU on November 30th and subsequent surgery on a broken finger, shooting guard not only returned to the court but was immediately placed into the starting lineup and looked like he never skipped a beat. His 12 points came on a variety of shots both inside and out. And he managed to pitch in 5 assists as well in his 22 minutes on the floor.
Josiah Strong was still out vs Adams State, healing from a broken wrist suffered on the first Saturday in January. The original prognosis was 4-6 weeks and it looks to be spot on. Strong will have his cast removed this weekend and is a possibility to play vs New Mexico on Tuesday. When he returns, the Rams will be at full strength (barring any other knocks) for the arduous MWC schedule that lies in front of them.
Since the Lake and Strong injuries, the Rams’ depth has been on display with major contributions from Kyan Evans, Tavi Jackson, Joe Palmer, and Javonte Johnson.
What? No Talk About Cartier, Scott, and Clifford?
It’s easy to take these three for granted but they combined for 34 points on 14-22 shooting and 8 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks in their combined 58 minutes. If you listened to my podcast last week (you can find it on Spotify), you heard me wax eloquently about Nique Clifford possessing NBA qualities and they were on full display against Adams State. An absolute hammer of a dunk, flying finishes in transition, perimeter shooting. And three steals on the defensive end.
Rams Fall From Unbeaten Ranks in 64-61 Loss to Saint Mary’s
On a bit of a Bloody Saturday in December, a day when several top programs fell from the ranks of the undefeated, a sellout home crowd of over 8000 saw their 9-game winning streak come to an end to the talented and plucky visitors.
The Rams ran out to an early 8-0 lead, fueled by a pair of three balls by Nique Clifford and Pat Cartier, but spent the rest of the half chasing the game as the Gaels went on an 19-2 run to surge into a 19-10 lead. The run was fueled by some uncharacteristically hot perimeter shooting and an impatient CSU offense that settled far too often for perimeter shots rather than getting the ball all the way to the rim. A 14-1 Rams run late in the half pushed the Rams back into a 30-27 lead, but the visitors went into the halftime locker room with a tenuous 33-32 lead after big Mitchell Saxen scored a difficult turnaround jumper at the buzzer.
The Rams spent much of the second half chasing the game as Saint Mary’s continued their physical play in the paint, swarming guard Isaiah Stevens when he penetrated, forcing him into several uncharacteristic turnovers. It looked bleak at the 7:00 mark, but the Rams refused to go away. An 11-1 run over the next 5 minutes, which featured a remarkable and-1 dunk late in the shot clock by Clifford.
A tough jumper my the Gaels’ Joshua Jefferson, a Stevens turnover, and an end of shot clock three by Jefferson had the Rams behind the 8-ball with 50 seconds remaining. The Rams continued to fight until the end. But Gaels guard calmly conver free throws down the stretch, and a pair of potential game-tying threes by Stevens and Clifford fell hard off the rim and the final buzzer sounded.
The Gaels had scored a famous road win.
Stevens would finish with 20 points and 3 assists against a season high 6 turnovers. Cartier with 16, Clifford with 15 and a team high 11 rebounds. For the visitors, guard Augustas Marcioulonis would finish with 18, Jefferson with 16 and a game high 13 rebounds, and leading scorer Aidan Mahaney had 10, mostly late from the free throw line.
In the end, it was the physical clutch and grab style of the visitors that took the Rams offense out of their rhythm, forcing them into season lows of 42% on 2-point field goals and 28% from beyond the arc. The Gaels had imposed their tough, and rugged halfcourt fingerprint on the game and it was just enough to get their collective noses in front at games end.
Fine Margins – Games between two good teams are often decided by several close plays and this game had several. A near 10-second violation against the Gaels, saved only by a deflection by CSUs Joel Scott barely across the mid court line. An end of shot clock three-ball by the Gaels Mahaney from 35’. And end of shot clock three-ball by Jefferson, he of the 7% shooting percentage prior to this game.
Speaking of the Gaels’ Shooting – The visitors had several players shoot uncharacteristically better than their stats. Coming into the game, Jefferson, Marciolionis, and Luke Barrett were a combined 10-63 from beyond the arc. They shot a combined 5-13 on Saturday, when their expected value was closer to 2 makes. Not 5. That’s a difference of 9 points over expected value. The Rams’ defense had done their job, forcing their secondary scorers to take shots. To their credit, those players made them. In the end, that was the difference.
Whither Went The Bench Scoring – Rams had two points off the bench, a tip in by Javonte Johnson. Two points. Not enough. Yes the Rams are missing key players in Josiah Strong and Jalen Lake. And yes, traditional bench scorer Joe Palmer is now in the starting lineup. In the short term, The Rams are going to need a bit more out of Tavi Jackson, KC Evans, Rashaan Mbemba, and Johnson.
The Officiating – In the end, I thought it was one of the better officiated games I’ve seen this year. I’ll talk more about it on my Monday podcast
And Finally … I ran into CSU Star Tight End and Mackey Award runner-up Dallin Holker and his wife at Cafe Mexicali prior to the game. We had a nice chat that had nothing to do with football. More about Lehi, Utah where Dallin grew up and where my daughter currently lives. I only mention this because he is representative of an amazing culture amongst the CSU student athletes. Good people throughout. There was a tidbit in our conversation that will be of interest to football fans but because of the way it was revealed, I don’t fill at liberty to share it with the general public.
Rams Continue Unbeaten Skein With 90-80 Win Over Pesky Pio’s
It was a win.
No more. No less.
After a fortnight of excellence where the Rams had vaulted themselves into the national spotlight with wins over four prominent opponents, they found a way to win over a game opponent that was driven to deliver an upset of the highest magnitude.
Dealing with injuries to guards Josiah Strong and Jalen Lake, The Rams were forced to conjure up a variety of lineups, many of which had never seen the floor of a game together. And the visitors from Denver exploited that unfamiliarity with their own brand of offensive execution and changing defenses.
Over the first 10 minutes, the teams fell each other out. the Rams were scoring mostly on the inside, the visitors from the perimeter and the Rams led 16-13. A surge put the home team into the lead at 30-22 but the Pio’s responded with a devastating 17-5 run, fueled by the perimeter shooting of outstanding guards Tommy Bruner and DeAndre Craig. When Denver big Tauko Taimano nailed a pick and pop three at the buzzer, the visitors led 39-35 at the half.
The second half went back and forth. The Rams began quickly with a pair of three balls by center Pat Cartier. The Pio’s fought back under the direction of Bruner and a defense that forced three straight Ram turnovers to feed an 8-0 run and a 51-47 lead. CSU followed with a 16-4 run of their own, punctuated by a 3-ball by freshman Kyan Evans and the Rams looked to be pulling away when they led 63-55 midway through the final stanza.
But the visitors wouldn’t go away as they gradually chipped away at their deficit. Before you could say “Aren’t you supposed to be a hockey school?”, it was game on at the 6:44 mark as the Rams lead had been cut to a rather tenuous 69-66 after three free throws from Bruner.
It was crunch time and the Rams responded. First a Nique Clifford corner three and dunk, mixed in with a pair of jumpers by Isaiah Stevens. Then a layup by sophomore guard Tavi Jackson and the Rams led 80-68 inside of four minutes.
It was over but it wasn’t as the visitors fought to the very end and the Rams struggled uncharacteristically at the free throw line before the final buzzer sounded.
In the end, the Rams’ athleticism, depth, and offensive execution pushed them over the top. They shot 60% from the field (72% in the second half!) and their trademark sharing of the ball resulted in 24 assists on 32 made baskets. They were led by Pat Cartier with 19, Isaiah Stevens with 18 (along with 9 assists), Nique Clifford with 16, and Joel Scott with 11 and a game high 7 rebounds. Depleted with the absence of Strong and Lake, the bench filled in admirably as they combined for 27 points
For the Visitors, Bruner would finish with a game high 28 points. Participating ina remarkable possession rate of over 50%, he single-handedly kept them in the game until he was worn down by the defense of Clifford and Tavi Jackson. Craig would join him in double figures with 16.
With the win, the Rams pushed their season record to 9-0 and they are tied for the nations longest winning streak. Running on fumes as a result of a high level physical and emotional over the past two weeks, they sent a solid crowd of 7716 faithfuls home happy.
As a wise man once said to me, “It’s really hard to win.” And the Rams can certainly celebrate this one.
Two Guard By Committee – No Strong, no Lake. Joe Palmer got the start at the 2-guard. He was joined there by Javonte Johnson, Kyan Evans, Tavi Jackson, and at times Stevens. The depth was on display and every bit of it was needed. Palmer had 4, Johnson 5, Evans 7, and Jackson 6.
Speaking of Jackson … Sophomore guard Tavi Jackson saw his first extended minutes of the season. After a summer full of surgery, illness, and injury he returned to the lineup and showed his complete game on both ends of the floor. 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal in 13 minutes on the floor. He looked a tad rusty as he missed a breakaway layup following his steal, but his effort and skill were on display as he was giving fits to Bruner on the defensive end. HE’S BACK!
Stevens Closing in on Scoring Record – With his 18 points vs Denver, Stevens added to his career scoring total which now stands at 1929 points, trailing only Pat Durham’s 1980 on CSU’s alltime scoring list. If he continues at his historical average, Zay will break the record in the home game vs Adams State at the end of December.
And finally…
You had to be there to feel it.
Video board shot of older woman. Moby crowd goes crazy. Video board shot of rest of crowd. Moby crowd boos. Shot of woman. Crowd goes crazy. Shot of rest of crowd. Boos. Rinse. Repeat.
MOBY AT ITS BEST!
Rams Score 84-61 Win Over Kansas City in Fall Maulfest Classic
in a game with more stop-starts than a Friday afternoon jaunt down I-25, the Colorado State Rams found enough rhythm to play their brand of basketball and handily defeat the visiting ‘Roos. A brand that includes sharing the ball on the offensive end and solid, intelligent defense on the other end.
With only one whistle in the first four minutes, the Rams easily ran their way to an early 13-0 lead with Pat Cartier and Josiah Strong sharing the points., scoring both in the paint and beyond the arc.
The rout was on but somehow the visitors, under the spell of veteran coach Marvin Menzies, decided to impose their brand of WWE Basketball. And impose they did as somehow they cast their spell onto an officiating crew who spent the next 36 minutes calling a total of 47 fouls.
Their rhythm gone, the Rams struggled to execute offensively. And the ‘Roos were loving it as they gradually ate into that large early deficit, cutting their deficit to 6 points before a late flurry sent the Rams into halftime with a 38-27 advantage.
The ‘Roos began the second half much the way they had ended the first and managed to cut the Rams’ lead to 5. The Rams kept their poise and were able to impose their style of play enough to push the lead back to 57-38 with a strong 19-6 run mid-half. The game was no longer in the balance and the hope was no one would get hurt, especially after CSU’s Joel Scott was the recipient of a hard blow to the jaw, appropriately ruled a Flagrant-1 foul.
For the game the Rams shot an effective 58% including 46% from beyond the arc. They held the visitors to 40 percent shooting and only 27% from beyond the arc.
They did it with balanced scoring throughout the lineup as all 11 players who saw the floor would hit the scoresheet. Cartier led the way with 14, Nique Clifford added 13 (all in the second half), Scott with 12, and Strong with 10. Off the bench, Joe Palmer had 8, Jalen Lake had 8, and Javonte Johnson 7. Nine players combined for 21 assists.
But the star of the show was the officiating crew (Spaulding, Littlewood, Nelson) who sent the crowd of nearly 4000 home hearing whistles as they went to bed. They had lost control in the first half, perhaps fearing the wrath of the rotund Menzies. And it continued throughout the second half, creating a disjointed, not very entertaining battle.
For ‘Roos fans, God help them if that’s the product they get to watch in their home arena.
Another Masterpiece From the 719 Crew – Joel Scott and Nique Clifford were joined this time by New Mexico transfer Javonte Johnson who got his first significant minutes off the bench for the Rams. The three combined for 32 points on 9-9 shooting including 2-2 from beyond the arc. And a combined 12-16 from the stripe. As mentioned earlier, Clifford’s points all came in the second half and he made it look so simple.
Strong/Lake Redux – After the last game, I heard a lot of gas about the two who were struggling from beyond the arc. The message was not to worry because the two of them are elite shooters. Josiah Strong scored early on a pull-up jumper and quickly followed it with a 3-ball. You could see the relief he felt with that one after starting the season 0-11. I asked Coach Medved after the game if they had run a play to get Josiah going and he answered “ No. But we were so happy to see that first one go in”. Strong was 2-4 from beyond the arc. Jalen Lake was 2-3 from beyond the arc and led the late first half surge that pushed the lead back to double digits. A combined 4-7 from beyond the arc, 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. To their credit, they have never let offense dictate their effort on the defensive end as the two of them continue to be the Rams’ best perimeter defenders.
The Bench Continues to Develop – We had already seen the contributions of Lake and Palmer (why don’t we have an Emerson 😀), but tonight we saw progress from the others. Johnson with 7 points, Mbemba with necessary physical play in the paint, and K.C. Evans at the point. Jack Payne came off the bench late to score his first basket in a Ram uniform , a layup off a beautiful feed by Evans.
And Finally, Coach Medved’s First Words Postgame to Me… “Well, it wasn’t exactly a Picasso”. He knew it wasn’t a work of art. But as a coach developing a team early in the season, he knew it was a valuable game for his team to get under their belt. It was a very physical game that had aspects of a conference game and the Rams battled toe to toe over the entire 40 minutes. Now it’s on to Kansas City for a game with Boston College and either Creighton or Loyola (IL).
Rams Continue Solid Start with 83-64 Road Pasting of Northern Colorado
You can never exorcise the demons of past losses to UNC. A 2022 88-83 home loss. A 2015 thrashing to the tune of 73-64 in Greeley. But the 2023-24 Colorado State Rams continued to write their own story with solid execution on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor as they rolled their way to victory.
The devil was in the details in this one. The best defensive performance of the season, capped by the Rams ability to turn the Bears’ half court offense into a one-dimensional series of parries. And a high-paced offense that produced quality shots and balanced scoring both inside and out.
Northern Colorado began the game on the front foot, establishing an early 7-2 lead within the first two minutes. The Rams quickly reeled the Bears in over the next three minutes and took the lead for good at 10-9 on a Joel Scott free throw. And when they went on a fast and furious 15-6 run over the next 5 minutes, fueled by a pair of three balls by Isaiah Stevens, the Rams had built their lead to 25-15 and were in control.
The control had been built by on ball defense from the likes of Josiah Strong, Jalen Lake, and Nique Clifford and the pick and roll coverage of bigs Pat Cartier, Joel Scott, and Rashaan Mbemba. UNC guard Dejour Reeves was singularly keeping the Bears in the game but their other offensive weapon, wing Saint Thomas, was being held in check.
At the half, the Rams led 41-28 and it felt that they had left a few points out there after missing some relatively easy looks.
An early 6-0 burst to begin the second half brought the home team within 8 at 42-34 and brought hope to the local crowd. Those hopes were immediately dashed as the Rams went on an 11-0 run over the next four minutes. Stevens and Scott on the offensive end and lockdown interior defense led by Clifford contributed to the run.
And while the game is never over until it’s over, there was a feeling of inevitability throughout the crowd as the Rams led 53-34.
The Bears clawed their way back to within 12 but once again the Rams responded, pushing the final margin back to 19. The home crowd left disappointed, the strong contingent of Ram fans, many of whom made the trek from Fort Collins and the Denver Metro area, went home happy. And the Rams had scored a huge win, pushing their season record to 3-0, moving to 1-0 in Crackers Front Range League.
Isaiah Stevens would lead the way with 24 points and Joel Scott added 20. Nique Clifford was fantastic as he delivered an 11 point, 14 rebound double-double and defended the Bears’ Saint Thomas out of the game. Pat Cartier and Joe Palmer both chipped in 8. Palmer once again showed his value off the bench wadding 6 rebounds to his 8 points in 15 minutes of action.
For the game, the Rams shot 47.5%, a number that could have been much higher save for the inside misses by Cartier, who was playing with a sore right shoulder, and the perimeter misses of Strong and Lake, both 40% shooters who went a combined 0-7. Defensively they held the Bears under 38%, won the rebounding battle 44-38, and held the Bears to only 10 assists.
As the final hour sounded and the Rams had secured a famous victory, All that was left to do was to garner the ultimate reward for said road victory – snacks on the ride home.
The 719 Boyz – CSU added four players from Colorado Springs after last season. Nique Clifford, Javonte Johnson, Cam Lowe, and Joel Scott. Clifford and Scott have made immediate impacts on the floor in the first three games. Scott is averaging 18 and 6, Clifford is averaging 15 and 9. And both have proven to be defensive stalwarts with their ability to defend the interior and perimeter. Johnson and Lowe have yet to contribute in a big way on the floor but their value to the team comes in other ways; they are making their team better with their abilities on the practice floor. Remember, Johnson has made 60 starts for New Mexico in the past two seasons. He’s good.
The Kids – Freshmen Kyan Evans and Rashaan Mbemba have both earned their way into the 9-man rotation with their solid play. Both delivered positive +/- performances against UNC. Mbemba finished with 4 points and 3 rebounds in 11 minutes.
Shooting Guards Have Been Takers, Not Makers – Both Josiah Strong and Jalen Lake, as mentioned earlier, are both very good perimeter shooters, historically making 40%+ on relatively high volumes. So far this season, Strong is 0-11 and Lake is 2-9. They’re like golfers hitting approach shots close but not converting their putts into birdies. Things have a way of leveling out over time. Sooner or later those birdie putts will start dropping. In the meantime, both are doing all the other things to help the team win. Lake was a whopping +17 in his 25 minutes off the bench vs UNC, Strong +7 in 20 minutes.
Road Trips to Greeley – I have always enjoyed the road trips to see the Rams play UNC, even with the tough losses. The trips always begin with a visit to a Mexican restaurant named Alberto’s, where I was a regular when I worked in Greeley. For dinner last night, a beef and bean burrito deluxe. And while Butler-Hancock Arena is smallish, it’s a fun place to see a game. The crowd this year wasn’t as raucous as in years past. Maybe the UNC football team performance is dragging them down.
The Pace, The Pace – My wife has been attending college basketball games with me for years. In graduate school, the only dates we could afford were $1.00 student tickets at the University of Arizona. Last night was her first time seeing the Rams play this season. And she immediately commented on the fast pace at which CSU played. Even mentioned it to Isaiah Stevens post-game and he agreed. And the statistics bear it out. CSU’s average offensive possession length is 14.6 seconds, which is ranked 20th nationally. The key is to ensure that they are creating quality shots at that speed and not to become slaves to the pace itself. So far, so good. Shot selection has been generally very good.
Stevens Left the Bears on All Fours – Once again Isaiah Stevens led the way. But in an amazing statistical anomaly, he had 4 2-point field goals, 4 three pointers, 4 free throws, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
And Finally… Snack quality is all important. Head Coach Niko Medved showed high quality snack game last evening with his choice of Dot’s Pretzels.
Rams Help Themselves In 105-77 Feast Over Wright State
Brother, can you spare me a dime?
Or maybe 37 of them as the Colorado State Rams shared their way into the record book with 37 assists on 42 made field goals to run away from the visitors from Ohio. For a program that bills itself as Team Together, it was a jaw-dropping display of unselfishness that led to an assault on the century mark and a famous victory.
Known for their offensive prowess, the visitors began the game effectively, making their first 6 shots as they ran out to an early 13-8 lead. They would continue their hot shooting, building the lead to double digits through the frame at 25-14.
The Rams began the road back as the Raiders defense suffered at the hands of an unworldly performance by Isaiah Stevens. As the first half buzzer sounded, they found themselves leading the Raiders 45-42 and a glance at the stat board showed Stevens with an amazing 12 points (on 5-5 shooting) along with 12 assists.
Yes it was a stunning display on the offensive end, but it also wasn’t the best performance on the defensive end as the Rams had offered only token resistance to the visitors. Enough for what Coach Niko described as “an R-rated discussion” with the team in the halftime room.
But it wasn’t just words that turned things around for the Rams but in fact it was deeds. Medved implored the team to become more active and assertive, rather than defending half-heartedly. He pointed to the fact that they had only 5 deflections at the half, a staggeringly low number. A switch in ball screen coverage. And a tactical defensive switch was made, moving Nique Clifford onto the Raiders’ leading scorer Trey Calvin who had posted 20 in the first half.
The Rams proceeded to follow through on what the coaches had asked. An early 9-point run, fueled by 4 defensive deflections, pushed the Rams lead to double digits at the 18:00 mark. A brief recovery by the Raiders following a timeout brought them back to within 6 and the game was still in the balance.
Kind of.
Because then the bench happened. A furious flurry of three straight three balls by Senior Joe Palmer and freshman Kyan Evans blew the doors off the game, pushing the home squad into a 74-57 lead at the 12:00 minute mark. The assault continued and the Rams were able to get their entire available bench in to close out the game.
Stevens would finish the game with 22 points and “only” a CSU single game record 14 assists. A halftime vision of a 20/20 game was not in the cards for him. Regardless, it was an overpowering Masterclass delivered by the MWC Preseason Player of the Year. The 14 assists would vault him into the Mountain West record books in career assists.
Nique Clifford, in only his second game as a Ram after transferring from the school down south, showed why he was so coveted as he finished with 19 points and 9 assists. Joel Scott nearly matched him with 17 and 9. Pat Cartier finished with 17 alongside 5 assists. Palmer scored 10 off the bench.
For the visitors, Trey Calvin led the way with 33 points in a fantastic display of shotmaking skill and creativity. The Preseason Horizon League guard was slowed in the second half but still had the Moby crowd of 4800 plus in awe for much of the game. After 13 first half point, Raider Tanner Holden would finish with only 16 as he visibly tired in the second half.
In the end, the Rams proved to be far too much for the visitors. A school record 37 assists against only 9 turnovers. 64% shooting from the field. But it was a second half defensive performance that vaulted them to a 60-35 margin, holding the visitors to 41% shooting. And allowed them to score an incredible 28 points off of 15 turnovers in a devastating display of transition basketball.
What a game!
What a team!
Other Stuff
Isaiah Stevens There really are no words that can do justice to the game that Isaiah Stevens delivered. Out of all the games I have seen him play, I don’t remember him being in such total control. He turned an entire opposing team into a bunch of traffic cones. And it proved to be contagious. His game was so remarkable it was called out nationally on Twitter. A 14th career double-double. A single game school record 14 assists. 642 career assists to move to the top of the Mountain.
And he got to share it with his family post-game.
I have a confession to make. I wrote in Isaiah’s name in the Fort Collins Mayor race on Tuesday. I figured he’s already the Mayor of Moby. Why not the Mayor of Fort Collins?
Joe Palmer and Kyan Evans If you’ve been following my coverage both written and via podcast, you’ve heard me share the words of Assistant Coach Ali Farokhmanesh who wouldn’t trade the Rams’ top 6 for any other 6 in the league. But to truly reach their potential, the Rams will need to have guys come off the bench who can sustain the quality. Tonight was a big step for Palmer and Evans, both of whom delivered the quality that not only allows a ream to sustain, but grow a lead. Palmer’s energy delivered 10 points and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes. And I think Evans showed why his future is so bright in Fort Collins as he comfortably ran the show with Stevens on the bench. Yes he shoots well, yes he passes, yes he defends. But I thought his best of the night was a back screen that freed Pat Cartier to roll to the hoop, who delivered a dime on a Joe Palmer three-ball. The kid is good.
Nique Clifford When Nique came to Fort Collins, the hope was his skill and athleticism would give the Rams a boost on both ends of the floor. It’s been more that a simple boost. He (along with Joel Scott) is helping to transform this Ram squad into a formidable one indeed. And a play he made in the first half epitomizes that. A steal along the sideline, a quick pass to Isaiah Stevens, a 2 on 1 runout that he finished with a flush off a lob from Stevens. One of three dunks to go along with 3-5 shooting from beyond the arc. 9 rebounds. And when the visitors switched to a 2-3 zone defense to slow the game down, he delivered a pair of dimes for easy layups. Complete game from a complete player.
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