LAS VEGAS — The first Mountain West semifinal victory since 2017.
Colorado State men’s basketball started hot in its 83-72 MW tournament semifinal win against Utah State Friday. Following what could be described as a win and nothing more against Nevada, the Rams found their stride. If they can keep it up, victory against a hot Boise State team — and an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament — isn’t all that unlikely.
Nique Clifford put the game away at the line along with another double-double off of 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Key Takeaways:
Intensity out of the gates: CSU came in with a purpose. The movement, speed and force were all up from the start, and the Rams never slowed down. Part of the problem from their up-and-down win against UNR Thursday was a lack of a purpose. They didn’t make the same mistake twice, but they did pay down the line.
Better spacing: Against USU’s defensive swarm, CSU spaced the floor and kept passing lanes open. The Aggies doubled up often on Clifford — and whoever the primarily ball handler was — in an effort to force turnovers. They had some success, but the Rams managed to exploit their gameplan more often. Clifford actually used his gravity to the advantage of CSU saw increased off-ball movement as well, but did so with purpose. Their upped intensity allowed each player to fight through the pressure at times and keep the lanes clear.
More contribution from the bench: Every single active Ram scored Friday. Clifford didn’t have to shoulder the load as much with better shooting across the board from his teammates and a more spread-out offense.
USU rally down the stretch: Even with the game seemingly put away in the start of the second half, USU conjured the strength to put up an admirable fight. The Aggie fans relatively packing Thomas and Mack helped invigorate their team in what sounded like a USU home game. While its players still shot ineffectively, the Aggies outrebounded CSU 26-16 and outscored it 42-34.
Late breakdown: CSU looked worn out compared to its fiery start, and gave up too many open looks. Lining up for free throws felt uneasy near the end of the game, and it looked like the Rams were simply hanging on the best they could. In a tournament environment, making the semifinals —and the championship — means playing multiple games in a row, and a toll from the first half was clearly taken.
From a shot clock violation to inconsistent play, the Rams made the game way closer than it had to be. The final moments were filled with just about every favorable call and just about every favorable outcome for USU, and the Aggies fed off that energy. For however many bad things occurring for CSU, about as many good things came its opponent.
Mason Falslev: As expected, the talented Aggie did his best to bring USU back into the game late but failed. He displayed explosiveness down the stretch with slams and contested shots, and brought his team back in contention with 14 points in the second half.
Up next: The Rams face BSU at 4 p.m. MST Friday in the MW championship match. With a deep run completed, CSU might have a place within March Madness.
Reach Michael Hovey at [email protected] or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.
