Rams Host Cowboys Saturday

CONTACT: Ryan Pfeifer. Senior Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Enhancement

 | Ryan.Pfeifer@colostate.edu

FORT COLLINS  – No love will be lost inside Moby Arena Saturday afternoon as Colorado State hosts Wyoming. The Rams look to complete the season sweep of the rival Cowboys with the 2 p.m. MT tip-off. The game is CSU’s annual Stripe Out game.

Opening Tip
– A slow start was too much for Colorado State to overcome at Utah State Tuesday night, falling 93-85 to the Aggies.

-The 93 points by USU were the most by a CSU opponent this season and they matched the opponent high for first half points with 45.

– The Rams scored a season-high 55 points in the second half trying to mount a comeback.

– All nine Rams to play in the game scored at least three points and made one basket.

– Nique Clifford picked up his 11th double-double of the year with 24 points and 16 rebounds adding in three assists and a block.

– The 20-point game was also his 11th of the year.

– He is averaging 17.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

– Clifford is one of two Division I players to have 425 points, 225 rebounds and 95 assists along with UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg.

– Clifford is third in the nation with 8.54 defensive rebounds per game and 13th for total rebounds at 10.0.

– He was selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team after earning third team honors last season.

– Jalen Lake is having a strong senior season averaging 11.9 points on 41.3% shooting including 33.1% from behind the arc.

– Kyan Evans had his seventh game of the year with three or more made 3s on Tuesday going 3-of-6. He scored 14 points to go with his four rebounds and three assists.

– Evans has turned a corner in the past 14 games averaging 10.9 points shooting 47.5% from 3-point range with 3.4 assists per game.

– Jaylen Crocker-Johnson recorded his fourth double figure scoring game in the past five with his 17 points in the win. He added two rebounds and two assists.

– Crocker-Johnson is averaging 11.4 points during that five-game span.

– CSU ranks 16th in the nation making 78.4% of its free throw attempts this season.

– Colorado State’s defense has turned it up in conference play. They are allowing just 68.5 points and holding opponents to 43.3 shooting.

– In conference games only, the Rams rank fourth in Bartorvik for adjusted defensive efficiency at 102.9 and KenPom as well at 104.2.

– Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 131-84 as the Rams’ head coach. He has the second most wins in program history trailing only Jim Williams (1955-80) and his 352.

– He became the fifth coach in program history to reach 100 wins in Fort Collins last year.

– Medved is the only coach in program history to win 20-plus games four times.

– He picked up his 200th career win in November with the Rams’ overtime win over TCU.

Scouting the Cowboys
Wyoming is coming off a road trip to Albuquerque where they pushed the league-leading Lobos to the end falling to UNM 71-67.

The Cowboys have struggled recently losing eight of their last 10 games with the wins coming against Fresno State and Air Force.

Obi Agbim continues to be the focal point for Wyoming’s offense as the only Cowboy to average double figures with 17.8 points per game and 3.4 assists.

The Rams stay home to host Nevada on a quick turnaround at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Tickets for the game can be purchased at CSURams.com/MBBTickets.