Rams embrace the fight as every game resets the stakes
By Liv Sewell, CSURams.com
A place where the regular season fades away, and the record resets to 0-0.
Colorado State now stands at one-and-zero, beginning its Mountain West Tournament journey with a 67-59 win over Nevada, securing a spot in the semifinals. This victory also marks their eighth consecutive win by eight or more points, the longest streak in program history.
However, as every college basketball fan knows, standings mean little when it comes to games like these.
Though CSU was the No. 2 seed and Nevada No. 7, making the win seem probable, the Rams knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“We knew it would be hard,” coach Niko Medved said. “Our guys battled. I thought, at halftime, we really changed our look a little bit. Thought we came out with more force in the second half, and I think that kind of played out in the stats a little bit. It got a bit more aggressive on both ends.”
Aggressive could have been the word of the game.
Fighting for every possession, look and rebound – making it clear that neither side was willing to back down.
“I understand the stakes that we’re playing at right now,” Nique Clifford said. “This is March. Anything can happen when you’re trying to play the best basketball because you can go home any time. So, having those experiences in the past, have helped me be a leader for my team and let these guys know how much these games really mean.”
The Rams ended the game shooting 45% and 32% from 3, despite some a strong start offensively in both halves, Nevada’s defense kept keeping CSU’s best players at bay – totaling to multiple stretches for the Rams with no points to their name.
However, it didn’t stop them, with something seemingly clicking after the half.
It could have been Rashaan Mbemba’s wide-open layup or Keshawn Williams’ clutch 3-pointer, but the groove made its way back to CSU’s offense after the break.
“I would say that we trust each other so much,” Mbemba said. “Like, whenever somebody is struggling, there’s no frustration. It’s just having joy for each other and playing for each other. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
And, as Medved highlighted, there are players which like it, ones who love it and a select few who live it.
Living it is easy for those who love it, and Medved knows Clifford is one of those players.
“I’ve been really lucky in my coaching career,” Medved said. “I’ve coached some great players and some great people. (Nique), I don’t want to think about not coaching him because he’s a special incredible player.”
Clifford led the way with 25 points on 57% shooting and eight free throws. But the Rams’ success doesn’t rest solely on him.
With teams focusing on Clifford, CSU continues to rely on its depth – particularly the bench, which has played a crucial role in keeping the Rams competitive when needed most.
“We have some dogs on our team,” Clifford said. “Guys that stand out; like Keshawn or Bowen, guys who maybe didn’t play as many minutes tonight. When their name is called, though, they step up to the plate. We have such an unselfish group and that’s what makes us good.
“Any guy can step up on any given night and nobody’s afraid of the moment, and it’s hard to do. To come off cold and sitting for a long time to come into the game and bring that energy.”
That depth was clear in the game’s final tally, with CSU contributing nine bench points compared to Nevada’s zero. This balance between starters and bench will be vital as the Rams advance in the tournament.
As the Rams continue down the road to March Madness, slowing down and focusing on each point stay at the top of the list – especially during close games.
“Coach always talks about how we should prepare for those close games,” Mbemba said. “Especially at the end of the second half. We feed off the energy and the pressure and try to keep playing our game and not speed up. We just try to calm down and end the game in our way.”
If anything is predictable during this stretch, it’s the unpredictable.
Readying themselves for any circumstance and defensive focus are chief as it wasn’t always that way.
“Over that Christmas break for us, the whole thing turned around,” Medved said. “We really made a commitment to defense. We made commitment to understanding how hard it is to win any game. And then, we start to have success. Winning in all sorts of different ways. It’s a mentality that all winning teams and winning programs have to have.”
This victory marks CSU’s 12th semifinal appearance in the conference, and their second consecutive trip after last year’s success.
As the Rams continue their march through the Mountain West tournament, their record may be reset, but their mentality remains unchanged.
Every game is a new battle, and everything is up for grabs.
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