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FORT COLLINS — At instances, the 3-pointer was Colorado State’s greatest pal Saturday afternoon. In others, it was Aries’ worst enemy.
Needing some sort of spark to get off to an 0-3 Mountain West Convention begin, CSU turned to the lengthy ball in opposition to a Fresno State crew that was simply days faraway from its first lack of the season to No. 21 New Mexico.
CSU went 14 of 29 from deep, slightly below 50%, because the Rams picked up their first win of the season over the Bulldogs, 79-57.
“This was a giant sport for us,” CSU head coach Niko Medved stated. “We needed to react after the battle we went by means of. Our guys, they stayed collectively they usually ready nicely and I believed we got here out and performed nicely on each ends of the ground.
“We by no means regarded again. Each time they bought a run, we have been in a position to counter that run with one in every of our personal.”
A mix of the Rams using Fresno State’s powerful protection whereas profiting from offensive alternatives in the end led to the win.
It was in no way a cushty win, as when the Rams went chilly from behind the arc, Fresno State used it to their benefit to chop into CSU’s lead.
However within the working sport, CSU all the time had a solution and used a giant response late within the sport to seal the win.
The Rams made 5 3-pointers within the first half, however actually bought sizzling from past the arc within the second half, making 9 of them.
Jalen Lake hit a pair within the first 4 minutes of the ultimate 20 and Patrick Cartier added two extra because the Rams pulled away.
“As a crew, we have a good time one another’s accomplishments as a lot as our personal,” CSU guard John Tonje stated. “I used to be actually excited to see Lake come again and make some massive threes for us. It energizes us all and we like to see that.”
Lake’s two 3-pointers accounted for CSU’s first six factors of the second half and gave the Rams an 18-point lead, their largest of the sport to that time.
Fresno State did not go away. The Bulldogs reduce CSU’s result in 10 with 15:25 to play, 49-39.
The Rams responded with a 12-3 run to go up by 19 at 61-42 with 10:06 to play. Fresno State made one final run to shut the hole to 9 at 61-52 earlier than the Rams pulled away for good.
Fittingly, three 3-pointers fueled an 18-5 run to shut the sport for CSU. The Rams’ largest lead of the sport ended at 23 factors, 79-56, with 51 seconds left.
Isaiah Stevens and Cartier led the Rams with 16 factors every. They every had two of the crew’s 14 3-pointers. Tonje had 13 and Lake had 11.
“Clearly, it feels actually good,” Tonye stated of the win. “It was vital to get again on observe and get a win for the hosts. We’re again. We really feel good.”
After Fresno State scored the primary three factors of the sport, the Rams responded with a 6-1 run to take a 6-4 lead and CSU by no means trailed once more.
CSU took a 16-14 lead earlier than happening a 19-7 run to take a 14-point lead, its largest of the primary half, at 35-21 with 1:40 left at halftime.
Fresno State pulled two factors again and the Rams led 35-23 at halftime.
The Rams shot 54.7% from the sector for the sport, together with 60% within the second half. That they had 26 assists in simply six turnovers, displaying why they’re probably the greatest within the nation at that ratio.
All 9 Rams scored not less than one 3-pointer within the sport with seven pictures.
“I really feel like everybody had an unselfish mindset at the moment,” Tonje stated. “We have been all simply attempting to get our movement going. “Clearly prior to now we have been slipping a bit in that facet of the sport, however at the moment we have been transferring and searching extra like ourselves.”
CSU (9-8 general, 1-3 Mountain West) will return to motion Tuesday when the Rams host Air Drive.
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