CONTACT: John A. Martin, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
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Rams Fall In NIT Semifinals To Memphis
CSU unable to hold off the hot shooting Tigers, will play in third-place game on Sunday afternoon
FRISCO, Texas – No. 1 seed Colorado State could not withstand a hot-shooting No. 1 Memphis squad and fell in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals, 90-67, Saturday. With the loss, the Rams fell to 20-7 on the season while the Tigers improved to 19-8.
The teams exchanged leads in the early part of the game, with CSU grabbing the lead at 21-15 with [9:58] to go. At that point, the Tigers went on a 22-2 run over [6:04] to take a 37-23 lead. The Rams continued to battle, chipping into the margin, including a closing 9-2 run capped on a Isaiah Stevens three, to go into halftime down just six at 44-38. CSU got the opening basket of the second half on a triple by David Roddy, but Memphis scored the next 12 points of the game in [2:40] to go up 15 and never relinquish the lead as CSU was unable to get it below 12 the rest of the way.
Colorado State shot 38.5 percent (20-of-52) from the field for the game and 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from the three-point line. Memphis was a solid 55.7 percent (34-of-61) from the floor and 51.9 percent (14-of-27) from the arc. CSU was 78.3 percent (18-of-23) at the free throw line but was outrebounded 37-24.
CSU had two in double figures, as Roddy finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Stevens had 17 points and four assists. Memphis had three in double digits, led by Landers Nolley II with 27.
STAT OF THE GAME
• The Rams committed just 13 turnovers but the Tigers took advantage of them, outscoring the Rams 21-7 off of miscues.
NOTES
• This was the first time the two programs met on the hardwood.
• This was just the seventh time that the Rams have scored fewer than 70 points on the year.
• The Rams were outscored 34-16 on points in the paint and 13-4 on second-chance points.
• Roddy scored in double digits for the 23rd time this season and 46th in his career, while Stevens tallied at least 10 for the 22nd time this year and 46th of his career.
NEXT UP
• The Rams will play in the third-place game against either Mississippi State or Louisiana Tech on Sunday, March 28 with the tip time at 1 pm MT on ESPN. The game will be played at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.
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