Rams Tie Best Start In Program History With 80-74 Win Over New Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

CONTACT: John A. Martin, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

(540) 476-1259 | John.A.Martin@colostate.edu

Rams Tie Best Start In Program History With 80-74 Win Over New Mexico

CSU improved to 14-1 in the victory as five Rams score in double digits in the win

HIGHLIGHTS | PRESS CONFERENCE (MEDVED) | PRESS CONFERENCE (PLAYERS) | PHOTO GALLERY

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – No. 23 Colorado State continued to get the best shots of its Mountain West opponents but held on to defeat a spirited New Mexico team, 80-74, Wednesday night in Moby Arena. With the win, the Rams tied the best start in program history, improving to 14-1 overall and 4-1 in conference, while the Lobos fell to 7-11 and 0-5 in the league.

This was a game that was nip-and-tuck the entire way through, as neither team led by more than 10 throughout the game, as New Mexico fought with a barrage of threes. CSU had a 37-32 advantage at the break. With CSU up 46-36 with [16:56] to play, New Mexico put together an 11-0 run over the next three minutes and took the lead at 47-46.

The visitors had three other leads, the last at 57-56, when graduate guard Chandler Jacobs scored on a putback and then scored on a layup on the next possession to put CSU up for good at 60-57. The Rams extended the lead back out to 10 with just under three minutes to go and again converted free throws in the final minute, hitting 5-of-6 to come out with the win.

Colorado State finished the game at 51.9 percent (27-of-52) from the floor overall but just 30.0 percent (6-of-20) outside the arc. New Mexico was 50.0 percent (29-of-58) from the field, hitting 14-of-33 on threes. CSU’s aggressive attack on the basket resulted in the Rams going to the line 26 times overall, hitting 20 of them, while UNM was just 2-of-4 on free throws. Colorado State won the battle of the boards 36-25.

CSU had five players in double figures, led by junior David Roddy with a game-high 21 points along with seven assists and six rebounds. Junior guard Isaiah Stevens added 16 points Jacobs and junior forward Dischon Thomas each added 12 and junior guard John Tonje scored 10. Jacobs made it a double-double with a career and game-high 10 rebounds. New Mexico had four in double digits, with Jaelen House and Javonte Johnson each scoring 18.

STAT OF THE GAME
• The attack on the rim was the difference maker for CSU, as the Rams outscored the Lobos at the free throw line, 20-2.

NOTES
• New Mexico holds the lead in this series, 78-450, including 71-49 in conference play, but CSU is 37-26 at home against the Lobos.
• The 14-1 mark ties the 2013-14 squad for the best start in program history.
• Jacobs’ double-double was the first of his CSU career and the eighth by a Ram this year.
• Roddy moved up to 19^th in CSU’s career scoring chart at 1096 points, while Stevens moved to 21^st at 1076 points. Both were honored prior to the game for reaching 1,000 points earlier this season.
• The 3,850 students in attendance set a CSU record for a men’s basketball game

NEXT UP
• The Rams will stay in state on the road, traveling to Air Force on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 12 p.m..
• The game will be broadcast on FS1.
• The audio will be on the Colorado State Sports Radio Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon handling the broadcast.
• CSU Sports Network broadcasts can be also accessed on mobile devices through the Varsity Network app (free on all Apple and Android devices).