Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, December 30
San Jose, Calif. / The Event Center
3 pm MT
Colorado State
8-7, 1-1MW
59
at
52
San Jose State
3-10, 0-2MW
1
2
F
Colorado State
20
39
59
San Jos? State
31
21
52
Rams Rally From 15-Point Deficit For 59-52 Victory at San Jose State
12/30/2017 6:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CSU uses a 14-2 run in the second half to take the lead for good
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Colorado State rallied from a 15-point deficit and escaped with a 59-52 victory at San Jose State, Dec. 30. With their first road win of the season, the Rams improved to 8-7 on the year and 1-1 in Mountain West action while the Spartans fell to 3-10 and 0-2 in the league.
Trailing by 11 at the break and by 14 after the opening possession of the second half, CSU kept the gap from growing during the first 11 minutes of the second half. Down 10 with just under nine to play, the Rams finally caught fire from the three-point arc, with three pointers on three straight possessions, with sophomore guard Lorenzo Jenkins kicking it off on a feed from junior guard Prentiss Nixon, followed by a Nixon triple from redshirt-sophomore guard Robbie Berwick and then Jenkins again to make it a one-point game. After a SJSU layup, CSU finally tied it on a Nixon triple and then took the lead for good on a pair of Berwick free throws with 5:31 to play, capping a 14-2 run over a 3:23 span. While the margin shrunk to one, CSU finished off the win with four made free throws in the final minute of play.
San Jose State took the lead from the outset on a three by Noah Baumann and built the lead to as many as 15 in the opening half. CSU struggled offensively in the opening 20 minutes, going just 6-of-27 from the field and 1-of-11 from the three-point line, including not hitting a field goal for the final 9:34 of the opening stanza. The Rams hung in the game by forcing nine Spartan turnovers, though the hosts still built their 11-point halftime lead by shooting 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from the field in the first half.
Colorado State finished the game at 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the field and 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from the three-point line. CSU was also 76.5 percent (13-of-17) at the free throw line. San Jose State finished at 45.7 percent (21-of-46) from the field and 35.0 percent (7-of-20) behind the arc. The Spartans won the battle of the boards 37-29, but CSU held a slight advantage in second chance points, 9-3. The Rams also forced 23 Spartan turnovers and turned them into a 26-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
Nixon led all scorers with 19 points while adding two assists and two steals. Redshirt-sophomore center Nico Carvacho was the other Ram in double figures with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. SJSU was led by Ryan Welage with 16 points, while Baumann chipped in 14.
STAT OF THE GAME…
After starting just 2-of-16 behind the three-point arc to open the game, CSU hit six of its last seven from behind the line as part of the comeback.
NOTES…
• CSU has now won all 16 meetings in the series, while head coach Larry Eustachy is 15-3 all-time against the Spartans, including 10-0 at CSU.
• CSU earned its first win in eight tries in games away from Fort Collins, with this the sixth true road game.
• Eustachy moved within two wins of Stew Morrill for second on the CSU career coaching chart.
• The Rams finished the month of December with a 5-3 record.
• The 52 points given up to San Jose State was a season low for the Rams
• This is only the 13th time in 45 games that a Eustachy-led team has lost the rebounding battle but won the game
• Nixon has now scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games played this season. He also has 32 drawn offensive fouls on the year, adding three SJSU fouls to the total today.
NEXT UP…
• Colorado State returns home to start 2018, hosting San Diego State, Tue., Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
• The contest between the Rams and Aztecs will be televised on the CBS Sports Network, with Carter Blackburn handling play-by-play and former Virginia head coach Pete Gillen with the analysis.
• The game will air across the Colorado State Sports Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon on the call.
Trailing by 11 at the break and by 14 after the opening possession of the second half, CSU kept the gap from growing during the first 11 minutes of the second half. Down 10 with just under nine to play, the Rams finally caught fire from the three-point arc, with three pointers on three straight possessions, with sophomore guard Lorenzo Jenkins kicking it off on a feed from junior guard Prentiss Nixon, followed by a Nixon triple from redshirt-sophomore guard Robbie Berwick and then Jenkins again to make it a one-point game. After a SJSU layup, CSU finally tied it on a Nixon triple and then took the lead for good on a pair of Berwick free throws with 5:31 to play, capping a 14-2 run over a 3:23 span. While the margin shrunk to one, CSU finished off the win with four made free throws in the final minute of play.
San Jose State took the lead from the outset on a three by Noah Baumann and built the lead to as many as 15 in the opening half. CSU struggled offensively in the opening 20 minutes, going just 6-of-27 from the field and 1-of-11 from the three-point line, including not hitting a field goal for the final 9:34 of the opening stanza. The Rams hung in the game by forcing nine Spartan turnovers, though the hosts still built their 11-point halftime lead by shooting 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from the field in the first half.
Colorado State finished the game at 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the field and 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from the three-point line. CSU was also 76.5 percent (13-of-17) at the free throw line. San Jose State finished at 45.7 percent (21-of-46) from the field and 35.0 percent (7-of-20) behind the arc. The Spartans won the battle of the boards 37-29, but CSU held a slight advantage in second chance points, 9-3. The Rams also forced 23 Spartan turnovers and turned them into a 26-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
Nixon led all scorers with 19 points while adding two assists and two steals. Redshirt-sophomore center Nico Carvacho was the other Ram in double figures with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. SJSU was led by Ryan Welage with 16 points, while Baumann chipped in 14.
STAT OF THE GAME…
After starting just 2-of-16 behind the three-point arc to open the game, CSU hit six of its last seven from behind the line as part of the comeback.
NOTES…
• CSU has now won all 16 meetings in the series, while head coach Larry Eustachy is 15-3 all-time against the Spartans, including 10-0 at CSU.
• CSU earned its first win in eight tries in games away from Fort Collins, with this the sixth true road game.
• Eustachy moved within two wins of Stew Morrill for second on the CSU career coaching chart.
• The Rams finished the month of December with a 5-3 record.
• The 52 points given up to San Jose State was a season low for the Rams
• This is only the 13th time in 45 games that a Eustachy-led team has lost the rebounding battle but won the game
• Nixon has now scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games played this season. He also has 32 drawn offensive fouls on the year, adding three SJSU fouls to the total today.
NEXT UP…
• Colorado State returns home to start 2018, hosting San Diego State, Tue., Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
• The contest between the Rams and Aztecs will be televised on the CBS Sports Network, with Carter Blackburn handling play-by-play and former Virginia head coach Pete Gillen with the analysis.
• The game will air across the Colorado State Sports Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon on the call.
Team Stats
CSU
SJ
FG%
.352
.457
3FG%
.348
.350
FT%
.765
.429
RB
29
37
TO
10
23
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
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