Colorado State University Athletics
Men?s Basketball Preview ? Game 18: UNLV
1/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Rams Update: Paced by the return of G Micheal Morris - who scored a career-most 24 points in a reserve role - Colorado State upended San Diego State in double overtime, 92-82 last time out. Morris had missed 3 games with a hamstring strain, but returned to score all of his points following halftime. C Matt Nelson had 21 points and 13 rebounds while F Matt Williams added 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Series Update: Colorado State?s 62-61 win over UNLV in the finals of the MWC Tournament last March broke a four-game Rebels? win streak in the series. UNLV leads the series, 17-5, and the Rebels hold a 9-3 edge in Fort Collins. Colorado State?s last win in Fort Collins came in 2000-01, 80-55.
Last Year: Colorado State lost the season series to UNLV but beat the Rebels in the finals of the MWC Tournament in Las Vegas to earn the conference?s automatic NCAA invitation.
Nelson Joins List: Colorado State C Matt Nelson is now 12th in career scoring at Colorado State with 1,068 points, surpassing former G Milt Palacio. Nelson is the 15th player in school history to score 1,000 or more points in his career, and the 4th (Andy Birley, Brian Greene, John Sivesind) to have played under Rams? coach Dale Layer.
Attendance Comparison: Through 7 home dates in 2003-04 the Rams are averaging 4,484 fans, compared to 2,050 following 7 dates a season ago, a 219 percent increase.
On A Monday: Colorado State is 11-13 in 24 Monday games during Dale Layer?s 4-year tenure, including a 1-3 record in 2003-04.
At Home: Colorado State is 5-2 at home in 2003-04 after finishing the 2002-03 season with a 14-4 record in Moby Arena. Rams? coach Dale Layer is 37-16 all-time in home games.
Career Game: G Micheal Morris enjoyed the finest outing of his career against San Diego State. Coming off the bench, he scored a career-most 24 points (all following halftime), added a career-best 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. He made 6-of-9 field goals following intermission.
Tied Mark: Colorado State finished the SDSU game with 11 blocked shots, tying the school?s single-game record. C Matt Nelson had 5 blocks, matching his career high and tying for the 6th most in a game in school history.
Doubles: Nelson recorded his 3rd career double-double game in scoring and rebounding (1st in 2003-04) with 21 points and a career-most 13 rebounds, while F Matt Williams had his 2nd double-double of his career and the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Morris Most: G Micheal Morris has 63 career blocked shots in 46 games, 8th on CSU?s career list. He already has more blocked shots than any backcourt player in school history.
Williams Assists: F Matt Williams also had a career-most 5 assists to lead the Rams in the game with San Diego State along with his 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Nelson Negates: Nelson has blocked 112 career shots, currently 4th on CSU?s career list. Nelson matched career high with 5 blocked shots - which ties for the 6th most in a game in school history - in the Rams? win over San Diego State. The school?s career leader is Ryan Chilton with 185.
Healthy, Unhealthy: Only 6 times in 17 games has Coach Dale Layer had his full roster (14 players) available without injury. The Rams are 4-2 with a totally healthy roster, and 5-6 in 11 games the Rams have had at least 1 player absent due to injury or illness.
17 Missed: Injuries and illness have caused players to miss a total of 17 games to this point in the 2003-04 season.
Only 5: Only 5 of Colorado State?s 14 roster players have played in all 17 games, and 2 of those 5 players are freshmen. Ronnie Clark, Matt Williams, Jon Rakiecki, and 1st-year players Phillip Thomasson and Stephen Verwers have appeared in every game.
Rams Notes:
On The Road: Colorado State, 17 games into the 2003-04 season, has already matched the team?s road win total of a season ago. The road breakdown during Dale Layer?s 4 seasons:
Season Overall Road
2004 8-8 3-5
2003 19-14 3-9
2002 12-18 3-9
2001 15-13 1-8
Center Scoring: C Matt Nelson ranks 3rd in school history in career scoring by a center:
Career Scoring By A Center
1. Bill Green, 1961-63 1,682
2. Rich Strong, 1983-86 1,555
3. Matt Nelson, 2002-04 1,068
Plus 80: Colorado State is 27-2 all-time under Dale Layer in games the Rams score 80 or more points in a game.
Opponent?s 80: The Rams are 7-1 in 2004 when holding a foe to fewer than 80 points.
Rams On Boards: Colorado State has outrebounded 10 of 17 opponents to date. Colorado State is 8-2 in games the Rams have outrebounded the opposition.
Close Calls: In games decided by 10 points or less this season, the Rams are 5-3 . Colorado State is 2-0 in games decided by five points or less.
Clark Doubles: Swingman Ronnie Clark, who scored 14 points at Utah, has been in double figures 8 times in 17 games in 2003-04.
Robinson Careers: Swingman Freddy Robinson matched his career high with 16 points at BYU. It was Robinson?s 8th double figure scoring game of the year.
Rebound Margins: Colorado State is 4-1 when holding a double-digit rebound margin over an opponent, including:
Date Game Reb-Foe Margin
Nov. 22 BYU-Hawaii (W) 38-27 +11
Nov. 29 at Drake (W) 45-26 +19
Dec. 20 at Stetson (W) 41-27 +14
Jan. 3 Pepperdine (W) 43-33 +10
Jan. 12 Air Force (L) 29-19 +10
Foes Under 40: Colorado State is 7-0 when holding an opponent to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor. The Rams held San Diego State to .333 from the floor, 30-of-90 field goals, the lowest figure by an opponent in 2003-04. The list includes:
Date Game FG-A Pct.
Nov. 22 BYU-Hawaii (W) 19-50 .380
Nov. 29 at Drake (W) 26-66 .394
Dec. 4 Texas Southern (W) 21-56 .375
Dec. 6 Gardner-Webb (W) 23-63 .365
Dec. 20 at Stetson (W) 26-67 .388
Jan. 3 Pepperdine (W) 19-55 .345
Jan. 24 San Diego State (W) 30-90 .333
Rams Plus 50: Colorado State is 6-2 when shooting above 50 percent from the field. Colorado State has shot .500 or better in two MWC games. The list includes:
Date Game FG-A Pct.
Nov. 22 BYU-Hawaii (W) 35-60 .583
Nov. 26 at Drake (W) 25-43 .581
Dec. 4 Texas Southern (W) 29-51 .659
Dec. 6 Gardner-Webb (W) 32-58 .552
Jan. 3 Pepperdine (W) 34-64 .531
Jan. 5 at Montana State (L) 25-49 .510
Jan. 12 Air Force (L) 20-39 .513
Jan. 24 San Diego State (W) 25-45 .556
