Colorado State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Preview - Game #13: Montana State
1/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Series: Colorado State and Montana State meet for the 1st time since 1985. Monday?s game is the 14th time the teams will have met, with Colorado State holding a 10-3 series edge, including a 6-2 advantage in Bozeman.
Courtside: Colorado State take a 4-game win streak - including 2 straight road wins - into Monday night?s game at Montana State. The Rams, 8-4, beat Pepperdine at Pepsi Center in Denver last time out behind the scoring of C Matt Nelson (23 points) and rebounding of F Ronnie Clark (8 rebounds).
Win Streaks: Colorado State enters Monday?s game seeking a 5th win in a row. It would be the team?s longest streak since the Rams won 6 in a row early in the 2002-03 season.
Layer Win Streaks: The Rams? current 4-game win streak ties for the 3rd longest in Dale Layer?s 4-year tenure. The list of longest win streaks during Layer?s career at Colorado State:
Season Streak Streak Loss
2003 6 at Purdue; 84-56
2001 5 at Creighton; 74-51
2004 4 Current
2003 4 at So. Illinois; 83-71
2002 4 Weber State; 72-69
Up Next: The Rams open Mountain West Conference action Jan. 12 against Air Force at 7 p.m. in Moby Arena.
Road Streak: The Rams enter the game at Montana State toting a 2-game road win streak, plus a win at a neutral site (Pepperdine, 91-65 at Pepsi Center in Denver). Colorado State?s win at South Florida (Dec. 22) provided the Rams with back-to-back road wins for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, a span of 163 games. The win also matched the team?s entire road win total in 2002 and ?03.
Last 3 Streak: Colorado State has not won 3 in a row on the road since Stew Morrill?s squad won 4 in a row in 1997-98, with victories over at Nevada (at the buzzer), Texas A&M (in overtime), San Jose State, and McNeese State in succession, a span of 181 games entering Monday?s game at MSU.
On The Road: Colorado State, 12games 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 8-4 3-2
2003 19-14 3-9
2002 12-18 3-9
2001 15-13 1-8
Most On Road: Colorado State?s early-season road success has the Rams on pace to match some of the top marks away from Moby Arena in the recent past. Colorado State?s last winning record on the road came in 1997-98.
Season Road Coach
1998 8-5 Stew Morrill
1997 6-5 Stew Morrill
1996 6-6 Stew Morrill
2000 5-7 Ritchie McKay
1999 5-8 Ritchie McKay
2004 3-2 Dale Layer
Plus 80: Colorado State is 26-2 all-time under Dale Layer in games the Rams score 80 or more points in a game.
Opponent?s 80: The Rams are 7-0 in 2004 when holding a foe to fewer than 80 points.
Start To Finish: Colorado State?s win over Pepperdine is the 4th time in 2004 the Rams have led a game start-to-finish.
Arc Success: Colorado State has made 17-of-39 3-point field goal tries, 44 percent, in the team?s wins over Purdue and Pepperdine.
Long Distance Run: Colorado State took control of the team?s win over Pepperdine with a 15-to-0 1st-half run, the team?s longest scoring run in 2004. The Rams also led in the game by as many as 31 points, the most in a game.
By Comparison: The Rams? success on the court is reflected by an increase in attendance. A season ago, Colorado State did not pass 22,860 in total home attendance until the 12th home date (25,308) of the season. Colorado State has already drawn 22,860 in 5 home dates, 4,572 per game.
Rakiecki Career: G John Rakiecki scored a career-most 18 points in the Rams? win over Pepperdine. Rakiecki, who started the game, missed his 1st 2 3-point goals, then made 6 in a row behind the arc. The 6 treys tie for the 8th most in a game in history.
Rams On Boards: Colorado State has outrebounded 8 of 12 opponents to date. Colorado State is 6-1 in games the Rams have outrebounded the opposition.
Morris Assists: Sophomore G Micheal leads Colorado State in assists with 48 in 11 games, and has had 5 or more assists 6 times.
The Buzzer Beater: Morris is quickly developing a reputation as a last-second savior for the Rams. A season ago, his 3-point goal with seconds to play pushed the Rams to a road win over nationally-ranked Utah in Salt Lake City. Dec. 30, Morris made 2 3-point goals in the waning seconds - the last shot coming at the buzzer - in Colorado State?s miraculous comeback win over nationally-ranked Purdue.
Nelson Scoring: C Matt Nelson continues to impress. He scored 23 points - his 21st career 20-point game and 3rd in 2004 - in the Rams? win over Pepperdine. Nelson has scored 81 points, 20.3 per game, over the past 4 games.
In Moby: Colorado State finished the 2002-03 schedule with a 14-4 home record. Colorado State is 4-1 at home in 2003-04.
Keeping It Close: In games decided by 10 points or less this season, the Rams are 4-1. The only loss came at home to Colorado 84-78. Colorado State is 2-0 in games decided by five points or less.
The Bobcats: Montana State enters Monday night?s game with a 7-5 record under veteran coach Mick Durham, who formerly played for the Bobcats (1976-80). Montana State beat Rocky Mountain College, 83-70, Friday night for the team?s 7th win of the season.
Family Affair: MSU Coach Mick Durham is not only building a coaching legacy for the Bobcats,but it has become a family affair. His son, Casey, is a freshman guard on the team.
