Colorado State University Athletics
Men?s Basketball Preview ? Game 24: UNLV
2/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Rams Update: Junior C Matt Nelson returned after a four-game hiatus due to an aggravated right knee injury to lead the Rams with a game-high 24 points and team-best seven rebounds in the Rams? game with BYU. Nelson was one of four Rams to score in double figures. G Micheal Morris scored 10 points, had six rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots, while G Dwight Boatner added 11 points. F Matt Williams finished with 10 points.
1969 Team Recognition: The most successful men?s basketball team in CSU history will be honored during halftime of the Rams? game with the University of New Mexico in Moby Arena Mar. 6. Members of the 1969 team - including head coach Jim Williams - will be honored during halftime ceremonies of Colorado State?s final 2003-04 home game with New Mexico. Williams coached the team for 26 years and also served as the school?s director of athletics during the 1960?s. He guided the 1969 men?s basketball team to a 17-7 record. Colorado State earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament and defeated the University of Dayton in Midwest Region first round game. The Rams then beat in-state rival Colorado, 64-56, in the second round in Manhattan, Kan., to advance to the regional finals for the first and only time in school history. Colorado State and CU had not met on the hardwood for more than a decade prior to the meeting in postseason play. Playing Drake University in the regional finals, Colorado State narrowly missed a chance to advance to the Final Four, losing 84-77.
Last Meeting: Colorado State had taken a 17-point lead on C Matt Nelson?s 20th point of the game (he also had 10 rebounds) when the junior was injured on the team?s defensive trip downcourt. UNLV sent the game into overtime with the game tied at 76. The Rams outscored UNLV, 13-7 in the extra frame to win in overtime for the second game in a row. G Jon Rakiecki scored a career-most 19 points behind Nelson?s 20 as four Rams finished in double figures. Nelson missed the team?s next three games with a knee sprain suffered in the game.
21 Missed: Colorado State plays the team?s 23rd game of the season Monday night against BYU. To date, the Rams have had a total of 21 games missed due to injury.
The Boat: Freshman G Dwight Boatner has set new career scoring highs three times in the past four games. In games with Wyoming and new Mexico, Boatner had 11 points, then re-set his career mark with 16 in Colorado State?s game with Utah. Boatner made 6-of-9 field goals (2-of-3 behind the arc), added two free throws and had an assist and a rebound in 28 minutes.
Robinson Scoring: Swingman Freddy Robinson scored a team-best 15 points in the game at Air Force, making 6 field goals including 2 behind the line, and tied for team honors with six rebounds. Robinson had not scored in double figures in five games preceding his offensive outburst at AFA. Robinson has scored in double figures 10 times in 2003-04, third most on the team.
Clark Spark: Swingman Ronnie Clark scored 11 points and had four rebounds in a starting role vs. Utah. Clark has grabbed 28 rebounds in the past five games.
Arc Figures: Colorado State has slumped behind the 3-point line, making 11-of-49 goals, 22 percent, in the team?s past 4 games. Overall from the field in the past 4 games, Colorado State has made 86-of-206 field goals, 41 percent.
Morris Game: G Micheal Morris scored 10 points, had 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocked shots in the game with BYU. Twenty-one times in his career he has had 5 or more assists in a game, and he has had more than 1 blocked shot in a game 20 times.
Fast Breaks: In 10 MWC games, Colorado State has scored a total of 10 fast break points, while opponents have scored 64 points via fast breaks.
Scoring Margin: Colorado State has averaged 82 points (246 points) in three MWC victories. In seven MWC defeats, the Rams are averaging 57 points per game (399 points).
Taking The Lead: Colorado State has had eight different players that have given the Rams the lead for good in their 11 victories. Following is a list of players that have given Colorado State the lead for good this season:
Game (Date) Game Scorer Score/Half Time Final Score
BYU-Hawaii (11-22-03) Clark 12-10/1st 12:37 84-53
Drake (11-29-03) Robinson 2-0/1st 19:41 76-69
Texas Southern (12-4-03 Johnson 3-0/1st 19:38 91-66
Gardner-Webb (12-6-03) Robinson 9-8/1st 13:55 89-59
Stetson (12-20-03) Nelson 10-9/1st 13:18 79-70
South Florida (12-22-03) Thomasson 43-42/2nd 14:12 66-65
Purdue (12-30-03) Morris 71-69/2nd 0:00 71-69
Pepperdine (1-3-04) Nelson 2-0/1st 19:05 91-65
San Diego State (1-24-04) Nelson 75-73/2 ot 4:39 92-82 (2 ot)
UNLV (1-26-04) Williams 79-77/1 ot 2:25 89-83 (ot)
Wyoming (1-31-04) Boatner 75-74/1 ot 0:07 75-74 (ot)
Nelson Joins List: Colorado State C Matt Nelson is 11th in career scoring at Colorado State with 1,112 points. 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.
First Losses: Colorado State?s game with BYU marked the first time this season the Rams lost despite having fewer turnovers (15-13) than the opponent, and first time the Rams lost despite having fewer personal fouls (21-20).
The Boat: Rams? freshman G Dwight Boatner has scored 64 points in the past 6 games, and has scored 5 in double figures 5 times over that span. He has made 18-of-39 field goals (46 percent), 5-12 treys (42 percent), and 23-of-30 free throws along with 9 assists. He has scored more points over the past 6 games than any player on the team. F Matt Williams (57), F Ronnie Clark (55), G Micheal Morris (47) trail Boatner.
Field Goals: C Matt Nelson is among the league leader?s in field goal percentage, having made 100-of-167 shots (59.9 percent). The rest of CSU?s team is shooting a combined 43.9 percent (455-of-1036).
Nelson Numbers: C Matt Nelson returned from a four-game absence due to injury BYU by scoring 24 points against BYU, his 24th career 20-point scoring game and 6th in 2003-04. Nelson made 9-of-12 field goals and added 6 free throws plus a team-high 7 rebounds in 21 minutes of court time. Ten times in his career he has made 9 or more field goals in a game. Nelson has had 7 or more rebounds in a game 22 times.
Nelson And The Lineup: Colorado State is 1-10 in MWC games when C Matt Nelson has been absent due to injuries. Colorado State is 5-10 in all games without Nelson.
Nelson In, Out: Colorado State is 43-42 in the past 3 seasons during C Matt Nelson?s career. With Nelson in the lineup, the Rams are 36-35 over that span, 5-10 in games Nelson has not played (1-4 in 2003-04). Colorado State is 1-10 in MWC games without Nelson.
First Score: Colorado State has not scored first in a game since Jan. 5 during a non-conference-game at Montana State, a span of 10 games.
In Moby: With one home date remaining, Colorado State is averaging 4,947 fans per game in Moby Arena. The Rams are on pace for the highest per game average since 1998.
At Home: Colorado State is 7-3 at home in 2003-04. Rams? coach Dale Layer is 39-17 all-time in home games.
Only 5: Only 5 of Colorado State?s 14 roster players have played in all 22 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 On Boards: Colorado State has outrebounded 12 of 22 opponents to date. Colorado State is 9-3 in games the Rams have outrebounded the opposition. The Rams outrebounded Air Force by 10, 33-23, in last Monday?s game.
Plus 80: Colorado State is 28-2 all-time under Dale Layer in games the Rams score 80 or more points in a game.
Opponent?s 80: The Rams are 7-5 in 2004 when holding a foe to fewer than 80 points.
On The Road: Colorado State has matched the team?s road win total of a season ago. The road breakdown during Dale Layer?s 4 seasons:
Season Overall Road
2004 11-12 3-7
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 1,112
Close Calls: In games decided by 10 points or less this season, the Rams are 7-6. Colorado State is 3-0 in games decided by five points or less.
Rebound Margins: Colorado State is 4-2 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
Feb. 9 at Air Force (L) 233-23 +10
Foes Under 40: Colorado State is 8-1 when holding an opponent to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor.
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
Jan. 26 UNLV (W) 28-77 .364
Feb. 9 at Air Force (L) 15-41 .366
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
