Rams Look to Extend Win Streak to Nine at Chattanooga

Dec. 30, 2006

GAME NO. 12
COLORADO STATE (9-2/0-0) at
CHATTANOOGA (7-6/0-2)
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006 | Chattanooga, Tenn. | The McKenzie Arena (11,218) | 8:00 p.m. ET /j 6:00 p.m. MT

THE MATCHUP Colorado State will meet up with host school Chattanooga in the championship game of the 2006 Dr. Pepper Classic Saturday evening in The McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Rams rallied for a 61-56 victory over Alabama State in the first round of the tournament Friday and were led by 22 points and 10 rebounds from junior center Stuart Creason. CSU will be in search of its third nine-game winning streak in school history with a win on Saturday. The Rams currently hold wins in their last eight contests tying the third-longest winning streak in school history.

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA
The Chattanooga Mocs will bring a 7-6 overall record into Saturday's contest against the Rams. UTC has posted wins in three of its past four games and holds a 5-1 record at home this season with their lone home loss coming to Davidson on Dec. 18. Senior guard Keddric Mays leads the team with 15.7 points per game while sophomore forward Nicchaeus Doaks goes for 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

SINCE 1902
Colorado State is in the school's 103rd season of intercollegiate competition in 2006-07. CSU has a cumulative record of 1,050-1,071 in 2,121 previous games dating back to 1902.

NON-CONFERENCE STREAK
Colorado State holds a 46-4 overall record against non-conference foes in Moby Arena under Dale Layer. The Rams have won 22-straight games over non-conference opponents at home dating back to a 84-78 loss to Colorado in 2003.

ALL-TIME MOBY RECORD
Colorado State holds an all-time record of 421-165 (.718) in Moby Arena.

MOBY UNDER LAYER
Colorado State holds a 65-28 overall record in home games during Dale Layer's six seasons.
Season Games Record
2006-07 6 6-0
2005-06 15 9-6
2004-05 15 11-4
2003-04 12 8-4
2002-03 18 14-4
2001-02 14 7-7
2000-01 13 10-3
Totals 93 65-28 (.699)

THE RAMS IN DECEMBER
Colorado State holds a 33-15 regular season record in the month of December under head coach Dale Layer. CSU was 6-2 in the 12th month in the 2005-06 season and is 5-0 this month.

ON SATURDAYS
The Rams hold a 37-43 record in Saturday games during the Dale Layer era. CSU is 3-0 in Saturday games so far this season with wins over Montana State Northern, Kansas State and Colorado.

AGAINST THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
The Rams are 0-1 all-time against teams from the Southern Conference. CSU's only game was a 58-55 loss at Chattanooga in the 1985-86 season.

NOTING THE ALABAMA STATE GAME
- Stuart Creason had his third career double-double (first in 2006-07) matching his career-high with 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds
- CSU extended its winning streak to eight games matching the third-longest winning streak in school history
- CSU's 61 points matches their season low point total (Rice)
- CSU tied its season low in field goals attempted (47), three-pointers made (2) and three-point percentage (.143).
- ASU's 52.4 percent performance from the free throw line was the worst by a Ram opponent this year
- Guards Tim Denson (5) and Tyler Smith (7) each posted career highs in rebounds

PRESEASON PICK
Colorado State junior forward Jason Smith was tabbed as one of five players on the preseason all-Mountain West Conference team. Smith was CSU's leader in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots a year ago.

PRESEASON PLAYBOY ALL-AMERICAN
Junior forward Jason Smith was named 2006-07 preseason Playboy All-American team. He was one of 10 players selected to the team. Others listed include: Morris Almond (Rice), Taurean Green (Florida), Ronald Steele (Alabama), Alando Tucker (Wisconsin), Glen Davis (LSU), Nick Fazekas (Nevada), Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Joakim Noah (Florida) and Greg Oden (Ohio State).

WOODEN WATCH LIST
Colorado State forward Jason Smith was named as one of 50 preseason candidates for the Men's 2006-07 Wooden Award All-American Team. The list is composed of 50 student athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most coveted trophy. These top 50 candidates are comprised of returning players, although transfers, freshmen, medical redshirts and other players who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for both the Midseason Top 30 list and the National Ballot. Players not on the preseason list are eligible for the midseason Top 30 and ballot.

SINCE 2002...
As a team, Colorado State has blocked at least one shot in every game since its Jan. 28, 2002 matchup with New Mexico, a span that encompasses 110-straight contests.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following Saturday's final round of the Dr. Pepper Classic, the Rams will enter Mountain West Conference play by hosting nationally-ranked Air Force in Moby Arena on Wednesday.

PLAYER TIDBITS & TRENDS
#4 Cory Lewis
 Lewis has had an assist in 40 of 41 games in his career including 35 multi-assist games.
 Lewis has recorded an assist in 39 straight games.
 Has led CSU in assists 32 times in his career.
 Has played 30 or more minutes in 26 of 41 career games at CSU.
 Has had 36 rebounds in his last seven games.

#5 Tyler Smith
 Has been in double figures scoring in seven of 11 games with CSU.
 Has hit a three-pointer in nine consecutive games.
 Has played 30 or more minutes in eight of 11 games this year.

#12 Tim Denson
 Denson has recorded an assist in all 11 games this year.
 Has multiple rebounds in eight straight games after getting no rebounds in his first three contests.
 Has played 30 or more minutes in five straight games.

#13 Freddy Robinson
 Robinson has scored in 19 straight games.
 Recorded his 200th career rebound against Boise State.

#14 Jason Smith
 Scored in double figures in 50 of 68 games in his collegiate career.
 Has had four or more rebounds in 29 straight games.
 Has had six or more rebounds in 19 of his last 24 games.
 Has had an assist in 29 of his last 32 games.
 Has started in 42 consecutive games.

#30 Stuart Creason
 Creason has posted four or more rebounds in each game this season.
 Has 19 blocks in his last eight games.
 Has two or more blocks in eight straight games.
 Has scored in double figures in four of his last five games.
 Has 44 points in his last two games.

#33 Stephan Gilling
 Has hit a three-pointer in 34 of 42 games and has had multiple three-pointers in 22 games.
 Currently ranks 8th in all-time 3-point field goal percentage (.410) at CSU.

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 70
Over the past three seasons, Colorado State is 6-19 when scoring less than 70 points in a game. In contrast the Rams are 30-14 when hitting 70 and 16-5 when reaching the 80-point plateau.

TELEVISION STARS
Colorado State will play on television more times this season than they ever have in the history of the program. Fans will be able to catch the Rams at least 19 times on television this season. CSU will play on the mtn. 15 times and on CSTV and Fox Sports Net twice.

GREAT STARTS
CSU's 9-2 start matches the third-best start in school history after 11 games. Only twice has CSU started better with 10-1 starts in 1953-54 and 1997-98.

LONGEST STREAKS
Colorado State is currently riding the third-longest winning streak in school history with wins in each of its last eight games. CSU's longest ever winning streak was 11 games back in 1988-89 topping the 1997-98 streak of 10 games. CSU has been on six eight-game winning streaks, the most recent coming in the 1999-00 season.

FOES UNDER 40
Colorado State is 5-1 when holding an opponent to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor including the following games:
Date Game FG-A Pct.
Nov. 15 Rice 17-49 .347
Nov. 18 Montana State Northern 21-54 .389
Nov. 20 Boise State 19-52 .365
Dec. 6 Northern Colorado 20-53 .377
Dec. 9 Colorado 21-60 .350
Dec. 29 Alabama State 20-54 .370

RAMS PLUS 50
Colorado State is 5-0 when shooting better than 50 percent from the floor this year including:

Date Game FG-A Pct.
Nov. 18 Montana State Northern 32-58 .552
Nov. 29 Denver 29-55 .527
Dec. 2 Kansas State 27-51 .529
Dec. 18 North Dakota State 26-52 .500
Dec. 29 Alabama State 25-47 .532

CONSECUTIVE FREE THROWS
Following is a list of consecutive free throws made by current Colorado State players along with their all-time longest streak at CSU:

Player Current All-Time
Cory Lewis 7 20
Jason Smith 2 19
Stuart Creason 0 11
Freddy Robinson 1 11
Tim Denson 0 9
Stephan Gilling 0 6
Alton Robinson 1 5
Tyler Smith 2 5
Xavier Kilby 0 3
Jarrel Smith 0 1

RAMS SELECTED TO PLAY IN TOP OF THE WORLD CLASSIC IN 2007
The field for the 2007 BP Top of the World Classic was announced during halftime of the championship game between Weber State and Utah State. The 12th Top of the World field will include teams from the PAC-10 and Mountain West Conferences among others. Tournament host the University of Alaska Fairbanks will again be joined by seven NCAA Division I teams in the Golden Heart City. The field will include the University of Akron, Colorado State University, Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis, Oregon State University and Portland State University. The 2007 BP TOWC will take place Nov. 15-18, 2007 at the Carlson Center.

CSU BASKETBALL ADDS THREE
Colorado State head coach Dale Layer today announced that three players have signed National Letters of Intent to play basketball at Colorado State.

Jesse Woodard (6-1, 190, Guard, Compton, Calif./Centennial HS) Jesse
Woodard was ranked as a top 30 player in the nation and was a top five West Coast point guard at Centennial High School in Compton, Calif. He averaged 10 points, four rebounds and seven assists for Centennial HS and helped his team reach the sectional finals as a junior. He competed for the Compton Magic AAU team and was a three-time all-star at the renowned Adidas All-Star camps. Woodard chose CSU over Iowa State, Virginia Tech, Utah and UNLV.

Shane Edwards (6-7, 190, Forward, Gilbert, Ariz./Northeastern JC) Shane
Edwards averaged eight points and five rebounds in his freshman season at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo. Currently, Edwards is averaging better than 20 points, 10 rebounds per game for the Plainsmen after helping the team to a 30-4 overall record and a top 20 ranking in 2005-06. The athletic 6-7 forward was widely regarded as one of the best high school athletes to come out of the State of Arizona, sporting a wing span of 7-feet, one-inch. Edwards played at Mountain Pointe High School before coming to NJC.

Omar Leary (5-10, 170, Guard, Portland, Ore./Northeastern JC)
Leary, a 5-10, 170 point guard, averaged 10 points, four assists and two steals per game for Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo., as a freshman in 2005-06. The Portland, Ore., native was regarded as one of the top 10 players to come out of Oregon as an all-city and all-state selection for Lincoln High School in Portland. He is regarded as one of the best point guards in the western U.S. coming out of NJC after helping the Plainsmen to a 30-4 record as the team's starting point guard in 2005-06.

THE GREEN MACHINE
Following a vote by the student body at Colorado State, the CSU student section will be referred to as "The Green Machine" in all 2006-07 home basketball contests.

CSU BASKETBALL TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets to all home games are available by calling 1-800-491-RAMS or online at CSURAMS.com, or at any King Soopers or City Market grocery store location throughout the state of Colorado.

LIVE STATS
Live statistics for all Colorado State home games may be obtained by going to CSURams.com and going to the men's basketball schedule/results page. Live statistics are tracked through College Sports Online's Gametracker.

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