Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
BYU
CSU Claims 90-78 Win Over BYU
1/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2007
FORT COLLINS - Colorado State used a 12-1 second half run to break open a close game and defeat visiting BYU, 90-78, handing Rams' coach Dale Layer his 100th career win in Fort Collins.
With the score tied at 55 and 12 minutes, 31 seconds to play, four different Rams scored over the next two minutes as CSU opened a 67-56 lead. BYU would come no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
"Our team is playing well," said Layer. The Rams have won 13th of the past 15 games, four of the past five and two in a row.
"We're continuing to get better. That's been the mark of our team."
Tyler Smith started CSU's game-changing run with a layup, and Jason Smith followed with a dunk sandwiched around a free throw by BYU's Trent Plaisted to put CSU up, 59-56. CSU's Tim Denson hit a three-pointer, Tyler Smith hit another runner, and Cory Lewis' three-pointer capped the run.
"The guards stepped up with some threes," said Layer following the game. The Rams finished the game shooting 53 percent behind the arc, making 9-of-17, and made 13-of-18 free throws, 72 percent.
Denson, a junior, matched his career best by leading the Rams with 18 points while Stephan Gilling, his backcourt mate, added 16. Denson made all three of his three-point tries, while Gilling made 4-of-8 behind the line. Lewis finished the game with nine points, and a game-most even assists.
Layer also credited a raucous Moby Arena crowd of 5,760 fans in the victory.
"I thought the energy in Moby was tremendous. Fan support was certainly the best of the year. The students were awesome. It's an electric atmosphere when you are playing well."
The Rams finished the game by shooting 57 percent from the field, including 69 percent the second half. Part of the success offensively, Layer said, was better post play and the guards' success outside.
"We got better touches down low by Jason (Smith) and Stu (Creason)," Layer said. "We were attacking the rim in the second half better."
Smith, CSU's 7-foot All-American candidate, finished with 16 points and six rebounds, while Creason had eight points and a game-best eight rebounds. Both were saddled with early foul trouble which helped BYU to a 39-37 halftime deficit.
Tyler Smith was the fourth Ram in double figures, finishing with 13 points.
Just more than four minutes into the second half, BYU ran its lead to six - it's largest of the game - but Colorado State would soon rally behind the 12-1 run and take control of the game.
Plaisted led all scorers with 27 points, and teammate Jimmy Balderson finished with 21 while Young added 18. The Cougars shot 55 percent from the field and 54 percent behind the line, but made only 9-of-17 free throws, 53 percent.
With the win, the Rams are now 14-4 overall, 4-2 in Mountain West Conference play and in sole possession of second place. BYU drops to 13-6, 3-2.
Layer's 100th win puts him in elite company. He joins former coaches Jim Williams (352) and Stew Morrill as the only coaches in school history with at least 100 career victories while leading the Rams.
Plus, the Rams have not been 14-4 on the season since the 1997-98 season, when the Rams finished 20-9 and played in the NIT. CSU's 4-2 league mark is the best by a Rams' team since the 2000-01 season - Layer's first at the helm - through six games.
There were plenty of other superlatives for the Rams Saturday. The 90 points marked CSU's seventh most in an MWC contest since the league formed in 1999-2000. It also marked the first time since 1999-2000 that the margin of victory in double digits.
Colorado State has little time to savor the win. The Rams are back in action Wednesday night at Wyoming in a Border War matchup. Game time is 7 p.m.
