Colorado State University Athletics
CSU vs. New Mexico Postgame Notes and Quotes
2/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2007
TEAM NOTES
- CSU's 22 points in the first half marked the lowest first-half scoring output since scoring 21 vs. BYU on Feb. 14, 2005.
- New Mexico's 36-34 rebounding edge marks only the second time (Kansas State) that CSU has been outrebounded this season.
- New Mexico's 18 offensive rebounds ties for the most by a Ram opponent this season (Kansas State).
- CSU is now 6-2 on Saturday's this year. Their only other Saturday loss was to San Diego State.
- CSU's 14-7 record matches the Rams' ninth-best start after 21 games in school history.
- CSU is 7-2 this season when holding an opponent to under 40 percent shooting. Their only other loss was to Rice.
- CSU is now 10-2 when leading at the first media timeout this year. CSU's only other loss was to UNLV.
- CSU broke a string of 12-straight wins when committing fewer fouls than its opponent.
- CSU's 90 percent free throw percentage is a season high.
- CSU's four steals is a season low.
PLAYER NOTES
- Jason Smith scored 16 points, all in the second half.
- Tim Denson recorded no assists for the first time this season.
CSU QUOTES
Coach Dale Layer
"One of our staples has been rebounding, but it let us down tonight. Their offensive rebounding was terrific."
"Aaron Johnson really dominated the game with his rebounding. We just did not put a body on Aaron Johnson. We knew that going in. They just broke our backs with extra possessions. You cannot keep giving them shot after shot after shot."
"They hit some huge shots. Whenever they needed a big `three', Toppert or Danridge got one."
"They are a lot better team than we saw the the Pit."
"I thought we played hard but you have to be able to rebound in your own gym. I thought we were ready to play. We had intensity, but we were a bit impatient early. This (CSU) is a good team. We're playing pretty well, just not quite as well. We have to keep doing what we're dong and try to get better."
"They made bigger shots than we did. They hit some tough shots.
On Jason Smith's foul trouble
"It hurts our team. Obviously we're a better team with him in the game. If he plays 25 or 28 minutes it's probably a different game."
CSU Forward Jason Smith
"They took the fight to us, which is never good. And we lost."
"No matter what the call is, its not going to change. You just have to
"We need to get our focus back. We are struggling, but all teams struggle. We need to come back from this and I know we will come back."
"We just have to string together good practices, that's all we can do. Just keep on working hard. All we can do is do our best."
"They ran the shot-clock down the whole way and took the contested shot. That's all we can do is contest the shot, but they just seemed to make them."
"They were trying to make us win the game by shooting free throws. I thought we shot really well on the free throw line, but in the end we did not get the stops on the defensive end."
CSU Guard Tim Denson
"That was something I was worried about at first, but I stayed low and in stance. I was able to guard him."
"In the first half I just saw gaps, so I tried to penetrate."
"Time is running out, we have to make a drastic change. That's all we have to do, is come focused every practice and come out and get a win against Utah. We can't afford another."
New Mexico Coach Ritchie McKay
"I thought we had Smith right where we wanted him, with four fouls.
"Our team is no longer JR centered, we don't go where JR goes. JR is a good player and as his health improves to 100 percent he has a chance to be really good."
"The UNLV game first kick started us and now we have a week to prepare against Air Force."
"People kind of gave up on us early but we still have a lot of season."
#32 Tony Dandridge
On how does it feel to be able to win at Moby Arena "Feels pretty good, last year we came and broke our streak here."
"[We] just kept the focus on defending, not worrying about the shots - they're going to fall sometime on the game.
On success
"Coach called the right plays "You have to just fight and try to defend and execute the game plan."
#33 Chad Toppert
On key shot
"Right spot, right time, I kind of struggled early and I was hearing it from the crowd, I just wanted to come through."
"Guard play was huge tonight, the two guys inside are big and we had to rely on one on one match ups and shooting."
"Big win tonight, all the guys seem to be having fun playing together and we're looking forward for the games to come.
On transition from early season to now
"Nobody was talking, nobody was executing; now everyone is coming out and executing, I hope our [fans] back home will start supporting us even more now."