Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
5-1
Alcorn State
2-3
Recap: Rams Handle Alcorn State, 80-58
11/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FORT COLLINS, Colo.- The Colorado State men's basketball team completed a three-game homestand with possibly its most complete game of the year, an 80-58 victory over Alcorn State, Nov. 27. With their seventh-consecutive home victory, the Rams improved to 5-1 on the young season, including 5-0 at Moby Arena, while the Braves dropped to 2-3 on the year.
This was the first time this season that CSU grabbed the early lead and never led the visitors get ahead, scoring the first four points of the game. The Rams built an 11-point halftime advantage and used good defense and an impressive rebounding presence to keep the Braves off the scoreboard, building the final margin to as many as 24 late.
The Rams shot a season-best 56.0 percent (28-of-50) on field goal attempts, including a season-best six 3-pointers. Colorado State controlled the glass on both ends, finishing with a 47-25 lead, including 36 defensive rebounds. Alcorn State was held to just 29.3 percent (17-of-58) on field goal attempts.
The Rams were led by redshirt-sophomore J.D. Paige, who tallied career-bests of 23 points and six assists on the afternoon. Senior Emmanuel Omogbo had his third straight double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Redshirt-freshman Anthony Bonner recorded a season-best nine points on the day, while redshirt-freshman Nico Carvacho had six points and six rebounds. For Alcorn State, Denzel Dulin was the high scorer with 20 points.
IN THEIR WORDS:
Colorado State head coach Larry Eustachy
(on his team right now)
"It's been a long week and today caught up with us, especially early on. The whole game we seemed to be kind of a step slow. What this team really needs is to practice, as the only practice we have done is to go on the court to prepare for other teams (because of scheduling necessities). I think this team has only scratched the surface of who we can be."
(on winning the game)
"The stats say that this was our best offensive game and defensive game, but we played much defensive game at Stanford. With what I just said (about the long week), statistically we played really well. We had breakdowns where rotations were behind. Under the circumstances, it was a great team effort."
Senior forward Emmanuel Omogbo
(on how the team feels going forward)
"The younger guys are stepping up. J.D. (Paige) had 23 points tonight, and like coach tells us, it is not going to happen on the offensive end. We are going to win games holding teams to shooting under 30 percent every night."
(on the offense forming around the hot hand)
"We just kept going to J.D. (Paige). He had a career night, why not go to him. He has got the hot hand."
(on his approach while rebounding)
"My approach is different, because this year is my thank you season for everybody. I am going to go out there and give my all and rebound for everybody, for the CSU Rams."
Redshirt-sophomore J.D Paige
(on career high performance)
"My teammates were finding me and the shots just came."
(on the offenses rhythm during the contest)
"Our approach every game is to get your teammate a shot. We move the ball, we cut hard and everything opens up. We just look for our teammates and the points come."
(on having a bigger starting lineup)
"Big lineups help. It spaces the floor more, it allows guys to step out and shoot. It gives us more driving lanes and cutting lanes. It is a good thing, as on the defensive end we are longer and lankier, making it harder for other teams to shoot and we can rebound."
STAT OF THE GAME:
• CSU did not give the visitors much chance to get rebounds to keep it closer. Of the 47 potential rebounds on Alcorn State shots, the Rams grabbed 36 of them (76.6 percent).
NOTES:
• CSU head coach Larry Eustachy is now at 494 wins in his 26th season as a college head coach.
• The Rams' 44 points in the first half was a season high.
• The CSU defense held the Braves to just 29.3 percent from the field, the fifth time in six games that an opponent shot below 40 percent on field goals.
• All nine Rams played at least 14 minutes, with all but one less than 30 minutes.
• CSU used its third new starting lineup this season, as it was the first time that Kimani Jackson and Nico Carvacho started together.
NEXT UP:
• Colorado State will head on the road for a rivalry game, traveling to Boulder to take on Colorado on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.
• The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network. It will also air across the Colorado State Sports Network, including flagship KARS 102.9 FM, with Brian Roth on the play-by-play and Adam Nigon handling the analysis.
