Rocky Mountain Showdown Hoops Style: Rams Host CU Dec. 2

2017-18 Colorado State Men's Basketball
Game #8 - Colorado State (3-4) vs. Colorado (6-0)
December 2, 2017 • 11 a.m. MT • Moby Arena (8,745) - Fort Collins, Colo.

Video: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain -- Play-by-Play: Drew Goodman / Color Analyst: Marty Fletcher (DirectTV: 683, 683-1 (HD), 684 & 684-1 (HD); Dish Network: 414 (HD); Comcast Digital: 26, 665 (HD))
Colorado State Sports Network -- Play-by-Play: Brian Roth / Color Analyst: Adam Nigon
Flagship: KARS 102.9 FM (Fort Collins); Affiliates: KDCO 104.7 FM (Denver), KMTS 99.1 FM (Glenwood Springs), KJME 890 AM (Colorado Springs), KKVT 100.7 FM (Grand Junction), KRFD 100.1 FM (Sterling)

Opening Tip
•   Colorado State returns to the friendly confines of Moby Arena for the 2017-18 men's hoops version of the Rocky Mountain Showdown, hosting Colorado on Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. MT.
•   The contest between the Rams and Buffaloes will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, with Drew Goodman on the play-by-play and Marty Fletcher handling analysis.
•   Live audio is available on the Colorado State Sports Network, including KARS 102.9 FM (flagship). Brian Roth is on the play-by-play for the Rams, with Adam Nigon handling the analysis.
•   The game will also have live audio on CSURams.com in partnership with SIDEARM Sports and live stats on CSURams.com.

Rams Quick Hits
•   The 2017-18 season marks the 116th in the history of the Colorado State men's basketball program. The Rams are 1,243-1,235 (.502) in 2,478 games all-time.
•   Colorado State is under the direction of coaching veteran Larry Eustachy, who is starting his sixth season as the leader of the Rams' program and his 27th as a Division I head coach in 2017-18. Last season, Eustachy reached the 500-win plateau in his coaching career and the 100-victory mark at CSU along with being named the Mountain West Coach of the Year.
•   Colorado State basketball is looking for its eighth invitation for postseason play in the last nine years, advancing to the second round of the 2017 National Invitation Tournament.
•   CSU lost two of last year's five starters, including Mountain West Player of the Year Gian Clavell and First Team All-MW forward Emmanuel Omogbo, who set a new record for double-doubles in league play in 2016-17.
•   Overall, the Rams return three players with significant starting experience in redshirt-junior J.D. Paige, junior Prentiss Nixon and redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho. Nixon, an honorable mention All-MW pick by the media last year, averaged 13.2 points per game, while Paige was at 8.8 points and a team-best 2.5 assists per game. Carvacho posted 5.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, ranking third on the team in boards.
•   For broadcasting quick hits, current averages and career highs on individual players, go to the back page of the notes for a Radio/TV chart that includes that information.

The Coaches
•   Colorado State Head Coach Larry Eustachy (Long Beach State, '79) is in his sixth season at the helm of the Rams and holds a 114-64 (.640) record at CSU and 516-322 (.616) overall coaching record in his 27th season. In 2016-17, CSU posted an 24-12 mark, including 13-4 in Mountain West play, advanced to the MW Championship game and played in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.
•   Colorado Head Coach Tad Boyle (Kansas, '85) is in his eighth season as leader of the Buffaloes with a 155-95 record and 12th season as a head coach overall, with a 211-161 record.

Scouting Colorado
•   The Buffaloes are 6-0 after getting an 81-69 home win over Air Force, Nov. 26.
•   Picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12, Colorado returns two starters and six letterwinners from last year's team that finished seventh in the league and played in last year's National Invitation Tournament. The Buffs are led by senior George King, who is the leading returning scorer and rebounder from last year's team and was the 2015-16 Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year.
•   This season, King is again the leader, averaging 16.0 points and 8.8 rebounds a game while shooting team bests of 60.0 percent on field goal attempts and 45.5 percent on three-pointers. Newcomer McKinley Wright leads CU in minutes (30.8 mpg), assists (25), blocks (6) and steals (7).

A Win Over Colorado Will...
•   Improve the Rams' home winning streak to four games and regular-season home win streak to seven.
•   Give CSU its first home victory over CU since 2011-12 and the 28th home win in the series.
•   Give Larry Eustachy his 115th win in his sixth season at CSU and the 517th of his 27-year career.
•   Be the Rams' 38th win in series history against Colorado and 15th against current Pac-12 teams overall

All-Time Series Against the Buffs
•    The Rams and Buffaloes have met 126 times previously, with CU holding an 89-37 margin. CSU's best mark comes at home, as the Rams have won 27 of the 63 meetings in Fort Collins, dating back to the first contest in 1906.
•    The two teams have evenly split the last 12 meetings in the series, but the last four have been won by the road team.
•    Head Coach Larry Eustachy is 8-8 all-time against Colorado (5-2 on home courts), with the majority of games dating back to his time at Iowa State. At CSU, he is 2-3 against Colorado, but 0-2 in Moby Arena.

History with the Pac-12
•   Colorado State has played teams currently in the Pac-12 Conference 369 times, going 122-247 overall, including 77-89 at home.
•   Head Coach Larry Eustachy is just 13-17 all-time against current Pac-12 teams, including 7-4 on home courts.
CSU vs. Pac-12 Conference
School   Overall   H   A   N
Arizona   11-14   8-3   2-11   -
Arizona State   7-15   7-3   0-12   -
California   0-1   -   0-1   -
Colorado   37-89   27-36   9-53   1-0
Oregon   1-8   0-1   0-4   1-3
Oregon State   4-2   1-0   -   3-2
Southern Cal   2-6   0-3   2-3   -
Stanford   1-7   1-2   0-5   -
UCLA   3-4   1-0   1-4   0-1
Utah   46-99   28-40   17-54   1-5
Washington   2-1   1-0   1-1   -
Washington State   8-1   3-1   4-0   1-0
Totals   122-247   77-89   36-148   7-11

Eustachy vs. Pac-12 Conference
School   Overall   H   A   N
Arizona   0-1   0-0   0-0   0-1
Arizona State   1-0   0-0   1-0   0-0
California   1-1   0-0   1-1   0-0
Colorado   8-8   5-2   3-5   0-1
Oregon   0-1   0-0   0-1   0-0
UCLA   1-0   0-0   0-0   1-0
Utah   0-5   0-2   0-3   0-0
Washington    1-0   0-0   1-0   0-0
Washington State   2-1   2-0   0-1   0-0
Totals   14-17   7-4   6-11   1-2

Eustachy Among the Elite
•   CSU head coach Larry Eustachy has ranked among the best coaches in his sport for nearly two and a half decades. Now in his 27th season as a mentor at the NCAA Division I level, he got his 500th career win against Air Force in conference play last year.
•   His 516 wins ranks 15th among active NCAA Division I coaches (same standard) and is tied for No. 56 all-time (list below)
Current Rankings of Division I Wins for Head Coaches
54.   Pete Carril (Lehigh, Princeton)   525
55.   Rick Majerus (four schools)   517
56.   John Chaney (Temple)   516
   Larry Eustachy (current CSU)   516
58.   Jay Wright (current Villanova)   515
59.   John Beilein (current Michigan)   514
60.   Don DeVoe (five schools)   512
61.   Nolan Richardson (Tulsa, Arkansas)   509
   Mark Few (current Gonzaga)   509
63.   Hec Edmundson (Idaho, Washington)   508
64.   Harold Anderson (Toledo, Bowling Green)   504
65.   Billy Donovan (Marshall, Florida)   502

• In his first season as the top man of the Rams' program, Eustachy became the only head coach in NCAA Division I history to lead five different programs - CSU, Southern Miss, Iowa State, Utah State and Idaho - to 24 or more wins in a season.
•   With a career record of 516-322 (.616), Eustachy ranks as one of just 75 head coaches (out of 351 Division I programs) to have a .600 or better win percentage with a minimum of five years experience. He is one of just 32 coaches in the ranking with at least 20 years of Division I experience.

Moving Up the CSU Coaching Ranks
•   CSU head coach Larry Eustachy continues to move up the record chart for the Rams in victories.
•   Already starting the season with the highest winning percentage among coaches with at least four years at the school, Eustachy reached the 100-win plateau at CSU faster than any other coach in school history and passed Dale Layer (103, 2001-07) for third during the 2016-17 campaign.
•   Three of his teams have the three-highest single-season win totals in program history with 27 (2014-15), 26 (2012-13) and adding 24 victories last season.
Rk   Name   Yrs   Gms   Won   Lost   Pct.
1.   Jim Williams (1955-80)   26   645   352   293   .546
2.   Stew Morrill (1992-98)   7   207   121   86   .585
3.   Larry Eustachy (2012-17)   6   178   114   64   .640
4.   Dale Layer (2001-07)   7   209   103   106   .493
5.   Boyd Grant (1988-91)   4   127   81   46   .638

Eustachy Versus Non-Conference Opponent Leagues
Conference   Record
American Athletic Conference   46-48
Atlantic Coast Conference   1-7
Big Sky Conference   49-15
Big South Conference   4-0
Big West Conference   30-15
Missouri Valley Conference    11-13
Pac-12 Conference    14-18
Southeastern Conference   17-16
Southland Conference    18-5
Sun Belt Conference    12-4
Western Athletic Conference    19-6
Division II/Other    63-2
Totals           284-149

Eustachy vs. This Year's Non-Conference Opponents
       Overall   Home   Road   Neutral
Arkansas   1-1   0-0   0-1   1-0
Arkansas-Fort Smith   3-0   3-0   0-0   0-0
Colorado   8-8   5-2   3-5   0-1
Florida State   0-2   0-0   0-1   0-1
Long Beach State   5-7   3-2   0-5   2-0
Missouri State   1-2   0-0   0-2   1-0
New Mexico St.   11-5   7-1   3-4   1-0
Northwestern State   1-0   1-0   0-0   0-0
Oregon   0-1   0-0   0-1   0-0
Sacramento State   4-0   2-0   2-0   0-0
Texas State       First Meeting
Tulane   11-6   5-2   4-3   2-1
Winthrop   1-0   1-0   0-0   0-0
Totals   46-31   27-7   12-21   7-3

CSU All-Time Vs. 2017-18 Opponents
       Overall   Home   Road   Neutral
Air Force   78-31   42-10   32-17   4-4
Arkansas       First Meeting
Arkansas-Fort Smith   3-0   3-0   -   -
Boise State   10-9   8-2   1-7   1-0
Colorado   37-89   27-36   9-53   1-0
Florida State   0-2   -   -   0-2
Fresno State   17-15   13-2   2-11   2-2
Long Beach State   2-2   1-1   1-1   -
Missouri State   1-1   -   0-1   1-0
Nevada   9-10   5-2   4-7   0-1
New Mexico   46-75   33-25   12-48   1-2
New Mexico State   5-2   4-0   1-2   -
Northwestern State   3-0   2-0   1-0   -
Oregon   1-8   0-1   0-4   1-3
Sacramento State   5-0   4-0   1-0   -
San Diego State   41-40   26-11   13-25   2-4
San Jose State   15-0   7-0   6-0   2-0
Texas State   1-0   1-0   -   -
Tulane   0-1   -   -   0-1
UNLV   16-37   11-14   5-22   0-1
Utah State   38-53   28-18   10-34   0-1
Winthrop   1-0   1-0   0-0   0-0
Wyoming   92-134   51-55   38-75   3-4
Totals   421-509   267-177   136-307   18-25

Long Road Trip Completed
•   The Rams came off a three-game, eight day road trip from Nov. 15-22 that not only took days but numerous miles of travel:
•   First Leg (Fort Collins to Montego Bay) - 70 miles on the road, 2,313 miles in the air
•   Second Leg (Montego Bay to Las Cruces) - 2,028 miles in the air, 52 miles on the road
•   Final Leg (Las Cruces to Fort Collins) - 574 miles in the air
•   Total Travel Miles: 5,037

Last Time Out...
•   Colorado State snapped a three-game losing skid with its third win in three home games, defeating Northwestern State, 72-60, Nov. 24.
•   Leading by four at halftime, CSU slowly pulled away in the second half of the contest, taking a double-digit lead with less than five minutes gone and never letting the margin below that threshold. During that final stanza, CSU shot 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from the floor and limited NSU to just 31.0 percent (9-of-29) while converting six Demon turnovers into 11 points.
•   Colorado State got off to a solid offensive start, scoring the first seven points of the game in less than two minutes. NSU came back quickly and eventually took a 15-11 lead at the under-12 timeout. CSU then scored the next 10 points to go up six at 21-15. NSU again rallied to tie the game at 23, but the Rams finished the half outscoring the visitors 13-9 to take a 36-32 lead into the halftime break.
•   The Rams finished the game at 44.8 percent (26-of-58) from the floor, but just 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from the three-point line. Northwestern State was limited to 37.5 percent (21-of-56) on field goal attempts and 28.0 percent (7-of-25) on three-pointers. CSU won the battle of the boards 41-30, including 14 offensive rebounds.
•   Redshirt-junior guard J.D. Paige led all scorers with 19 points, while redshirt-sophomore Raquan Mitchell added 16 points off the bench. Senior Che Bob posted a double-double of 13 points and a career-best of 12 rebounds and added career highs of five assists and four steals. Junior Deion James was the other Ram in double figures with 10 points and six boards.
(See page 18 for complete box score)

Last Year's Meeting in Boulder
•   The Colorado State Rams picked up their fourth consecutive win to improve to 6-1 on the season with a 72-58 victory over the in-state rival Colorado Buffaloes, Nov. 30. Colorado entered the game with a 5-1 record and was receiving votes in both the Associated Press Top 25 rankings and USA Today Coaches' Poll. The win gave the Rams their second win in as many games at the Coors Events Center and marks the first time they won two in a row in Boulder since three straight in 1950, 1951 and 1953.
•   Redshirt-sophomore guard J.D. Paige opened up the scoring with a three on the Rams' first offensive possession, but Colorado State found themselves trailing by six with 8:00 left in the first half, its largest deficit of the game. A three-pointer from senior forward Emmanuel Omogbo with just under three minutes to play in the opening period gave the Rams a lead they would never relinquish. The Buffs would cut the lead to one possession with 10:54 remaining in the game, but CSU scored the next four points and maintained at least a four-point edge the rest of the way.
•   Omogbo led the Rams with 16 points, but it was a stellar performance by freshman center Nico Carvacho that most stood out in Wednesday night's victory. Carvacho season bests of 14 points and nine rebounds along with two assists and a steal. Junior Devocio Butler also turned in his best performance of the season, recording a season-high 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 34 minutes off the bench.
•   CSU's defense was again stalwart, limiting CU to just 23.5 percent (8-of-34) from the field in the second half and 32.2 percent (19-of-59) in the game overall. The visitors also got the offense going in the second half, shooting 50.0 percent (11-of-22), including 3-of-6 from the three-point arc. The Rams battled through foul trouble all night, as a season-high 27 fouls were called on the Rams.
(See page 19 for complete box score)

Last Time in Fort Collins vs. CU
•   The Colorado State men's basketball team could not hold on to its halftime lead and dropped an 88-77 decision to visiting Colorado, Dec. 6, 2015, CSU's third straight loss after opening the season 5-0.
•   CSU built its 52-39 halftime advantage late in the period through a combination of quality defense and threes, as the Rams were 7-of-10 from the arc in the opening period. However, CU went on a 15-1 run to open the second half and take the lead at 54-53 with less than four minutes gone in the second half.
•   The teams battled and were tied at 68 with 9:30 to go before both teams went cold from the field for the next four minutes. CU found the basket first on a layup by Josh Scott and the visitors never trailed again. CSU hit just 2 of its last 16 shots from the field, as the Rams were unable to draw foul calls inside.
•   CSU finished the game at just 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the field, including just 21.9 percent (7-of-32) in the second half. The Buffs were 47.0 percent (31-of-66) from the floor and won the battle of the boards, 42-36, which resulted in a plus-7 second-chance points.
•   Senior guard Gian Clavell finished with 18 points, but was limited to just five in the second half, while junior guard John Gillon ended with 16, all in the first half. Senior guards Antwan Scott and Joe De Ciman chipped in 17 and 13 points, respectively.
(See page 20 for complete box score)

Returning/Lost...By the Numbers
•   The Rams added several key newcomers for 2017-18 as Colorado State looked to fill some gaps from last year's production on the floor.
•   Here is a quick look at what the Rams returned in major statistical categories:
   Category   Total (R/L)   % Returning
   > Scoring   2611 (1255 / 1356)   48.1%
   > Rebounding   1293 (518 / 775)   40.1%
   > Assists   397 (235 / 162)   59.2%
   > Blocks   123 (62 / 61)   50.4%
   > Steals   218 (98 / 120)   45.0%
   > Minutes   7200 (3941 / 3259)   54.7%

Moby Arena Homecourt Advantage
•   CSU has a record of 541-217 (.714) record all-time at Moby Arena.
•   The Rams are 75-19 (.798) under Larry Eustachy in games played at Moby Arena.
•   CSU completed the 2016-17 regular-season home slate at 14-5 (7-2 in Mountain West), giving the program a winning home record for the eighth straight season, including all five under head coach Larry Eustachy.
•   Colorado State finished the 2015-16 regular season 12-5 at Moby Arena.
•    At 15-5 in 2016-17 at Moby Arena, it marked the fifth time in program history that CSU won at least 15 home games. Last season's 15 victories was the sixth season of 15-plus wins at the Rams' arena.
•   The Rams finished the 2014-15 regular-season one win shy (15-2) of the best home mark in program history (16-1 in 2012-13). CSU went 15-2 at Moby in 1987-88.

Roster Size... But Inexperienced
•   CSU has 11 players available for action during the 2017-18 season. Of those, eight were part of the program last season, with six having played, with two newcomers to the lineup.
•   Senior Che Bob and juniors J.D. Paige and Prentiss Nixon will be looked at to lead the squad. Redshirt-sophomores Nico Carvacho and Anthony Bonner also saw extensive action last year. Redshirt-sophomore Juan Sabino II came in at midseason and played limited minutes in 2016-17.
•   Redshirt-junior Robbie Berwick and redshirt-sophomore Lorenzo Jenkins will see their first playing time at Colorado State. Transfers junior Deion James and redshirt-sophomore Raquan Mitchell as well as freshman Logan Ryan join the program and are expected to contribute.
•   However, the Rams combine for just 7.5 seasons of NCAA Division I experience, four of those coming from juniors J.D. Paige and Prentiss Nixon.

Newcomers
•   Robbie Berwick and Lorenzo Jenkins saw their first action for the Rams against Sacramento State after sitting out last year due to NCAA D-I transfer rules. Transfers Raquan Mitchell and Deion James also saw their first playing time at Colorado State against the Hornets, while true freshman Logan Ryan got his first collegiate playing time in the home win over Winthrop.

It's TV Time For the Rams
•   All but one of Colorado State's home conference games will be available via network broadcasts, with 15 of 18 MW handled by major partners. Of the 21 games during the entire season being available on television channels this year, 10 are on CBS Sports Network, four on AT&T SportsNet (formerly ROOT Sports), six on the ESPN family of networks and one on the Pac-12 Network.
•   Both games of the Jamaica Classic played in Montego Bay will be on CBS Sports Network, as CSU takes on Tulane (Nov. 17) and Florida State (Nov. 19).
•   The Rams will first make a home national TV appearance on Saturday, Dec. 2, as the in-state rivalry game with Colorado will be televised on AT&T SportsNet at 11 a.m., the first part of a two-game doubleheader with the CSU women's team hosting BYU at 2 p.m.
•   CSU starts conference action on the road at Boise State Dec. 27, with the game televised on CBS Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. MT.
•   The selection of games by the Mountain West's television partners shifted two of the Rams' league games to Tuesday nights, including San Diego State (CBS Sports Network on Jan. 2) and at Air Force (AT&T Sportsnet on Feb. 6). Additionally, the game at New Mexico on Jan. 27 is an ESPN Netflex game, where the game will be televised on ESPNU or ESPN3.

Rebounding Emphasis Noted
•    Head coach Larry Eustachy makes rebounding one of his top priorities in all practices and games and it shows in his record, as CSU is 97-31 under the leader when winning the glass.
•   The Rams won the battle of the boards in 22 of their 36 games last season, going 19-3 in those contests.
•   Colorado State was +2.6 on the glass in its 36 games with at least one player with a double-figure rebounding total in 26 of 36 games.
•   Last season, CSU finished third in the Mountain West and at 38.2 rebounds per game as well as second in the MW a +2.7 rebounding margin.
•   This season, it is again a key for the Rams, as they have on the boards five times, including all three victories.

Quick Bits Under Eustachy
•   The Rams had a seven-game Mountain West winning streak during last season, the longest MW win streak in program history from Feb. 4-28 (7-0 in February).
•   CSU is 100-7 (40-3 MW) when leading with five minutes to play under head coach Larry Eustachy and 105-7 (45-4 MW) when leading with two minutes to go.
•   The 21-point loss at Fresno State, Jan. 18, 2017 was a rarity, as it was just the second time that a Eustachy-led CSU team lost to a MW foe by more than 15 points (16-2 in his five years in MW games decided by 16 points or more.
•   The Rams are 97-28 (40-14 MW) when shooting more free throws than their opponent and 100-25 (44-12 MW) when opponent commits more fouls overall.
•   When Colorado State forces more turnovers than it gives up, the good guys have posted a 68-19 overall record.
•   When the Rams shoot at least 45 percent from the floor, they are 65-6 (27-4 MW) in five years under Eustachy.

Nixon Does It All
•    Junior Prentiss Nixon became an integral part of the CSU lineup this past season.
•    The guard averaged 13.2 points per game in 2016-17 (13th in MW), scoring in double figures in 27 games, including a current streak of 10 straight.
•    In all MW contests, he averaged 13.3 points per game - 17th in regular-season league only.
•    He scored a career-high 30 points against Kansas State and surpassed his season high from last year six times.
•    In the Mountain West Tournament, Nixon averaged 14.7 points per game, earning All-Tournament honors.
•    Against Nevada in the MW championship, Nixon scored 23 points, including tying the school record for a MW Tournament game with six three-pointers.
•    This year, Nixon continued his double-figure scoring streak, moving it to 12 with a pair of 16-point performances before it was snapped against Tulane, Nov. 17. However, he started a new streak with 22 points, including five three-pointers, against Florida State, Nov. 19, followed by 15 at New Mexico State, Nov. 22. He missed the Northwestern State game with a concussion but returned to the lineup with 20 points at Missouri State, Nov. 28.
•    Nixon leads CSU in scoring at 15.8 points per game and has hit a team-best 16 three-pointers.
•    He also continues to do the job on the defensive end, as he has drawn 14 offensive fouls in his first six games along with grabbing 10 steals. Last year, he finished with 37 drawn fouls.

Bob Learning the Ropes
•   Junior Che (said CHAY not SHAY) Bob is figuring out ways to contribute to the Rams' effort in all phases.
•   Getting the start in six of seven games played this year, Bob is averaging 12.9 points per game (2nd for CSU) and a team-high 9.7 rebounds per contest.
•   Bob has four straight games with a double-double (five total in his CSU career), including his most recent outing of 13 points and 12 boards at Missouri State, Nov. 28.
•   He tied a career high with 21 points at New Mexico State, Nov. 24, including connecting on seven free throws and a pair of three pointers.

Paige Wheels & Deals
•    Redshirt-junior J.D. (or as Coach Eustachy calls him Jeremiah) Paige adjusted well to his new role within CSU's offense last year.
•   Paige led CSU assists (2.5 apg), was third in steals (0.9 spg) and blocked shots (0.7) and fourth in scoring (8.8 ppg).
•   The Denver, Colo., native had a solid outing against Alcorn State (11/23), recording career bests of 23 points and six assists in the home victory.
•   Paige tied his career high with 23 points, including a career-best five three-pointers in the win over Fresno State, Feb. 11, 2017.
•   This season, Paige picked up a season-high 19 points versus Northwestern State (11/24) is averaging an improved 10.7 points per game.

Guards Stepping Up Scoring
•   Redshirt-junior J.D. Paige and junior Prentiss Nixon both showed what another year of college basketball can do for confidence and skills.
•   In 2015-16, Paige averaged 4.9 points a game and shot just 33.8 percent from the field, while Nixon was 4.8 points and 38.9 percent from the floor.
•   Last season, the duo has increased their scoring averages by more than double combined, as Nixon finished at 13.2 points per game while Paige posted 8.8 points per contest.
•   So far in 2017-18, Nixon is leading the team at 15.8 points per game and Paige is tied for third at 10.7 per contest.

Carvacho Growing On the Floor
•   Redshirt-sophomore center Nico Carvacho is showing his increased comfort level on the floor for the Rams.
•   Carvacho had a breakout game at Colorado, Nov. 30, 2016, scoring 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbing 9 rebounds.
•   Against Northern Colorado Dec. 10, 2016, he posted his first collegiate double-double of 13 points (5-of-6 FG) and 11 boards.
•   In the win over Wyoming, Feb. 28, 2017, Carvacho posted his second double-double of his collegiate career with 10 points (3-3 FG) and 10 rebounds.
•   This season, Carvacho is second on the glass for CSU on the glass with 63 boards (26 offensive) in the first seven games.
•   He had his third career double-double with 11 points and a career-best 20 boards in the home win over Winthrop, Nov. 14.

Taking Charity
•   For the 2016-17 season, CSU was 73.1 percent from the charity line, ranking 34th nationally in free throws made and 33rd in free throws attempted.
•   The Rams also made 596 free throws while their opponents combined for just 663 total attempts.
•   In the win at Colorado Nov. 30, the Rams made their first 18 free throws in a row, a key reason that CSU won the road game.
•   For seven games, the Rams have shot 71.5 percent from the free throw line, better than the opponents 70.4 percent. However, CSU has gone to the line five fewer times total than its foes, something uncommon in the five-plus years under head coach Larry Eustachy.

Coaches Shows Back at Lucky Joe's
•   The Coors Light Basketball Coaches' Show is back again, hosted at Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon in Old Town Fort Collins. The show starts at 6 pm with women's coach Ryun Williams, followed by men's coach Larry Eustachy for the second half-hour. Remaining dates of the shows are:
•   December: Monday, Dec. 11 and Wednesday, Dec. 20
•   January: Mondays, Jan. 8, 15, 22 & 29
•   February: Thursday, Feb. 8 and Mondays, Feb. 12 & 19
•   March: Thursday, March 1

Mountain West Record
•   Colorado State - a charter member of the Mountain West - is now 119-159 (.428) in regular-season action against MW foes since the formation of the league in 1999-2000.
•   Head coach Larry Eustachy is 52-36 (.591) in MW regular-season action in his time at Colorado State and 58-41 including tournament games.
Rams Take 2017 MW Awards
•   Colorado State again was among the top honorees, this time by the coaches of the Mountain West Conference, as senior guard Gian Clavell was selected as the league's 2017 Player of the Year, while Larry Eustachy was recognized as the Coach of the Year.
•   Senior forward Emmanuel Omogbo was named First Team All-MW along with Clavell, while the pair also was named to the league's All-Defensive team.
•   This is the first time in school history that CSU has had two players named to the first team all-conference in any season, as well as two in a single season named to the all-defensive squad.
•   The duo was also named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District team for District VIII.
•   The 2017 Mountain West Player of the Year according to the league media, Clavell led the MW in league scoring at 21.2 points per game, including two games of 30 points or more, as well as ranking seventh in rebounding at 6.9 per MW game. Often guarding the opponent's top backcourt player, Clavell also was second in steals (1.8 spg) and 3-pointers made (3.1 3pg) while ranking seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.409).
•   Eustachy led the Rams to a 21-10 overall regular season record, 13-5 in the Mountain West and the No. 2 seed in the MW tournament. The 13 wins tied the program record for conference wins, while CSU set a new school mark with five consecutive league road wins in a single season. This is the first time in his five years in the MW and the sixth time overall that Eustachy has been selected as his conference's coach of the year.
•   Selected by the league media to First Team All-Mountain West, Omogbo became the new standard for double-doubles in the Mountain West this past season, recording a new league record with 13 during conference action. He led the conference in rebounding at 10.9 boards per conference game and ranked 11th in scoring at 15.7 points a contest. He was also third in league field goal percentage, hitting .495 of his shot attempts, and tied for eighth at 1.3 steals per game.

Rams on the Radio
•   Rams basketball can be heard live worldwide on the Rams Sports Properties Colorado State Sports Network. The 2017-18 season features live game coverage of all of Colorado State's regular-season and postseason contests.
•   Brian Roth, the Voice of the Rams, is in his fifth season as the basketball team's full-time play-by-play announcer. He is joined for the second season by former Ram Adam Nigon who will provide color commentary for the Rams.
• In addition to the Colorado State Sports Network, Rams fans worldwide can listen to the action live streaming on CSURams.com in partnership with SIDEARM Sports.

Looking Ahead
•   Colorado State will go back on the road to conclude its toughest four-game stretch of the season with a pair of games, starting at Arkansas, Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. MT.
•   The contest between the Rams and Razorbacks will be televised on SEC Network Plus/Watch ESPN.
•   The game will air across the Colorado State Sports Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon on the call.

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