Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, January 5
Fresno, Calif. / Save Mart Center
8 p.m. MT
Colorado State
at
Fresno State
Nico Carvacho leads the nation at 12.9 rebounds per game
Photo by: Nick Monaghan
CSU continues opening Mountain West road trip at Fresno State Sunday
1/3/2019 6:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Rams take on the Bulldogs at 8 pm MT on AT&T SportsNet
2018-19 Colorado State Men's Basketball
Game #15 - Colorado State (5-9, 0-1) at Fresno State (10-3, 1-0)
Jan. 5, 2019 • 8 p.m. MT • Save Mart Center (15,596) - Fresno, Calif.
Video: AT&T SportsNet (Play-by-Play Drew Goodman: / Color Analyst: Dave Bollwinkel / Sideline: Jenny Cavnar)
Local Channels: DirectTV: 683, 683-1, 684, 684-1 (HD) / Dish Network: 414 (SD), 5414 (HD) / Comcast Digital: 26 (SD), 665 (HD)
Radio: 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), KMTS 96.7 FM (West Glenwood Springs), KRDO 105.5 FM (Colorado Springs), KKVT 100.7 FM (Grand Junction), KMTS/KKVT 99.5/100.3 FM (Rifle), KKVT 97.1 FM (Delta), KKVT 98.1 FM (Montrose), KRFD 100.1 FM (Sterling), KNEC 100.9 FM (Yuma), KNAB 1140 AM (Burlington), KLMR 920 AM (Lamar) / TuneIn App
Live Stats: Fresno State
Opening Tip
• The Rams will continue its opening Mountain West Conference road trip, traveling to take on Fresno State on Sat., Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, with Drew Goodman on play-by-play, Dave Bollwinkel the analyst and Jenny Cavnar on the sidelines.
• 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. Audio is also available via the TuneIn App on all smart phones and mobile devices.
• The game will also have live audio on CSURams.com in partnership with SIDEARM Sports and live stats on CSURams.com.
2018-19 Rams Quick Hits
• Colorado State is under new direction, as Niko Medved has taken over the helm of the Rams' program in 2018-19. In his sixth season as a head coach, Medved has a 84-96 record overall but improved on the previous season's record in each of his five years as a head coach.
• The 2018-19 season marks the 116th in the history of the Colorado State men's basketball program. The Rams are 1,257-1,261 (.499) in 2,518 games all-time.
• Colorado State basketball is hoping to earn its eighth invitation for postseason play in the last 10 years.
• CSU returns three starters and six letterwinners to this year's squad along with seven newcomers to the program.
• Overall, the Rams return three players with 23 or more starts from the 2017-18 campaign, led by Honorable Mention All-Mountain West selection Nico Carvacho. The redshirt-junior center will be expected to pace this squad along with senior guard J.D. Paige and redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner.
• 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 Leaders
• Colorado State Head Coach Niko Medved (Minnesota, '97) is in his first season at CSU as head coach and has a 84-96 overall record as he is in his sixth season as a head coach.
• Fresno State Head Coach Justin Hutson (CSU Bakersfield, '94) is in his first season as leader of the Bulldogs and as a head coach overall with a 10-3 record.
A Quick Look at Fresno State
• Returning two starters and seven letterwinners from last season's 21-11 squad that tied for fourth in the Mountain West with an 11-7 record, the Bulldogs were picked to finish fifth in the league's preseason poll.
• Senior guard Deshon Taylor returns after earning first team All-Mountain West honors last year, along with starter Sam Bittner. Taylor leads Fresno State in minutes, assists and free throw percentage while transfer guard Braxton Huggins is the team leader in points per game, three-pointers and steals.
History Versus Fresno State
• This will be the 35th meeting ever, with the two schools having split the previous meetings evenly at 17 wins each. In Fresno, CSU has won just two of the 14 meetings, getting victories in 2013 and 2015.
• Fresno State has taken five of the last six meetings, with the only CSU victory coming on Feb. 11, 2017 at Moby Arena, a 78-62 victory.
• Head Coach Niko Medved has never faced Fresno State as a team's leader.
FRESNO STATE - 17-17
Conference: 9-12
Home: 13-3 / Away: 2-12 / Neutral: 2-2
(complete results listing on page 14)
Mountain West Record
• Colorado State - a charter member of the Mountain West - is now 123-172 (.416) in regular-season action against MW foes since the formation of the league in 1999-2000.
CSU vs. Mountain West Conference
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Boise State 10-10 8-2 1-8 1-0
Fresno State 17-17 13-3 2-12 2-2
Nevada 9-11 5-3 4-7 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 366-418 225-146 126-252 15-20
Mountain West Openers
• Since the formation of the Mountain West Conference in 1999-2000, the CSU men's basketball team is just 5-15 in Mountain West openers regardless of whether the opener is at home or on the road (4-7 at home, 1-8 on the road).
A New Leader But Familiar Face
• While he may be in his first season in charge of the program, head coach Niko Medved was already a familiar face around Fort Collins and to Rams' fans. Medved previously was on the coaching staff from 2007-13 under two different coaches. He was a key part of recruiting players that helped the Rams to four consecutive postseason appearances, the last two in the NCAA Tournament that included a win over Missouri in 2013.
Postseason Experience
• Head coach Niko Medved has had extensive success wherever he has coached, both as a head and an assistant.
• As an assistant coach, he helped turn around the CSU program to improving its win totals from his first year in each successive year, ending in four straight postseason appearances.
• He continued that trend at Furman and Drake, improving both programs' win totals from the previous year in each of his five seasons as a head coach, finishing his last three years in postseason play.
Medved vs. 2018-19 Opponents
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force First Meeting
Arkansas 0-1 0-1 - -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-0 1-0 - -
Boise State First Meeting
Colorado 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-2 0-1 1-1 -
Fresno State First Meeting
Long Beach State First Meeting
Louisiana 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Montana State 1-0 1-0 - -
Nevada First Meeting
New Mexico First Meeting
New Mexico State 0-1 0-1 - -
Sam Houston State 1-0 1-0 - -
San Diego State First Meeting
San Jose State First Meeting
South Dakota 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
South Dakota St. 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-2 0-2 1-0 -
UNLV 0-1 - 0-1 -
Utah State First Meeting
Wyoming 0-1 - 0-1 -
Totals 6-16 4-7 2-6 0-3
Basketball Staff
• Head coach Niko Medved brought four members of his staff from Drake with him. Dave Thorson, JR Blount and Ali Farokhmanesh were assistant coaches with Medved, while Aaron Katsuma joined him again as Director of Basketball Operations. Thorson has extensive experience as a high school coach and had previously worked with Medved at the University of Minnesota. Blount and Farokhmanesh also bring extensive recent playing experience with them as Blount played at Loyola Chicago, graduating in 2009, and Farokhmanesh was a key part of a Northern Iowa squad that knocked off No. 1 Kansas in the NCAA Tournament in his senior year in 2010.
Coors Light Coaches Show Is Back
• The Coors Light Basketball Head Coaches Show returns to Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon in Old Town Fort Collins this year. Join men's head coach Niko Medved and women's head coach Ryun Williams starting at 6 p.m. on the Mondays listed below to hear their thoughts on the previous week and look forward to upcoming action
• January: 7, 14, 21 & 28
• February: 4, 11, 18 & 25
Roster Size... But Inexperienced
• The Rams started the year with 14 eligible players on the roster, one of the largest opening day rosters in recent history. CSU had 11 players available to start the 2017-18 season. Of those 14 this season, a total of 11 were part of the program last season, with seven having played, with four returners who did play and also four newcomers to the lineup this year.
• Last year's Rams combined for just 7.5 seasons of NCAA Division I experience to start the season, but this year's squad comes in with 17 combined Division I seasons, a marked improvement.
Returning/Lost...By the Numbers
• The Rams added several key newcomers for 2018-19 as Colorado State looked to fill some gaps from last year's production on the floor, though CSU returns a significant portion on all categories.
• Here is a quick look at what the Rams returned in major statistical categories:
Category Total (R/L) % Returning
> Scoring 2314 (1353 / 961) 58.5%
> Rebounding 1126 (764 / 362) 67.9%
> Assists 409 (251 / 158) 61.4%
> Blocks 102 (55 / 47) 53.9%
> Steals 190 (100 / 90) 52.6%
> Minutes 6475 (4110 / 2365) 63.5%
Newcomers (Lots of)
• The Rams have a strong group of newcomers to the floor this year, made up of three transfers and four freshmen.
• The class distribution, as all have seen the floor for CSU the first time this season, is:
-- Juniors (Hyron Edwards, Kris Martin, Zo Tyson)
-- Freshmen (Sam Bannec, Kendle Moore,
Jack Schoemann, Adam Thistlewood)
Moby Arena Home Court Advantage
• CSU has a record of 550-230 (.705) record all-time at Moby Arena.
• The Rams have finished at least .500 in each of the last nine years, dating back to the 2008-09 season when the program was 6-9.
• Current head coach Niko Medved was part of a coaching staff at CSU that posted two of the top records in program history at home, as the 2012-13 team set the best mark at 16-1 with the 2011-12 team going 14-1. Overall as an assistant at CSU, he was part of a team that went 97-97 overall and 59-30 in Moby Arena and improved their overall record in each successive season.
Moby & Record Improvement WIth Medved (CSU Asst.)
Overall Moby Total Attend. Avg Att.
2012-13 26-9 16-1 92,488 5,440
2011-12 20-12 14-1 62,889 4,193
2010-11 19-13 9-5 68.305 4.879
2009-10 16-16 11-4 50,878 3,392
2008-09 9-22 6-9 48,858 3,257
2007-08 7-25 3-10 43,588 3,353
Totals 97-97 59-30
Last Time Out...
• Colorado State couldn't withstand a late UNLV charge, including the game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds to play, and fell on the road 78-76, Wednesday night in the Mountain West opener for both schools. The Rams dropped to 5-9 and 0-1 in conference action, while the Runnin' Rebels improved to 7-6 and 1-0 in the league.
• After leading by as many as 11 with just under 18 minutes to play, CSU was unable to pull away, as the hosts continued to make runs. The Rams held a 73-65 lead with 4:47 to play, but hit just one of seven field goal attempts in the closing minutes as the game was tied twice in the final two minutes, including at 76-all with 1:30 to go. From there, both teams battled with shots falling off the rim until Cheikh Mbacke Diong got the tip in with 1.2 seconds remaining. CSU inbounded the ball but it was knocked away without a shot.
• The teams had two ties and three lead changes in the first 11 minutes of the game, with UNLV holding a four-point lead at 22-18 with 8:51 to play in the first half. From there, CSU went on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes to take a 30-23 lead. Behind 18 points and 12 rebounds in the first 20 minutes from redshirt-junior Nico Carvacho, the Rams eventually built as much as an 11-point advantage late in the period before going into the break with a 43-36 lead. CSU's defense was strong in the first half, holding UNLV to making just two of its last 18 field goal attempts and 25 percent overall from the floor.
• Carvacho finished with a career-high 28 points and game-high 20 rebounds, while redshirt-senior J.D. Paige ended with 20 points. UNLV had five players in double figures with Kris Clyburn and Joel Ntambwe leading the squad with 17 points each.
(See page 18 for complete box score)
Last Year's Meetings...
• Colorado State could not get a rhythm on either end of the floor and lost at Fresno State 86-65, Feb. 17, 2018.
• Tied at nine, CSU put together a quick 5-0 run to lead 14-9, but Fresno State responded with a 13-2 run over 3:28 to take a 22-16 lead with nine minutes to play in the first half. The host Bulldogs finished off the half with hitting five of their last six field goal attempts to build an 11-point advantage at halftime, 37-26.
• Out of the break, CSU was able to get it down to nine at 41-32 with 17:22 to play. However, Fresno State hit six of its first eight shots from the floor and built as much as a 25-point margin during the final 20 minutes.
• For the game, Colorado State shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60 from the field, including just 20.8 percent (5-of-24) from the three-point line. The Rams struggled at the free throw line, shooting just 50.0 percent (8-of-16). Fresno State was solid from the floor, going 54.7 percent (35-of-64), including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) beyond the arc. Fresno State was stellar from the floor in the second half, shooting 62.5 percent (20-of-32) as compared to 50.0 percent (15-of-30) for CSU. The Bulldogs were just 57.9 percent (11-of-19) at the charity stripe. The Bulldogs won the battle of the boards, 38-34, and turned 13 CSU turnovers into 16 points.
• CSU was led by senior Che Bob with 15 points, while redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior Deion James and redshirt-sophomore Anthony Bonner scored 12 points each. Fresno State had six scoring double figures, led by Bryson Williams with 19 points and Deshon Taylor with 13.
(See page 19 for complete box score)
• The Colorado State men's basketball team suffered an 82-79 overtime setback to Fresno State on January 6, 2018. The loss was the first in overtime since Feb. 10, 2016 at Nevada.
• Tied at 69 entering overtime, neither team scored in the first three minutes. The Bulldogs scored first with a pair of free throws at the 2:49 mark to lead by two and they wouldn't trail again. Colorado State trail by two with 17 seconds left following a J.D. Paige three pointer and again with six seconds left after a bucket by Lorenzo Jenkins, but could not get the lead again.
• Fresno State started the game building a 23-9 advantage – largest of the game – with 10:50 left to play in the first half. Over the next three minutes, Colorado State cut into the deficit with help from four three pointers to trail by five at 25-20 with 8:04 left in first half. Fresno State would hold a 39-33 lead at halftime.
• After the break, the Rams caught fire, hitting eight of their first 10 field goal attempts early in the second half, while the defense started to click holding the Bulldogs to just three of their first 11. Colorado State scored the first eight points of the second half to take its first lead of the game at 41-39. The Rams continued to lead through the second half, building their largest leads of the game at 54-44 with 13:15 left and at 59-49 at 9:09 left to play in regulation.
• Fresno State went on an 11-1 run over the next three minutes to tie the game 60-60 with six minutes left to play. Both teams battled down the stretch as neither team led by more than three points and were tied at 69-69 at the end of regulation.
• Junior guard Prentiss Nixon led the Rams scoring 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while Paige added 16 from 5-of-11 from three-point range. Redshirt-sophomore center Nico Carvacho recorded his second double-double of the season – third of his career – after reaching double-figure points with 10 and pulling down 19 rebounds – 11 offensive. Redshirt-sophomore forward Lorenzo Jenkins came off the bench and added 11 points and five rebounds in 29 minutes.
(See page 20 for complete box score)
National Rankings (Team/Players)
(through Jan. 2, 2019)
Team (Top 60 of 351 Division I teams)
Turnovers (Fewest) 11.3 29th
Personal Fouls Per Game 16.0 35th
Players (top 100 nationally)
Nico Carvacho
Rebounds Per Game 12.9 1st
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 4.36 1st
Double Doubles 9 4th
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 8.50 4th
Field Goal Percentage 57.9 46th
Free Throw Attempts 88 47th
Sharing the Load
• Through 14 games, seven different Rams have either led or tied for the team-high points in a game.
• Six different Rams -- redshirt-senior J.D. Paige (3), redshirt-juniors Anthony Masinton-Bonner (3), Nico Carvacho (4) and Kris Martin (2) and freshmen Kendle Moore (3) and Adam Thistlewood (2) -- have each led multiple times.
Carvacho Growing On the Floor
• Redshirt-junior center Nico Carvacho showed his increased comfort level on the floor, growing extensively as a sophomore in 2017-18.
• In the 2017-18 season, Carvacho was the leader on the glass for CSU with 331 boards (125 offensive) in 32 games (the only Ram to start all 32 last year). His 10.3 boards per game average ranked second in the Mountain West, as he had double-digit boards in the last 16 games (averaging 13.6 per game in that span). He also just had the sixth-ever individual 300-rebound season in CSU history, surpassing the mark at Nevada, Feb. 25.
• Last year, he averaged 11.1 points and 12.3 rebounds in Mountain West play, leading by a wide margin in rebounding for league games only (next was 9.6 per game). He also had seven of the top 14 single-game totals in MW action.
• He had double-doubles in 10 of the last 16 games he played in 2017-18 and had a higher rebound average in MW league contests than Emmanuel Omogbo had in 2016-17 (10.9).
• Carvacho posted a career-high 26 points and tied a then-career best with 20 rebounds in the win over San Jose State, Feb. 10, 2018. The last Ram to have a 20-point/20-rebound game prior to that one was current Washington Wizards' Jason Smith, with 27 & 22 in a win over Wyoming on Feb. 24, 2007.
• He finished the season in fifth with 331 boards, surpassing former standout and current Washington Wizard Jason Smith in sixth.
• For his play in '17-18, Carvacho was named Honorable Mention All-Mountain West by both the league's coaches and media members in two separate votes.
• This season, Carvacho has started out effectively, recording double-doubles in nine games and is currently averaging 14.9 points and a nation-leading 12.9 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 57.9 percent from the floor.
• He had CSU game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• Recently, he recorded his second 20-20 game of his career when he finished with 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds at Long Beach State, Dec. 22. The 22 rebounds are tied for the sixth-best single-game performance in CSU history.
• Carvacho's 23-point/22-rebound game was the second of his career, matching Smith as the only Rams with multiple 20/20 games in their career.
• At UNLV Jan. 2, Carvacho set a new career best with 28 points and added 20 rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the year and school-record third of his career.
• Carvacho started the season No. 20 on the CSU career rebounding chart and is in seventh after his 20-rebound performance at UNLV. He now stands at 697, recently passing the longest tenured Mountain West player currently in the NBA, Jason Smith (2004-07) with 683 rebounds and four-year standout Daniel Bejarano (2011-15) with 694. Next on the list is All-American and retired-number Ram Bill Green (1960-63) with 726.
• Carvacho also is second in CSU offensive rebounds with 271 and eighth in CSU career defensive rebounds with 446 (since tracking of the two categories began).
Double-Doubles in CSU history
28 Emmanuel Omogbo (2015-17) (#7 in MW history)
22 Nico Carvacho (2016-pres.)
22 Jason Smith (2005-07)
Carvacho's Career Double-Doubles Date Pts Reb
Northern Colorado 12/10/16 13 11
Wyoming 2/28/17 10 10
Sacramento State 11/10/17 11 20
Fresno State 1/6/18 10 19
at Utah State 1/10/18 10 15
Air Force 1/17/18 12 13
at San Diego State 1/24/18 14 12
at New Mexico 1/27/18 14 15
Wyoming 1/31/18 10 13
at Air Force 2/6/18 16 12
San Jose State 2/10/18 26 20
at Fresno State 2/17/18 14 11
at Nevada 2/25/18 13 14
Colorado Christian 11/7/18 14 15
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/10/18 18 11
Montana State 11/14/18 15 13
at Colorado 12/1/18 15 12
Arkansas 12/5/18 12 11
Sam Houston State 12/8/18 20 19
South Dakota 12/16/18 20 17
Long Beach State 12/22/18 23 22
at UNLV 1/2/19 28 20
CSU Career Rebounding Ranks
1. 851 Pat Durham (52O-799D) 1985-89
2. 805 Rich Strong (117 Games) 1982-86
3. 799 Pierce Hornung (342O-457D) 2009-13
4. 772 Matt Barnett (227O-545D) 1994-98
5. 741 Mike Childress (48 Games) 1969-71
6. 726 Bill Green (76 Games) 1960-63
7. 717 Nico Carvacho (80 Games) 2016-19
8. 694 Daniel Bejarano (185O-509D) 2011-15
9. 683 Jason Smith (223O-460D) 2004-07
10. 665 Brian Greene (212O-453D) 1999-03
11. 663 Tim Hall (79 Games) 1972-75
12. 642 Richard Gregory (75 Games) 1955-58
13. 638 Larry Hoffner (70 Games) 1957-60
638 Emmanuel Omogbo (203O-435D) 2015-17
15. 627 Andy Ogide (185O-442D) 2007-11
Carvacho's '17-18 MW/Nat'l Rankings Stat MW NCAA
Rebounds Per Game 10.3 2nd 15th
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 3.91 1st 7th
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 6.44 5th 49th
Double-Doubles 11 4th 55th
Total Rebounds 331 2nd 17th
Paige Wheels & Deals
• Redshirt-senior J.D. Paige adjusted well to his new role within CSU's offense the last two years.
• In 2016-17, 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 (11/23/16), 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.
• Last season, Paige picked up a season-high 22 points versus San Diego State (1/2/18), making a career-high field goals.
• Paige scored in double figures in five of his last six games in 2017-18, including the performance at San Diego State and a 14-point, six-rebound outing in the win at Wyoming, Jan. 13. He also had 19 points against UNLV, Jan. 20.
• After missing six games with a broken hand suffered at San Diego State on Jan. 24, Paige returned to the lineup against Boise State (Feb. 21) with 12 points and averaged 10.4 points per game, third on the team, and had a team-high 2.6 assists per game.
• Paige missed the season opener but returned with 14 points (4-of-5 3-pointers) and a career-high tying six assists in the win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• He tied his career high against Montana State, Nov. 14, tallying a team-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field in the win.
• Recently, he again tied his career best with a game-high 23 points in the home win over Sam Houston State, Dec. 8.
• Paige currently leads CSU at 16.1 points per game (6th in MW), connecting on 47.5 percent from the floor, including 41.9 percent from the arc, as well as 76.3 percent (29-of-38) from the free throw line.
• Currently with 935 career points, if Paige stays healthy and averages 15.0 points per game for the next five games, he would reach the career 1,000-point plateau at Nevada on Jan. 23. He would be the 29th Ram in history to accomplish the feat.
A Little Different Name, Same Face
• Redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner (the guard previously known as Anthony Bonner but always "AB") is expected to take up more of the scoring load this season.
• Last year, Masinton-Bonner started in 21 of the 32 games he played in, averaging 8.9 points per contest in 27.1 minutes per game.
• He was the team leader at the three-point arc at 43.2 percent and was second from the charity stripe, connecting on 82.1 percent of his attempts.
• In the season opener against Colorado Christian, Masinton-Bonner was not only effective but efficient. He tallied a career-high tying 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, including 6-of-7 from the three-point arc. He also chipped in five rebounds and four assists.
• Against Montana State Nov. 14, Masinton-Bonner was inspired after suffering an ankle injury late in the first half, as he returned in the second half to score 12 of his 14 points in the win.
• Recently against New Mexico State Dec. 30, Masinton-Bonner was 5-of-6 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line for 15 points in 25 minutes of play.
• In the first 14 contests, he is third on the team in scoring at 12.9 points along with 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from the three-point line and a team-best 86.1 percent from the charity stripe.
Newcomers Jumping In Early
• Five Rams made their debut in the Green and Gold in season-opening win over Colorado Christian.
• Freshman Kendle Moore started and scored a game-high 26 points in 32 minutes of action. He was solid, going 9-of-11 from the floor, 4-of-5 from the arc and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. He also added four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
• Freshman Adam Thistlewood had 10 points in starting his first collegiate game, while also grabbing five rebounds in 26 minutes of play.
• Also seeing time were redshirt-junior Zo Tyson and freshmen Jack Schoemann and Sam Bannec. Tyson had six points and four rebounds, while Bannec hit a three-pointer late.
• Redshirt-junior Kris Martin made his season debut against South Dakota State, Nov. 21, and tallied 11 points in 30 minutes of action. He has at least tied for the team lead in scoring over the next two games, including 21 points at Colorado, Dec. 1. Recently, he recorded a collegiate career-best eight assists against Arkansas, Dec. 5.
• Thistlewood tied for game-high honors with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, including a career-best four three pointers against New Mexico State, Dec. 30.
• Moore is fourth at 9.1 points per game, Martin is fifth at 8.6 points per game with and Thistlewood sixth at 8.4 points a contest. Moore and Thistlewood have scored in double figures in six contests each, with both shooting 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
Looking Ahead
• The Rams will return to Moby Arena for its Mountain West home opener, hosting in-state rival Air Force on Tue., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, with Drew Goodman on play-by-play and Sed Bonner the analyst.
• 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.
• CSU Sports Network broadcasts can be also accessed on mobile devices through the TuneIn app (free on all Apple, Android, Windows, Blackberry and Amazon Kindle devices) – once downloaded, search "Colorado St. Rams Sports Network" in the app for the games and coaches' show broadcasts.
CSU All-Time Vs. 2018-19 Opponents
Overall Home Road Neutral
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Arkansas 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-0 3-0 - -
Boise State 10-11 8-3 1-8 1-0
Colorado 38-89 28-36 9-53 1-0
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-0 - 1-0 -
Fresno State 17-17 13-3 2-12 2-2
Long Beach State 3-2 2-1 1-1 -
Louisiana 1-1 1-0 - 0-1
Montana State 12-4 8-2 4-2 -
Nevada 9-12 5-3 4-8 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
New Mexico State 5-3 4-1 1-2 -
Sam Houston State 0-1 0-1 - -
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
South Dakota 0-1 0-1 - -
South Dakota State 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-3 1-1 0-1 0-1
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 431-528 273-192 142-313 16-23
• The Rams will continue its opening Mountain West Conference road trip, traveling to take on Fresno State on Sat., Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. PT/8 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, with Drew Goodman on play-by-play, Dave Bollwinkel the analyst and Jenny Cavnar on the sidelines.
• 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. Audio is also available via the TuneIn App on all smart phones and mobile devices.
• The game will also have live audio on CSURams.com in partnership with SIDEARM Sports and live stats on CSURams.com.
2018-19 Rams Quick Hits
• Colorado State is under new direction, as Niko Medved has taken over the helm of the Rams' program in 2018-19. In his sixth season as a head coach, Medved has a 84-96 record overall but improved on the previous season's record in each of his five years as a head coach.
• The 2018-19 season marks the 116th in the history of the Colorado State men's basketball program. The Rams are 1,257-1,261 (.499) in 2,518 games all-time.
• Colorado State basketball is hoping to earn its eighth invitation for postseason play in the last 10 years.
• CSU returns three starters and six letterwinners to this year's squad along with seven newcomers to the program.
• Overall, the Rams return three players with 23 or more starts from the 2017-18 campaign, led by Honorable Mention All-Mountain West selection Nico Carvacho. The redshirt-junior center will be expected to pace this squad along with senior guard J.D. Paige and redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner.
• 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 Leaders
• Colorado State Head Coach Niko Medved (Minnesota, '97) is in his first season at CSU as head coach and has a 84-96 overall record as he is in his sixth season as a head coach.
• Fresno State Head Coach Justin Hutson (CSU Bakersfield, '94) is in his first season as leader of the Bulldogs and as a head coach overall with a 10-3 record.
A Quick Look at Fresno State
• Returning two starters and seven letterwinners from last season's 21-11 squad that tied for fourth in the Mountain West with an 11-7 record, the Bulldogs were picked to finish fifth in the league's preseason poll.
• Senior guard Deshon Taylor returns after earning first team All-Mountain West honors last year, along with starter Sam Bittner. Taylor leads Fresno State in minutes, assists and free throw percentage while transfer guard Braxton Huggins is the team leader in points per game, three-pointers and steals.
History Versus Fresno State
• This will be the 35th meeting ever, with the two schools having split the previous meetings evenly at 17 wins each. In Fresno, CSU has won just two of the 14 meetings, getting victories in 2013 and 2015.
• Fresno State has taken five of the last six meetings, with the only CSU victory coming on Feb. 11, 2017 at Moby Arena, a 78-62 victory.
• Head Coach Niko Medved has never faced Fresno State as a team's leader.
FRESNO STATE - 17-17
Conference: 9-12
Home: 13-3 / Away: 2-12 / Neutral: 2-2
(complete results listing on page 14)
Mountain West Record
• Colorado State - a charter member of the Mountain West - is now 123-172 (.416) in regular-season action against MW foes since the formation of the league in 1999-2000.
CSU vs. Mountain West Conference
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Boise State 10-10 8-2 1-8 1-0
Fresno State 17-17 13-3 2-12 2-2
Nevada 9-11 5-3 4-7 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 366-418 225-146 126-252 15-20
Mountain West Openers
• Since the formation of the Mountain West Conference in 1999-2000, the CSU men's basketball team is just 5-15 in Mountain West openers regardless of whether the opener is at home or on the road (4-7 at home, 1-8 on the road).
A New Leader But Familiar Face
• While he may be in his first season in charge of the program, head coach Niko Medved was already a familiar face around Fort Collins and to Rams' fans. Medved previously was on the coaching staff from 2007-13 under two different coaches. He was a key part of recruiting players that helped the Rams to four consecutive postseason appearances, the last two in the NCAA Tournament that included a win over Missouri in 2013.
Postseason Experience
• Head coach Niko Medved has had extensive success wherever he has coached, both as a head and an assistant.
• As an assistant coach, he helped turn around the CSU program to improving its win totals from his first year in each successive year, ending in four straight postseason appearances.
• He continued that trend at Furman and Drake, improving both programs' win totals from the previous year in each of his five seasons as a head coach, finishing his last three years in postseason play.
Medved vs. 2018-19 Opponents
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force First Meeting
Arkansas 0-1 0-1 - -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-0 1-0 - -
Boise State First Meeting
Colorado 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-2 0-1 1-1 -
Fresno State First Meeting
Long Beach State First Meeting
Louisiana 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Montana State 1-0 1-0 - -
Nevada First Meeting
New Mexico First Meeting
New Mexico State 0-1 0-1 - -
Sam Houston State 1-0 1-0 - -
San Diego State First Meeting
San Jose State First Meeting
South Dakota 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
South Dakota St. 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-2 0-2 1-0 -
UNLV 0-1 - 0-1 -
Utah State First Meeting
Wyoming 0-1 - 0-1 -
Totals 6-16 4-7 2-6 0-3
Basketball Staff
• Head coach Niko Medved brought four members of his staff from Drake with him. Dave Thorson, JR Blount and Ali Farokhmanesh were assistant coaches with Medved, while Aaron Katsuma joined him again as Director of Basketball Operations. Thorson has extensive experience as a high school coach and had previously worked with Medved at the University of Minnesota. Blount and Farokhmanesh also bring extensive recent playing experience with them as Blount played at Loyola Chicago, graduating in 2009, and Farokhmanesh was a key part of a Northern Iowa squad that knocked off No. 1 Kansas in the NCAA Tournament in his senior year in 2010.
Coors Light Coaches Show Is Back
• The Coors Light Basketball Head Coaches Show returns to Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon in Old Town Fort Collins this year. Join men's head coach Niko Medved and women's head coach Ryun Williams starting at 6 p.m. on the Mondays listed below to hear their thoughts on the previous week and look forward to upcoming action
• January: 7, 14, 21 & 28
• February: 4, 11, 18 & 25
Roster Size... But Inexperienced
• The Rams started the year with 14 eligible players on the roster, one of the largest opening day rosters in recent history. CSU had 11 players available to start the 2017-18 season. Of those 14 this season, a total of 11 were part of the program last season, with seven having played, with four returners who did play and also four newcomers to the lineup this year.
• Last year's Rams combined for just 7.5 seasons of NCAA Division I experience to start the season, but this year's squad comes in with 17 combined Division I seasons, a marked improvement.
Returning/Lost...By the Numbers
• The Rams added several key newcomers for 2018-19 as Colorado State looked to fill some gaps from last year's production on the floor, though CSU returns a significant portion on all categories.
• Here is a quick look at what the Rams returned in major statistical categories:
Category Total (R/L) % Returning
> Scoring 2314 (1353 / 961) 58.5%
> Rebounding 1126 (764 / 362) 67.9%
> Assists 409 (251 / 158) 61.4%
> Blocks 102 (55 / 47) 53.9%
> Steals 190 (100 / 90) 52.6%
> Minutes 6475 (4110 / 2365) 63.5%
Newcomers (Lots of)
• The Rams have a strong group of newcomers to the floor this year, made up of three transfers and four freshmen.
• The class distribution, as all have seen the floor for CSU the first time this season, is:
-- Juniors (Hyron Edwards, Kris Martin, Zo Tyson)
-- Freshmen (Sam Bannec, Kendle Moore,
Jack Schoemann, Adam Thistlewood)
Moby Arena Home Court Advantage
• CSU has a record of 550-230 (.705) record all-time at Moby Arena.
• The Rams have finished at least .500 in each of the last nine years, dating back to the 2008-09 season when the program was 6-9.
• Current head coach Niko Medved was part of a coaching staff at CSU that posted two of the top records in program history at home, as the 2012-13 team set the best mark at 16-1 with the 2011-12 team going 14-1. Overall as an assistant at CSU, he was part of a team that went 97-97 overall and 59-30 in Moby Arena and improved their overall record in each successive season.
Moby & Record Improvement WIth Medved (CSU Asst.)
Overall Moby Total Attend. Avg Att.
2012-13 26-9 16-1 92,488 5,440
2011-12 20-12 14-1 62,889 4,193
2010-11 19-13 9-5 68.305 4.879
2009-10 16-16 11-4 50,878 3,392
2008-09 9-22 6-9 48,858 3,257
2007-08 7-25 3-10 43,588 3,353
Totals 97-97 59-30
Last Time Out...
• Colorado State couldn't withstand a late UNLV charge, including the game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds to play, and fell on the road 78-76, Wednesday night in the Mountain West opener for both schools. The Rams dropped to 5-9 and 0-1 in conference action, while the Runnin' Rebels improved to 7-6 and 1-0 in the league.
• After leading by as many as 11 with just under 18 minutes to play, CSU was unable to pull away, as the hosts continued to make runs. The Rams held a 73-65 lead with 4:47 to play, but hit just one of seven field goal attempts in the closing minutes as the game was tied twice in the final two minutes, including at 76-all with 1:30 to go. From there, both teams battled with shots falling off the rim until Cheikh Mbacke Diong got the tip in with 1.2 seconds remaining. CSU inbounded the ball but it was knocked away without a shot.
• The teams had two ties and three lead changes in the first 11 minutes of the game, with UNLV holding a four-point lead at 22-18 with 8:51 to play in the first half. From there, CSU went on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes to take a 30-23 lead. Behind 18 points and 12 rebounds in the first 20 minutes from redshirt-junior Nico Carvacho, the Rams eventually built as much as an 11-point advantage late in the period before going into the break with a 43-36 lead. CSU's defense was strong in the first half, holding UNLV to making just two of its last 18 field goal attempts and 25 percent overall from the floor.
• Carvacho finished with a career-high 28 points and game-high 20 rebounds, while redshirt-senior J.D. Paige ended with 20 points. UNLV had five players in double figures with Kris Clyburn and Joel Ntambwe leading the squad with 17 points each.
(See page 18 for complete box score)
Last Year's Meetings...
• Colorado State could not get a rhythm on either end of the floor and lost at Fresno State 86-65, Feb. 17, 2018.
• Tied at nine, CSU put together a quick 5-0 run to lead 14-9, but Fresno State responded with a 13-2 run over 3:28 to take a 22-16 lead with nine minutes to play in the first half. The host Bulldogs finished off the half with hitting five of their last six field goal attempts to build an 11-point advantage at halftime, 37-26.
• Out of the break, CSU was able to get it down to nine at 41-32 with 17:22 to play. However, Fresno State hit six of its first eight shots from the floor and built as much as a 25-point margin during the final 20 minutes.
• For the game, Colorado State shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60 from the field, including just 20.8 percent (5-of-24) from the three-point line. The Rams struggled at the free throw line, shooting just 50.0 percent (8-of-16). Fresno State was solid from the floor, going 54.7 percent (35-of-64), including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) beyond the arc. Fresno State was stellar from the floor in the second half, shooting 62.5 percent (20-of-32) as compared to 50.0 percent (15-of-30) for CSU. The Bulldogs were just 57.9 percent (11-of-19) at the charity stripe. The Bulldogs won the battle of the boards, 38-34, and turned 13 CSU turnovers into 16 points.
• CSU was led by senior Che Bob with 15 points, while redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho had 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior Deion James and redshirt-sophomore Anthony Bonner scored 12 points each. Fresno State had six scoring double figures, led by Bryson Williams with 19 points and Deshon Taylor with 13.
(See page 19 for complete box score)
• The Colorado State men's basketball team suffered an 82-79 overtime setback to Fresno State on January 6, 2018. The loss was the first in overtime since Feb. 10, 2016 at Nevada.
• Tied at 69 entering overtime, neither team scored in the first three minutes. The Bulldogs scored first with a pair of free throws at the 2:49 mark to lead by two and they wouldn't trail again. Colorado State trail by two with 17 seconds left following a J.D. Paige three pointer and again with six seconds left after a bucket by Lorenzo Jenkins, but could not get the lead again.
• Fresno State started the game building a 23-9 advantage – largest of the game – with 10:50 left to play in the first half. Over the next three minutes, Colorado State cut into the deficit with help from four three pointers to trail by five at 25-20 with 8:04 left in first half. Fresno State would hold a 39-33 lead at halftime.
• After the break, the Rams caught fire, hitting eight of their first 10 field goal attempts early in the second half, while the defense started to click holding the Bulldogs to just three of their first 11. Colorado State scored the first eight points of the second half to take its first lead of the game at 41-39. The Rams continued to lead through the second half, building their largest leads of the game at 54-44 with 13:15 left and at 59-49 at 9:09 left to play in regulation.
• Fresno State went on an 11-1 run over the next three minutes to tie the game 60-60 with six minutes left to play. Both teams battled down the stretch as neither team led by more than three points and were tied at 69-69 at the end of regulation.
• Junior guard Prentiss Nixon led the Rams scoring 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while Paige added 16 from 5-of-11 from three-point range. Redshirt-sophomore center Nico Carvacho recorded his second double-double of the season – third of his career – after reaching double-figure points with 10 and pulling down 19 rebounds – 11 offensive. Redshirt-sophomore forward Lorenzo Jenkins came off the bench and added 11 points and five rebounds in 29 minutes.
(See page 20 for complete box score)
National Rankings (Team/Players)
(through Jan. 2, 2019)
Team (Top 60 of 351 Division I teams)
Turnovers (Fewest) 11.3 29th
Personal Fouls Per Game 16.0 35th
Players (top 100 nationally)
Nico Carvacho
Rebounds Per Game 12.9 1st
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 4.36 1st
Double Doubles 9 4th
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 8.50 4th
Field Goal Percentage 57.9 46th
Free Throw Attempts 88 47th
Sharing the Load
• Through 14 games, seven different Rams have either led or tied for the team-high points in a game.
• Six different Rams -- redshirt-senior J.D. Paige (3), redshirt-juniors Anthony Masinton-Bonner (3), Nico Carvacho (4) and Kris Martin (2) and freshmen Kendle Moore (3) and Adam Thistlewood (2) -- have each led multiple times.
Carvacho Growing On the Floor
• Redshirt-junior center Nico Carvacho showed his increased comfort level on the floor, growing extensively as a sophomore in 2017-18.
• In the 2017-18 season, Carvacho was the leader on the glass for CSU with 331 boards (125 offensive) in 32 games (the only Ram to start all 32 last year). His 10.3 boards per game average ranked second in the Mountain West, as he had double-digit boards in the last 16 games (averaging 13.6 per game in that span). He also just had the sixth-ever individual 300-rebound season in CSU history, surpassing the mark at Nevada, Feb. 25.
• Last year, he averaged 11.1 points and 12.3 rebounds in Mountain West play, leading by a wide margin in rebounding for league games only (next was 9.6 per game). He also had seven of the top 14 single-game totals in MW action.
• He had double-doubles in 10 of the last 16 games he played in 2017-18 and had a higher rebound average in MW league contests than Emmanuel Omogbo had in 2016-17 (10.9).
• Carvacho posted a career-high 26 points and tied a then-career best with 20 rebounds in the win over San Jose State, Feb. 10, 2018. The last Ram to have a 20-point/20-rebound game prior to that one was current Washington Wizards' Jason Smith, with 27 & 22 in a win over Wyoming on Feb. 24, 2007.
• He finished the season in fifth with 331 boards, surpassing former standout and current Washington Wizard Jason Smith in sixth.
• For his play in '17-18, Carvacho was named Honorable Mention All-Mountain West by both the league's coaches and media members in two separate votes.
• This season, Carvacho has started out effectively, recording double-doubles in nine games and is currently averaging 14.9 points and a nation-leading 12.9 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 57.9 percent from the floor.
• He had CSU game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• Recently, he recorded his second 20-20 game of his career when he finished with 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds at Long Beach State, Dec. 22. The 22 rebounds are tied for the sixth-best single-game performance in CSU history.
• Carvacho's 23-point/22-rebound game was the second of his career, matching Smith as the only Rams with multiple 20/20 games in their career.
• At UNLV Jan. 2, Carvacho set a new career best with 28 points and added 20 rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the year and school-record third of his career.
• Carvacho started the season No. 20 on the CSU career rebounding chart and is in seventh after his 20-rebound performance at UNLV. He now stands at 697, recently passing the longest tenured Mountain West player currently in the NBA, Jason Smith (2004-07) with 683 rebounds and four-year standout Daniel Bejarano (2011-15) with 694. Next on the list is All-American and retired-number Ram Bill Green (1960-63) with 726.
• Carvacho also is second in CSU offensive rebounds with 271 and eighth in CSU career defensive rebounds with 446 (since tracking of the two categories began).
Double-Doubles in CSU history
28 Emmanuel Omogbo (2015-17) (#7 in MW history)
22 Nico Carvacho (2016-pres.)
22 Jason Smith (2005-07)
Carvacho's Career Double-Doubles Date Pts Reb
Northern Colorado 12/10/16 13 11
Wyoming 2/28/17 10 10
Sacramento State 11/10/17 11 20
Fresno State 1/6/18 10 19
at Utah State 1/10/18 10 15
Air Force 1/17/18 12 13
at San Diego State 1/24/18 14 12
at New Mexico 1/27/18 14 15
Wyoming 1/31/18 10 13
at Air Force 2/6/18 16 12
San Jose State 2/10/18 26 20
at Fresno State 2/17/18 14 11
at Nevada 2/25/18 13 14
Colorado Christian 11/7/18 14 15
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/10/18 18 11
Montana State 11/14/18 15 13
at Colorado 12/1/18 15 12
Arkansas 12/5/18 12 11
Sam Houston State 12/8/18 20 19
South Dakota 12/16/18 20 17
Long Beach State 12/22/18 23 22
at UNLV 1/2/19 28 20
CSU Career Rebounding Ranks
1. 851 Pat Durham (52O-799D) 1985-89
2. 805 Rich Strong (117 Games) 1982-86
3. 799 Pierce Hornung (342O-457D) 2009-13
4. 772 Matt Barnett (227O-545D) 1994-98
5. 741 Mike Childress (48 Games) 1969-71
6. 726 Bill Green (76 Games) 1960-63
7. 717 Nico Carvacho (80 Games) 2016-19
8. 694 Daniel Bejarano (185O-509D) 2011-15
9. 683 Jason Smith (223O-460D) 2004-07
10. 665 Brian Greene (212O-453D) 1999-03
11. 663 Tim Hall (79 Games) 1972-75
12. 642 Richard Gregory (75 Games) 1955-58
13. 638 Larry Hoffner (70 Games) 1957-60
638 Emmanuel Omogbo (203O-435D) 2015-17
15. 627 Andy Ogide (185O-442D) 2007-11
Carvacho's '17-18 MW/Nat'l Rankings Stat MW NCAA
Rebounds Per Game 10.3 2nd 15th
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 3.91 1st 7th
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 6.44 5th 49th
Double-Doubles 11 4th 55th
Total Rebounds 331 2nd 17th
Paige Wheels & Deals
• Redshirt-senior J.D. Paige adjusted well to his new role within CSU's offense the last two years.
• In 2016-17, 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 (11/23/16), 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.
• Last season, Paige picked up a season-high 22 points versus San Diego State (1/2/18), making a career-high field goals.
• Paige scored in double figures in five of his last six games in 2017-18, including the performance at San Diego State and a 14-point, six-rebound outing in the win at Wyoming, Jan. 13. He also had 19 points against UNLV, Jan. 20.
• After missing six games with a broken hand suffered at San Diego State on Jan. 24, Paige returned to the lineup against Boise State (Feb. 21) with 12 points and averaged 10.4 points per game, third on the team, and had a team-high 2.6 assists per game.
• Paige missed the season opener but returned with 14 points (4-of-5 3-pointers) and a career-high tying six assists in the win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• He tied his career high against Montana State, Nov. 14, tallying a team-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field in the win.
• Recently, he again tied his career best with a game-high 23 points in the home win over Sam Houston State, Dec. 8.
• Paige currently leads CSU at 16.1 points per game (6th in MW), connecting on 47.5 percent from the floor, including 41.9 percent from the arc, as well as 76.3 percent (29-of-38) from the free throw line.
• Currently with 935 career points, if Paige stays healthy and averages 15.0 points per game for the next five games, he would reach the career 1,000-point plateau at Nevada on Jan. 23. He would be the 29th Ram in history to accomplish the feat.
A Little Different Name, Same Face
• Redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner (the guard previously known as Anthony Bonner but always "AB") is expected to take up more of the scoring load this season.
• Last year, Masinton-Bonner started in 21 of the 32 games he played in, averaging 8.9 points per contest in 27.1 minutes per game.
• He was the team leader at the three-point arc at 43.2 percent and was second from the charity stripe, connecting on 82.1 percent of his attempts.
• In the season opener against Colorado Christian, Masinton-Bonner was not only effective but efficient. He tallied a career-high tying 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, including 6-of-7 from the three-point arc. He also chipped in five rebounds and four assists.
• Against Montana State Nov. 14, Masinton-Bonner was inspired after suffering an ankle injury late in the first half, as he returned in the second half to score 12 of his 14 points in the win.
• Recently against New Mexico State Dec. 30, Masinton-Bonner was 5-of-6 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line for 15 points in 25 minutes of play.
• In the first 14 contests, he is third on the team in scoring at 12.9 points along with 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from the three-point line and a team-best 86.1 percent from the charity stripe.
Newcomers Jumping In Early
• Five Rams made their debut in the Green and Gold in season-opening win over Colorado Christian.
• Freshman Kendle Moore started and scored a game-high 26 points in 32 minutes of action. He was solid, going 9-of-11 from the floor, 4-of-5 from the arc and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. He also added four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
• Freshman Adam Thistlewood had 10 points in starting his first collegiate game, while also grabbing five rebounds in 26 minutes of play.
• Also seeing time were redshirt-junior Zo Tyson and freshmen Jack Schoemann and Sam Bannec. Tyson had six points and four rebounds, while Bannec hit a three-pointer late.
• Redshirt-junior Kris Martin made his season debut against South Dakota State, Nov. 21, and tallied 11 points in 30 minutes of action. He has at least tied for the team lead in scoring over the next two games, including 21 points at Colorado, Dec. 1. Recently, he recorded a collegiate career-best eight assists against Arkansas, Dec. 5.
• Thistlewood tied for game-high honors with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, including a career-best four three pointers against New Mexico State, Dec. 30.
• Moore is fourth at 9.1 points per game, Martin is fifth at 8.6 points per game with and Thistlewood sixth at 8.4 points a contest. Moore and Thistlewood have scored in double figures in six contests each, with both shooting 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
Looking Ahead
• The Rams will return to Moby Arena for its Mountain West home opener, hosting in-state rival Air Force on Tue., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, with Drew Goodman on play-by-play and Sed Bonner the analyst.
• 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.
• CSU Sports Network broadcasts can be also accessed on mobile devices through the TuneIn app (free on all Apple, Android, Windows, Blackberry and Amazon Kindle devices) – once downloaded, search "Colorado St. Rams Sports Network" in the app for the games and coaches' show broadcasts.
CSU All-Time Vs. 2018-19 Opponents
Overall Home Road Neutral
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Arkansas 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-0 3-0 - -
Boise State 10-11 8-3 1-8 1-0
Colorado 38-89 28-36 9-53 1-0
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-0 - 1-0 -
Fresno State 17-17 13-3 2-12 2-2
Long Beach State 3-2 2-1 1-1 -
Louisiana 1-1 1-0 - 0-1
Montana State 12-4 8-2 4-2 -
Nevada 9-12 5-3 4-8 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
New Mexico State 5-3 4-1 1-2 -
Sam Houston State 0-1 0-1 - -
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
South Dakota 0-1 0-1 - -
South Dakota State 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-3 1-1 0-1 0-1
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 431-528 273-192 142-313 16-23
Players Mentioned
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F/C
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G/F
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Colorado State Basketball (M): Season 1 - Ep. 1
Sunday, August 10
Ramily - CSU Men's Basketball
Tuesday, August 05
Ram Line - Shoot Around with Josh Pascarelli & Darnez Slater (MBB)
Monday, August 04
Behind the White Board - Ken DeWeese
Monday, August 04