Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, December 28
Fort Collins, Colo.
2 p.m. MT
Colorado State
9-6
87
vs
62
Doane
1
2
F
Doane
34
28
62
Colorado State
40
47
87
The Dish: Rams Learn Lesson on Focus in Win
12/28/2019 4:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CSU knocks off Doane after a week off
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The game was scheduled as a buffer.
A chance to scrape off the rust after not having played in a week, then having Mountain West play resume in four days. Welcome Doane College – an NAIA school which was just 4-11 entering Saturday's contest.
So the purpose for Colorado State's men's basketball team was obvious, and at the end of an 87-62 victory, so too was a common lesson -- play every game with purpose. The final score was lopsided, but from the first half of play, Colorado State coach Niko Medved had a talking point for his team.
"I told our guys, I think there's a way you have to approach every day, and there can be a human nature that creeps in when you play these games," Medved said after win No. 100 in his career. "You can make excuses as to why -- oh, we're not at our best today. To really flip the switch and try to become the best team that we can be, we have to have a little bit more consistency in our approach."
Maybe the Rams (9-6) looked too hard at the NAIA tag, or even the record. It didn't take long to figure out Doane was ready to play well on a road against a team it wasn't supposed to be able to hang with. The Tigers led most of the first half, and the Rams didn't slip in front until there was just 4:22 to play in the first 20 minutes, heading to the locker room with just a 40-34 margin.
Doane did some things differently on offense, packed the paint with a zone on defense, and the Rams weren't quick to respond.
"It was good to be back in Moby and one game right before we get into conference play," said senior Kris Martin, one of four Rams in double figures on the afternoon. "It's still a game that we've got take seriously and play our hardest and play our best. I don't think we played our best today, but we found a way to come out and get the W.
"I felt like as a team we had the right mentality coming in, but obviously, I don't think it showed in the first half. That's' just what comes with basketball. They came to play today. They were ready to beat us today. We took their punches and we came back and did what we were supposed to do."
The result was great, thanks in part to a spark from P.J. Byrd off the bench, with the guard dishing out six assists in just 16:50 of action. A 16-0 run put the expected different between the two teams, which Medved can point at to deliver the message.
Every day matters.
"One big thing is you have to set the standard and be consistent with your energy, especially on the defensive end," said David Roddy, who along with Martin poured in 17 points to pace the host's scoring. "Even in the two practices we had, Coach kinda got on us, and we finally played great defense in practice. He keeps telling us to do that all the time. That's what makes the team great is consistency."
The Rams were getting crushed on the boards early, but turned that around to hold a 32-28 margin. Nico Carvacho finished one shy of a double-double to pair with his 14 points, while Isaiah Stevens scored 10 and matched Byrd's assist total.
The final 20 minutes were impressive, which was the point. Why not all 40? Why not approach every day with purpose.
"We know what our standard is and we know what we want it to be, now it's just about putting it together on the floor every single game, every minute," Martin said. "We know the type of team we want to be, now it's just about putting it into action."
Medved knows his team is good, but only if playing with that approach. Each day wasted in practice is a day where the Rams lose ground, he said. After an 0-2 start to conference, a road trip to Nevada and a home game with Wyoming require full attention.
He has it, as he spent most of postgame ignoring reaching the century mark. It wasn't what he was thinking about, though he finally acknowledged he loves doing what he does in a place he adores.
"Hey, it is cool, I guess, but I'm more focused on 101," he said.
A chance to scrape off the rust after not having played in a week, then having Mountain West play resume in four days. Welcome Doane College – an NAIA school which was just 4-11 entering Saturday's contest.
So the purpose for Colorado State's men's basketball team was obvious, and at the end of an 87-62 victory, so too was a common lesson -- play every game with purpose. The final score was lopsided, but from the first half of play, Colorado State coach Niko Medved had a talking point for his team.
"I told our guys, I think there's a way you have to approach every day, and there can be a human nature that creeps in when you play these games," Medved said after win No. 100 in his career. "You can make excuses as to why -- oh, we're not at our best today. To really flip the switch and try to become the best team that we can be, we have to have a little bit more consistency in our approach."
Maybe the Rams (9-6) looked too hard at the NAIA tag, or even the record. It didn't take long to figure out Doane was ready to play well on a road against a team it wasn't supposed to be able to hang with. The Tigers led most of the first half, and the Rams didn't slip in front until there was just 4:22 to play in the first 20 minutes, heading to the locker room with just a 40-34 margin.
Doane did some things differently on offense, packed the paint with a zone on defense, and the Rams weren't quick to respond.
"It was good to be back in Moby and one game right before we get into conference play," said senior Kris Martin, one of four Rams in double figures on the afternoon. "It's still a game that we've got take seriously and play our hardest and play our best. I don't think we played our best today, but we found a way to come out and get the W.
"I felt like as a team we had the right mentality coming in, but obviously, I don't think it showed in the first half. That's' just what comes with basketball. They came to play today. They were ready to beat us today. We took their punches and we came back and did what we were supposed to do."
The result was great, thanks in part to a spark from P.J. Byrd off the bench, with the guard dishing out six assists in just 16:50 of action. A 16-0 run put the expected different between the two teams, which Medved can point at to deliver the message.
Every day matters.
"One big thing is you have to set the standard and be consistent with your energy, especially on the defensive end," said David Roddy, who along with Martin poured in 17 points to pace the host's scoring. "Even in the two practices we had, Coach kinda got on us, and we finally played great defense in practice. He keeps telling us to do that all the time. That's what makes the team great is consistency."
The Rams were getting crushed on the boards early, but turned that around to hold a 32-28 margin. Nico Carvacho finished one shy of a double-double to pair with his 14 points, while Isaiah Stevens scored 10 and matched Byrd's assist total.
The final 20 minutes were impressive, which was the point. Why not all 40? Why not approach every day with purpose.
"We know what our standard is and we know what we want it to be, now it's just about putting it together on the floor every single game, every minute," Martin said. "We know the type of team we want to be, now it's just about putting it into action."
Medved knows his team is good, but only if playing with that approach. Each day wasted in practice is a day where the Rams lose ground, he said. After an 0-2 start to conference, a road trip to Nevada and a home game with Wyoming require full attention.
He has it, as he spent most of postgame ignoring reaching the century mark. It wasn't what he was thinking about, though he finally acknowledged he loves doing what he does in a place he adores.
"Hey, it is cool, I guess, but I'm more focused on 101," he said.
Team Stats
DOANE
CSU
FG%
.453
.542
3FG%
.292
.300
FT%
.778
.667
RB
28
32
TO
20
10
STL
5
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F/C
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballColorado 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