Colorado State University Athletics
The Dish: Rams Go from Silly to Celebrating
2/22/2020 4:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Team has to rally again from slow start
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Silly is the word Niko Medved used.
At halftime against San Jose State on Saturday, he could've characterized the team's mistakes as any number of things, but he chose a simple word to sum it up.
Many of the miscues early on were just so -- they were uncharacteristic and costly. Fouling 3-point shooters, turning the ball over on miscommunications and struggling to contain Seneca Knight, who scored 26 of his season-high 37 despite him being a key point in preparation, were all outside of the norm for Medved's roster – irregular for much of the season, at least.
The last three games have shown a different side of the Rams. Each game, they've trailed at halftime, come out of the opening whistle uncoordinated and generally lacked resemblance to the team which held the second spot in the conference standings for a period.
"I didn't think the slow start was (due to) intensity," Medved said. "Sometimes, you're getting a little too hyped up. Sometimes, games just go a certain way and you've got to find ways to win. Clearly, we didn't have it going on both ends the way that we wanted, but we found a way to get the job done."
Things weren't all bad. They still captured a 78-71 at Moby Arena and remained in the hunt for one of the conference's top seeds.
Dischon Thomas scored nine points in a five-minute span as part of his 13. Adam Thistlewood poured in 14 of his team-high 16 as well. The three-point halftime margin was a symbol of the effort level in the face of blunders.
Almost like clockwork and much like their win over Wyoming, the Rams clicked at the game's tipping point, going on a 14-2 run to pull away.
"The games are 40 minutes, there's going to be runs both ways," Medved said. "I'd prefer to start better, I'd prefer to play with the lead, I'd prefer to execute on both ends of the floor, but I feel like we will. This is a position for us, playing meaningful games in February, that's new."
A big part of the Rams slow starts in recent weeks has been the newfound pressure. Several of the players who are playing prominent roles aren't used to acting as the target of maximum effort, they're used to supplying it against teams with better records.
Yes, Wyoming and San Jose lack the punch of a top contender in the Mountain West. They don't lack motivation to upset the Rams though.
"We get a lot of team's best games," Thistlewood said. "Tonight, they were shooting the heck out of the ball. We just have to buckle down and play our game."
If only for a game, the Rams will go on the hunt once again Tuesday. San Diego State awaits, as does their dominant season to this point and Viejas Arena, which Medved has yet to visit as a head coach.
A slow start won't work next time out. The Aztecs are simply too good to allow a visiting team to storm back, especially on limited rest.
Much like the team's win over the Spartans, Medved expects the energy to be high given the situation.
"I think it's a great college basketball environment," Medved said. "We've played in a few others this year, mainly our first road game of the year (against) Duke. I would anticipate a similar environment. You've got all of it going against you: sellout arena, their Senior Night… who wouldn't want that?"
At halftime against San Jose State on Saturday, he could've characterized the team's mistakes as any number of things, but he chose a simple word to sum it up.
Many of the miscues early on were just so -- they were uncharacteristic and costly. Fouling 3-point shooters, turning the ball over on miscommunications and struggling to contain Seneca Knight, who scored 26 of his season-high 37 despite him being a key point in preparation, were all outside of the norm for Medved's roster – irregular for much of the season, at least.
The last three games have shown a different side of the Rams. Each game, they've trailed at halftime, come out of the opening whistle uncoordinated and generally lacked resemblance to the team which held the second spot in the conference standings for a period.
"I didn't think the slow start was (due to) intensity," Medved said. "Sometimes, you're getting a little too hyped up. Sometimes, games just go a certain way and you've got to find ways to win. Clearly, we didn't have it going on both ends the way that we wanted, but we found a way to get the job done."
Things weren't all bad. They still captured a 78-71 at Moby Arena and remained in the hunt for one of the conference's top seeds.
Dischon Thomas scored nine points in a five-minute span as part of his 13. Adam Thistlewood poured in 14 of his team-high 16 as well. The three-point halftime margin was a symbol of the effort level in the face of blunders.
Almost like clockwork and much like their win over Wyoming, the Rams clicked at the game's tipping point, going on a 14-2 run to pull away.
"The games are 40 minutes, there's going to be runs both ways," Medved said. "I'd prefer to start better, I'd prefer to play with the lead, I'd prefer to execute on both ends of the floor, but I feel like we will. This is a position for us, playing meaningful games in February, that's new."
A big part of the Rams slow starts in recent weeks has been the newfound pressure. Several of the players who are playing prominent roles aren't used to acting as the target of maximum effort, they're used to supplying it against teams with better records.
Yes, Wyoming and San Jose lack the punch of a top contender in the Mountain West. They don't lack motivation to upset the Rams though.
"We get a lot of team's best games," Thistlewood said. "Tonight, they were shooting the heck out of the ball. We just have to buckle down and play our game."
If only for a game, the Rams will go on the hunt once again Tuesday. San Diego State awaits, as does their dominant season to this point and Viejas Arena, which Medved has yet to visit as a head coach.
A slow start won't work next time out. The Aztecs are simply too good to allow a visiting team to storm back, especially on limited rest.
Much like the team's win over the Spartans, Medved expects the energy to be high given the situation.
"I think it's a great college basketball environment," Medved said. "We've played in a few others this year, mainly our first road game of the year (against) Duke. I would anticipate a similar environment. You've got all of it going against you: sellout arena, their Senior Night… who wouldn't want that?"
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