The Dish: Hometown Kid Knows Directions to Victory

DENTON, Texas – If you want to find your way around a new town, ask the local kid to lead you.

Colorado State point guard Isaiah Stevens, playing just 45 miles away from his hometown of Allen, Texas, directed the Rams deftly in the final two possessions of the game, leading to a 75-73 win over Buffalo in Friday's first-round game of the National Invitational Tournament.

Colorado State advances to play North Carolina State on March 25 at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.

The Rams led by a single point when Stevens drove the lane and dished to David Roddy for a bucket, giving the Rams a 73-70 edge, one which was erased with 12.1 seconds remaining as Buffalo's LaQuill Hardnett drained a 3.

In that situation, Colorado State coach Niko Medved feels it's a benefit if you don't have to call a timeout. It's a benefit when you have Stevens as your point guard.

"These guys know me. I used a couple earlier, but when you already know what you want to do in that situation and your guys are poised and we've been there before, I don't really see any reason to call a timeout," Medved said. "I think sometimes that allows maybe the defense to get set, to get organized.

"That was the play we were going to run in that situation, so the guys executed it beautifully. Isaiah made a great play getting downhill and scored a bucket."

Stevens didn't rush the ball up floor, either. After 39 minutes of action, he had a feel for how the Bulls would react defensively. So the sophomore set it up and added another game-winning basket to his still-developing resume, just the way he knew his coach would have drawn it up in the huddle.

He didn't have to plug in Google Maps to know exactly where to drive.

"Absolutely. We work on that tirelessly. We went to it in numerous games so far in my young career, so we were just on the same page as a whole team, as a whole staff," Stevens said. "Just coming down, I knew exactly who he wanted in the action, I knew kind of how they would play Adam Thistlewood as he started to run up the middle of the lane. It was all about just making reads and taking the ball strong at the end of the day."

And yeah, he wanted to put on a show for his family and friends in the stands. The drive before where he dished to Roddy was just as clutch, just as breathtaking, as it led to a pretty easy bucket for his classmate, who led the team with 17 points in the game.

Stevens finished with 14 points of his own, and he pushed his assist total to nine with the feed to Roddy. But getting to that point was a battle for the Rams.

It was a contest built on runs for both sides. The game was tied nine times, and the lead changed hands on 10 other occasions. The Rams built up their biggest margin of the game with a 15-1 run with 8:52 remaining. It was early in the second half the Bulls held their biggest cushion at 47-40.

Buffalo had another run in them, too, and before long, Medved decided it was time to dust off some full-court pressure and zone defense to give the Bulls another look.

And it worked, slowing them down and allowing the Rams to not only catch up but move past them.

"It's something that we've worked on, and it just kind of felt like the right time," Medved said. "They were really starting to get downhill. We worked on it, and we came right out of it and getting a turnover and knocked down a key 3. I kinda thought it got them back on their heels a little bit and kind of changed the rhythm of the game back for us. I thought that was a key change up for us."

It worked, as a 59-51 CSU lead turned into a 62-59 Buffalo advantage. Kendle Moore hit a 3 to tie the game, and from there on out, every possession was crucial with Thistlewood's 3-pointer at the 3:51 mark the basket which would lead to the Rams never trailing again.

But each possession was a test, and Stevens remained calm and ready. In the final three minutes, he scored six of his 14 points, leading like his coach knew he would.

"He just keeps growing and keeps getting better and better," said Medved. "We put a lot on his shoulders, and he makes a lot of plays for us. What's great is he's such a terrific player, but he just continues to get better and better and understanding how they're covering him and how they're playing him, understanding the reads and the game. He's just got so much confidence, and I think – I hope he does – realizes I have a ton of confidence in him."

Thistlewood added 14 points, hitting four of the Rams' seven 3-pointers in the game. James Moors scored 11, his first game in double-digits since Feb. 4 against Wyoming.

Buffalo was second in the nation in offensive rebounds, but the Rams matched them in that regard with 13 on each side. Roddy and John Tonje had three each, with Roddy leading the team with eight rebounds overall.

For a team which has been on the road for a long spell, Stevens gave them an 'A' for their effort. They've weathered a long trip to two different cities and two different hotels, all while handling the disappointment of not making the NCAA Tournament. Now the Rams head back to Fort Collins for a few days, knowing their season isn't finished.

And the hometown kid gets to return home, to a place where he learned not all game-winning baskets are made equal.

"I haven't seen my family in like nine or 10 months, going back to the summer time," Stevens said. "I've missed them a ton, and they've missed me a ton, and just being able to see them up there periodically as I glanced up in the gym is a feeling I haven't had in a while. So being able to go out there today and play hard and leave it all out for them, especially in an environment like the NIT, that's everything I've dreamed of."

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