Colorado State University Athletics
Ready for the Challenge
12/31/2023 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Nonconference slate has Rams prepped for MW gauntlet
At this point, the team has accomplished nearly everything possible.
A 12-1 mark for Colorado State's men's basketball team has it ranked 15th in the country heading into Mountain West play, and in the sport of college basketball, it matters. It will be a vital part of the Rams' resume as they make a claim to be invited to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.
From this date forward, the task is to make it stick, which will not be easy. Colorado State may be the highest-ranked team in the Mountain West as conference play opens Jan. 2 with a trio of league contests, the highlight of the day being the Rams' home date with New Mexico (8:30 p.m. tip). The top five teams in the conference boast a 60-4 record, and the top six teams can all be found in the top 20 percent of the NET Rankings.
To see the league as a four-bid conference is realistic. Five is not out of the realm of possibility. But it will be, as CSU coach Niko Medved suggested, a gauntlet.
"We're in a position to be in position. I think that's what it means," Medved said after his team routed Adams State. "Clearly for us, in college basketball, the games in November count the same as far as a tournament resume as they do in February. It's critical for our league to schedule at a high level and perform so when we get into league play, we have an opportunity to get multiple teams into the tournament. It means we've done our job. We've done our job for our program, and I think we've done our job for the league. But now that's over. Now, we have to step up into league play and we have to perform."
He has every confidence his team will do just that, based on what he's seen so far. It's been a team which has rarely been at full strength, but never viewed itself as anything but ready. Patrick Cartier has missed a few games and Taviontae Jackson missed the early portion of the schedule. Jalen Lake and Josiah Strong have been dealing with injuries – Lake returning against Adams State, Strong still awaiting his clearance to play.
It's what Cartier appreciates about the squad and its makeup. Fresh faces have been introduced, and the lineup has changed, however, the approach never has, no matter the opponent.
"The night in and night out aspect of it is difficult to do. I think that speaks to our maturity too," Cartier said. "We have a lot of older guys who I think set a good example for younger guys, some transfers who get it and have played. I think that helps, the maturity aspect."
This is not the same team from a season ago, one where injuries were detrimental. Strong is basically new, having sat out most of last year. Transfers Nique Clifford and Joel Scott are definitely new to the program, and freshmen Kyan Evans and Rashaan Mbemba are definitely new to the world of college basketball in general.
It doesn't hurt to have a premier point guard and an elite leader like Isaiah Stevens to set an example and the tone, but even after working with the team all summer, the ability to be tied in so soon was something Medved could not have anticipated.
"I think they've maybe even jelled even quicker. It would have been hard for me to expect that with so many new faces," he said. "I think they jell a high level. I love the way they pull for each other. I love it. Guys start, they come off the bench, they don't play minutes, they have to run the scout team, they have to do whatever, I think that's been just really elite from this group. Those are things that not everybody sees every day on the court, but those things make a difference."
Medved notes the leadership, which he said extends well beyond the presence of Stevens, who is now the all-time points and assists leader in the program. Cartier has been a big part; so has Lake.
Cartier says it's just as much a credit to who they brought into the program. He and Stevens returned as the Rams' leading scorers, and both are up to their old tricks. But Clifford and Scott are both averaging better than 10 a night, adding unique ways for the team to get to the basket.
The initial thought was it would aid the team's depth, a theory which has held up under fire. There are 10 Rams who are averaging double-figures in minutes, another close to eight. From Cartier's viewpoint, the newcomers were just as vital to the blending as the veterans.
"From a basketball perspective, they're really easy to play with in terms of how they can play off others. They also can create their own shot at times," he said. "Look at Nique, who is such a good creator, but he's also been spotting up and knocking down shots. From a relational standpoint, they're great people on and off the court, so they make it easy to want to play with them."
Colorado State has hung it's hat on the ability to overcome and adapt in the moment. As adept as the Rams are at being able to move the ball and generate offense, that particular attitude has been just as crucial.
It's also what gives them a bigger glimmer of hope for the future. They have not yet been at full strength, and Clifford can't wait for that moment to arrive.
"To me, it's just the way we're able to handle adversity. We've had some trials and tribulations over the course of this season so far," he said. "Injuries, dudes not playing their best at certain times. Just basketball, college basketball in general, that's how it goes. The way we've been able to handle that has been impressive and I'm very happy with the way we've done that.
"But most definitely, we're not where close to where we want to be Our motto is to continue to get better every day. Focusing on that, focusing on the things we can control -- if we continue to do that, we're going to be where we want to be at the end of the season."
They'll have to survive the Mountain West slate to reach the point, and the Rams won't ease into campaign. They do open with a home game with the Lobos, but road games at Utah State and Boise State follow. All three of those teams are in the top half of the league, and CSU is the only team which opens conference with such a run.
While they may have been picked fifth in the preseason poll, the Rams will be the lone team ranked when the conference season begins. That's a target they will wear gladly, but Medved still claims the crown rests with San Diego State.
The Aztecs, who played for the national championship last season, are coming off a 10-point road win at ranked Gonzaga. The quest for his team – for all of the league, Medved said – is to try to unseat them. Until that happens, the crown remains.
Home wins will be cherished. Road wins collected like rare gems. But being one of the challengers is exactly what Colorado State expected. Besides, wearing a target makes it a bit more fun.
"I'm excited for that. I've played Mountain West teams before, but a full Mountain West conference schedule, I'm excited," Clifford said. "That's what we want, a good schedule. We want to be tested. We don't want to be able to just roll over teams. That's going to pay off at the end of our season, playing good teams. It's great for our conference to be doing this well. I really look forward to it.
"I think we still keep the same mentality. We're just focused on us, trying to get better. That's all we can do. Hunted, hunter, I don't think it matters. We're still hungry, we have something to prove, still have that chip on our shoulder. I feel like we feel we're the hunters still even though were probably being hunted with the number by our name. We don't let that get to us."
To this point, nothing really has.
A 12-1 mark for Colorado State's men's basketball team has it ranked 15th in the country heading into Mountain West play, and in the sport of college basketball, it matters. It will be a vital part of the Rams' resume as they make a claim to be invited to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons.
From this date forward, the task is to make it stick, which will not be easy. Colorado State may be the highest-ranked team in the Mountain West as conference play opens Jan. 2 with a trio of league contests, the highlight of the day being the Rams' home date with New Mexico (8:30 p.m. tip). The top five teams in the conference boast a 60-4 record, and the top six teams can all be found in the top 20 percent of the NET Rankings.
To see the league as a four-bid conference is realistic. Five is not out of the realm of possibility. But it will be, as CSU coach Niko Medved suggested, a gauntlet.
"We're in a position to be in position. I think that's what it means," Medved said after his team routed Adams State. "Clearly for us, in college basketball, the games in November count the same as far as a tournament resume as they do in February. It's critical for our league to schedule at a high level and perform so when we get into league play, we have an opportunity to get multiple teams into the tournament. It means we've done our job. We've done our job for our program, and I think we've done our job for the league. But now that's over. Now, we have to step up into league play and we have to perform."
He has every confidence his team will do just that, based on what he's seen so far. It's been a team which has rarely been at full strength, but never viewed itself as anything but ready. Patrick Cartier has missed a few games and Taviontae Jackson missed the early portion of the schedule. Jalen Lake and Josiah Strong have been dealing with injuries – Lake returning against Adams State, Strong still awaiting his clearance to play.
It's what Cartier appreciates about the squad and its makeup. Fresh faces have been introduced, and the lineup has changed, however, the approach never has, no matter the opponent.
"The night in and night out aspect of it is difficult to do. I think that speaks to our maturity too," Cartier said. "We have a lot of older guys who I think set a good example for younger guys, some transfers who get it and have played. I think that helps, the maturity aspect."
This is not the same team from a season ago, one where injuries were detrimental. Strong is basically new, having sat out most of last year. Transfers Nique Clifford and Joel Scott are definitely new to the program, and freshmen Kyan Evans and Rashaan Mbemba are definitely new to the world of college basketball in general.
It doesn't hurt to have a premier point guard and an elite leader like Isaiah Stevens to set an example and the tone, but even after working with the team all summer, the ability to be tied in so soon was something Medved could not have anticipated.
"I think they've maybe even jelled even quicker. It would have been hard for me to expect that with so many new faces," he said. "I think they jell a high level. I love the way they pull for each other. I love it. Guys start, they come off the bench, they don't play minutes, they have to run the scout team, they have to do whatever, I think that's been just really elite from this group. Those are things that not everybody sees every day on the court, but those things make a difference."
Medved notes the leadership, which he said extends well beyond the presence of Stevens, who is now the all-time points and assists leader in the program. Cartier has been a big part; so has Lake.
Cartier says it's just as much a credit to who they brought into the program. He and Stevens returned as the Rams' leading scorers, and both are up to their old tricks. But Clifford and Scott are both averaging better than 10 a night, adding unique ways for the team to get to the basket.
The initial thought was it would aid the team's depth, a theory which has held up under fire. There are 10 Rams who are averaging double-figures in minutes, another close to eight. From Cartier's viewpoint, the newcomers were just as vital to the blending as the veterans.
"From a basketball perspective, they're really easy to play with in terms of how they can play off others. They also can create their own shot at times," he said. "Look at Nique, who is such a good creator, but he's also been spotting up and knocking down shots. From a relational standpoint, they're great people on and off the court, so they make it easy to want to play with them."
Colorado State has hung it's hat on the ability to overcome and adapt in the moment. As adept as the Rams are at being able to move the ball and generate offense, that particular attitude has been just as crucial.
It's also what gives them a bigger glimmer of hope for the future. They have not yet been at full strength, and Clifford can't wait for that moment to arrive.
"To me, it's just the way we're able to handle adversity. We've had some trials and tribulations over the course of this season so far," he said. "Injuries, dudes not playing their best at certain times. Just basketball, college basketball in general, that's how it goes. The way we've been able to handle that has been impressive and I'm very happy with the way we've done that.
"But most definitely, we're not where close to where we want to be Our motto is to continue to get better every day. Focusing on that, focusing on the things we can control -- if we continue to do that, we're going to be where we want to be at the end of the season."
They'll have to survive the Mountain West slate to reach the point, and the Rams won't ease into campaign. They do open with a home game with the Lobos, but road games at Utah State and Boise State follow. All three of those teams are in the top half of the league, and CSU is the only team which opens conference with such a run.
While they may have been picked fifth in the preseason poll, the Rams will be the lone team ranked when the conference season begins. That's a target they will wear gladly, but Medved still claims the crown rests with San Diego State.
The Aztecs, who played for the national championship last season, are coming off a 10-point road win at ranked Gonzaga. The quest for his team – for all of the league, Medved said – is to try to unseat them. Until that happens, the crown remains.
Home wins will be cherished. Road wins collected like rare gems. But being one of the challengers is exactly what Colorado State expected. Besides, wearing a target makes it a bit more fun.
"I'm excited for that. I've played Mountain West teams before, but a full Mountain West conference schedule, I'm excited," Clifford said. "That's what we want, a good schedule. We want to be tested. We don't want to be able to just roll over teams. That's going to pay off at the end of our season, playing good teams. It's great for our conference to be doing this well. I really look forward to it.
"I think we still keep the same mentality. We're just focused on us, trying to get better. That's all we can do. Hunted, hunter, I don't think it matters. We're still hungry, we have something to prove, still have that chip on our shoulder. I feel like we feel we're the hunters still even though were probably being hunted with the number by our name. We don't let that get to us."
To this point, nothing really has.
Players Mentioned
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