Colorado State University Athletics
Tuesday, December 31
San Jose, CA
3:00 PM
Colorado State
at
San Jose State
Photo by: CSU Athletics Communications
Rams Ring in New Year in San Jose
12/30/2024 2:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CSU men’s basketball takes on former head coach Tim Miles and the Spartans
FORT COLLINS  – Colorado State men's basketball will take on a familiar face to ring in the New Year. CSU heads to San Jose to face former head coach Tim Miles and his San Jose State Spartans at 3 p.m. MT on New Year's Eve.
Â
Opening Tip
- Colorado State dropped its Mountain West home opener to New Mexico on Saturday 76-68.
- Jaylen Crocker-Johnson finished a rebound shy of his first double-double of the year with 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
- The sophomore transfer is averaging 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds on the year
- Kyan Evans reached double figures scoring for the third straight game with 10 points.
- Evans is averaging 9.6 points per game in his last eight games and shooting 50.0% (13-26) from behind the arc in the past six.
- Nique Clifford added in 17 points and seven rebounds.
- Clifford is has at least seven rebounds in 20 straight games, the fourth MW player to have at least 20 straight such games. Two of the other three also played at CSU (Nico Carvacho, 24 & 23) and David Roddy (22). The other was Nevada's AJ West (23).
- Clifford is averaging 16.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game to lead Colorado State.
- He was selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team after earning third team honors last season.
- Freshman Kyle Jorgensen picked up Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors after averaging 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in his first two games. He scored seven straight points for the Rams in overtime to lift them past TSU.
- He set a career-high for assists with four against UNM while matching his made 3s (2) and steals (1) mark.
- The freshman started in four games this year, averaging 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds.
- Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 124-81 as the Rams' head coach. He has the second most wins in program history trailing only Jim Williams (1955-80) and his 352.
- Medved made his first appearance in Fort Collins as an assistant coach for San Jose State coach Tim Miles. Miles was the head coach of the Rams from 2007-2012.
- He became the fifth coach in program history to reach 100 wins in Fort Collins last year.
- Medved is the only coach in program history to win 20-plus games four times.
- He picked up his 200th career win in November with the Rams' overtime win over TCU.
- The Rams welcome 10 new faces to the program in 2024-25. Six are transfers, and four are true freshmen.
- The program's all-time leading scorer and assists leader, Isaiah Stevens has moved on to professional basketball after exhausting his eligibility. He signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat on December 26 after a strong start to the year with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
- Stevens helped the Heat to a 2024 Summer League Championship.
- CSU has two players currently in the NBA or G League with David Roddy (Atlanta Hawks) and Isaiah Stevens (Miami Heat/Sioux Falls Skyforce).
Â
Scouting the Spartans
San Jose State got off to a slow start to open the season, but they have settled in as a team as non-conference play has turned into Mountain West season.
Â
SJSU won its final six non-conference games and has lost its two Mountain West games by a combined eight points.
Â
Josh Uduje and Will McClendon lead the San Jose State offense with 17.9 and 12.5 points per game. McClendon can fill it up behind the arc with 25 made 3s this season.
Â
What's Ahead
Colorado State has the weekend off before hosting a pair of games the following week inside Moby Arena. The first on Tuesday, January 7th against Fresno State at 7 p.m.
Â
That following Saturday UNLV will visit CSU for State Pride Day at 2 p.m.
Â
Tickets for the games can be purchased at CSURams.com/MBBTickets or by calling 888-491-RAMS (7267).
Â
Opening Tip
- Colorado State dropped its Mountain West home opener to New Mexico on Saturday 76-68.
- Jaylen Crocker-Johnson finished a rebound shy of his first double-double of the year with 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
- The sophomore transfer is averaging 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds on the year
- Kyan Evans reached double figures scoring for the third straight game with 10 points.
- Evans is averaging 9.6 points per game in his last eight games and shooting 50.0% (13-26) from behind the arc in the past six.
- Nique Clifford added in 17 points and seven rebounds.
- Clifford is has at least seven rebounds in 20 straight games, the fourth MW player to have at least 20 straight such games. Two of the other three also played at CSU (Nico Carvacho, 24 & 23) and David Roddy (22). The other was Nevada's AJ West (23).
- Clifford is averaging 16.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game to lead Colorado State.
- He was selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team after earning third team honors last season.
- Freshman Kyle Jorgensen picked up Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors after averaging 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in his first two games. He scored seven straight points for the Rams in overtime to lift them past TSU.
- He set a career-high for assists with four against UNM while matching his made 3s (2) and steals (1) mark.
- The freshman started in four games this year, averaging 6.3 points and 2.6 rebounds.
- Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 124-81 as the Rams' head coach. He has the second most wins in program history trailing only Jim Williams (1955-80) and his 352.
- Medved made his first appearance in Fort Collins as an assistant coach for San Jose State coach Tim Miles. Miles was the head coach of the Rams from 2007-2012.
- He became the fifth coach in program history to reach 100 wins in Fort Collins last year.
- Medved is the only coach in program history to win 20-plus games four times.
- He picked up his 200th career win in November with the Rams' overtime win over TCU.
- The Rams welcome 10 new faces to the program in 2024-25. Six are transfers, and four are true freshmen.
- The program's all-time leading scorer and assists leader, Isaiah Stevens has moved on to professional basketball after exhausting his eligibility. He signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat on December 26 after a strong start to the year with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
- Stevens helped the Heat to a 2024 Summer League Championship.
- CSU has two players currently in the NBA or G League with David Roddy (Atlanta Hawks) and Isaiah Stevens (Miami Heat/Sioux Falls Skyforce).
Â
Scouting the Spartans
San Jose State got off to a slow start to open the season, but they have settled in as a team as non-conference play has turned into Mountain West season.
Â
SJSU won its final six non-conference games and has lost its two Mountain West games by a combined eight points.
Â
Josh Uduje and Will McClendon lead the San Jose State offense with 17.9 and 12.5 points per game. McClendon can fill it up behind the arc with 25 made 3s this season.
Â
What's Ahead
Colorado State has the weekend off before hosting a pair of games the following week inside Moby Arena. The first on Tuesday, January 7th against Fresno State at 7 p.m.
Â
That following Saturday UNLV will visit CSU for State Pride Day at 2 p.m.
Â
Tickets for the games can be purchased at CSURams.com/MBBTickets or by calling 888-491-RAMS (7267).
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ 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