Rams Unable to Overcome Slow Start in Showdown

Calendar

Show:/

Oct 25

Men's Basketball

at Creighton (Exhibition)

Nov 3

Men's Basketball

vs Incarnate Word

Nov 9

Men's Basketball

vs Omaha

Nov 12

Men's Basketball

vs Cal Poly

Nov 16

Men's Basketball

at Loyola Chicago

Familiar foes breed contentious circumstances.

Ending the half 22-points down, the situation was bleak. Colorado State was shooting 26% from the field compared to Colorado's 55% and had 15 rebounds to their 26.

The game ended 72-55 in a Buff's win, continuing their home-court streak.

However, the numbers don't mean everything, they rather represent weak areas and paint a larger picture. The picture on Saturday was not a winning one, but that doesn't mean learning cannot occur.

"Hopefully we learn to be more aggressive," coach Niko Medved said. "You're dealing with young people. And some young guys, when the games get big, it's hard to stay in the moment. All of a sudden it gets going and you just have to go through it and learn."

The game was a true snowball effect. Not only did the score compound, but so too did the nature of the players. The Rams were playing fast and rough and letting easy shots go by.

CU was playing combative. Getting underneath the ball and dominating the zone, they scored 43-points to CSU's 21 to end the first half.

"I think we rushed some shots," Jalen Lake said. "We could have come out a lot tougher offensively. Getting catches and keeping going to the glass."

Lake was the highest scorer on the court, getting 18 by the end of the night, shooting 5-from-11 from the field. Those points didn't make up for the Buff's score which only got larger.

However, comprehensive offense was not the only thing lacking from the Rams' game, defensively there was lots to be missed.

"You could see really quickly that we were not able to execute on either end of the floor," Medved said. "It started off on the defensive end, we let the team score a lot of easy baskets. Early, we had a couple of good shots that didn't go down and I think we got frustrated and we forced some bad shots."

Controlling their frustration is something the Rams have highlighted during their practice time. Noting that, as frustrating as it may be, don't let it affect the game.

Having a younger roster might affect this to an extent, but the goal of pushing past missed shots and looking at every shot as a new opportunity continues to be paramount. Part of that, is communicating through every play.

"We just have to stay together," Lake said. "That's what it is. We have to have better starts. Got to be a lot tougher in certain areas. Like, pulling guys together and being more connected."

In order to stay together, the CSU must make some adjustments during their off week. Take a look back at the film and reflect on the game with fresh eyes.

With men's basketball's own Rocky Mountain Showdown being the first road game of the season, adjusting for the circumstances can continue to occur on and off the court while preparing for their second road game against Virginia Commonwealth on Dec. 14.

"Most teams at our level have not played a true road game yet," Medved said. "We did. Clearly, we didn't handle it very well, kind of like Kansas at Creighton the other night. We got to learn from it because we're going to go on the road a lot here coming up against good teams and good environments. So, maybe the bright side for us is that we have to learn the hard way."

Doing things the hard way is not attractive to anybody, but it continues to be the reality for CSU basketball.

The secret is, continue to learn and prepare for the hard road ahead, even with uncertain circumstances.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results