Resilience Rules the Court Against Boise State

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The game is never truly over until it's over.

That glaring truth was faced by Colorado State men's basketball while playing preseason favorite Boise State.

Though BSU boasts players like Tyson Degenhart and Alvaro Cardenas, who both nearly played the entire game and bring a physical edge to the Broncos' offense, CSU came out with the win 75-72.

"I'll tell you one thing," coach Niko Medved said. "I can't wait for Degenhart to graduate. He is a heck of a player."

Throughout the first half, most everything was going the Rams' way. First time starter Nikola Djapa from Serbia threw down a pair dunks straight out of the gate. Nique Clifford had 10 points at 2-of-4 from the 3 and four assists. Jalen Lake was 3-of-5 from the field with eight points of his own.

Though lacking Rashaan Mbemba, the defensive and offensive strategy continued to click after their game against Wyoming ending 79-63 on Jan. 18.

"I think we are being a lot more connected," Clifford said. "I just think we matured so much as a team and we're really starting to trust each other on both sides of the ball."

However, the game was not entirely in their favor. In the second half, the Broncos took the lead with 1:09 left in the game with a 3 from Degenhart. The game of runs had finally caught up to them.

BSU played hard until the end but with quick thinking, and maybe a small bit of luck, CSU got the ball back. A layup from Clifford and 3 from Lake, the game was a done deal.

"You get all of these new guys and you have a chance to be a good team," Medved said. "But, they haven't gone through anything together yet. And I think us going through things together, I think adversity is where you really learn about yourself and who you are. I think it's given them the ability to stay with it and work through it."

And after all, the Rams were not playing for the usual ticketholders, students were back from break and with free white merchandise, comes loads of energy.

With both student sections full and a palpable buzz in the air from the college students packing Moby Arena, the traditions came back alive.

Fingers in the air for free-throws, the crowd erupting after every dunk and students clad with white beanies wishing for a win.

"It's awesome having the students back," Lake said. "That energy, we feed off of that and it's awesome being back in Moby with all that energy. It was fun."

Feeding off the energy, the team ended the game shooting 46% and making 11 3s compared to the Broncos' six. At one point in the second half, they led by 17.

The team now goes on the road again against Fresno State who is 1-7 in conference.

"It's a huge win," Medved said. "But, like I told them in the locker room, we have to keep our approach the same. Whatever happened tonight, we have to turn around and go to Fresno on Saturday. Anytime in this league when you don't show up with an edge or ready to play, you can get beat."

Prepare for the unexpected run, especially when it comes after a 17-point lead in the second half a minute before the game ends.

Their resilience speaks to the team they have slowly started becoming, in spite of the many talented seniors graduating last season.

"I think it's a credit to our resilience," Clifford said. "We've been tested. We've been in a lot of close games. And so, earlier in the year, I don't think we could have won that game and it just shows how much better we've gotten."

Resilience, energy from a white-out game win and a new option off the bench in Djapa—the team falls deeper into conference play, slowly preparing for more precarious circumstances.

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