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Colorado State University Athletics
Sunday, December 14
Fort Collins, CO
1:00 p.m.
Colorado State
9-2,0-0Mountain West
104
vs
54
Northern New Mexico
0-2
1
2
F
Northern N.M.
26
28
54
Colorado St.
60
44
104
Bench Takes Advantage of Opportunity
12/14/2025 4:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Rams roll in final non-conference tilt
Much of the groundwork for a basketball season goes unseen. It happens at practice, in the early evening at Moby Arena, maybe in the intramural gym or the indoor practice facility. The repetition of preparation can be mind-numbing, and very few people are in attendance.
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For the most part, it's just the team, the staff and the managers. The players witness it all, particularly the starters being appreciative of the looks the reserves give them. So when they get a chance to switch places on the bench when the lights are on and Moby has crowd energy.
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In a Sunday matinee, that's the way Colorado State's game played out with Northern New Mexico, which was the hope. Establish dominance early and keep the flow regardless of who was on the floor and for how long. A 104-54 win to push the Rams to 9-2 followed the blueprint on a day when the bench not only outscored the starters, they outscored the Eagles (56-54).
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"No doubt. I mean, it's super cool," starting guard Brandon Rechsteiner said. "I mean, we all know how prepared they are, and they're going to help us at some point in the season. This kind of just shows that they can play. It's just, when the numbers call, they're going to be ready. So, it's cool."
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Not only did four Rams hit career-bests in scoring, they did so by reaching double figures for the first time. Nikola Djapa was put in a starting role with the absence of posts Rashaan Mbemba and Kyle Jorgensen, and he answered the call with 12 points, making all five of his shots from the floor.
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Off the bench, Darnez Slater one-upped him. The redshirt freshman made all six of his shots – including a 3 – as well as draining all four of his free throws to lead the team with 17 points. For a guy who only had played in five previous games, he most certainly took advantage.
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"Honestly, I feel like just me being prepared for the moment. I just always, whenever my number's called, it's just going out there, playing hard, playing with energy," Slater said. "Just trying to impact the game however I can."
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He did it with scoring, but also with defense. JoJo McIver finished with 11 points, and Jon Mekonnen came off the bench to score 13, including a late, highlight dunk, one Slater had to follow with a dunk of his own – just no windmill.
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There were six Rams in double figures, with Rechsteiner setting the early pace with some quick 3s, hitting four in all for his 12 points. It's the seventh game this season where he's dropped three or more treys. His backcourt mate, Josh Pascarelli, closed with 10.
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For coach Ali Farokhmanesh, whose family used the stage to bring awareness for neurodivergent inclusivity with Temple Grandin sitting courtside, the performance was not only what those players needed, but the team.
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Up next is a wild run through a 20-game Mountain West schedule, one which starts on the road Dec. 20 at Utah State.
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"I told them we're going to need everybody at some point," Farokhmanesh said. "Just like tonight, not having Rashaan and Kyle out, we needed everybody again. So it's going to happen down the road, especially when we're playing 20 conference games and how quick these back-to-backs happen. We're going to need everybody."
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Colorado State opened with a 9-0 run on their NAIA opponent and scored a season-best 60 in the first half. The final tally is tied for the 18th most in a game for the program, with the last time exceeding the century mark coming Dec. 29, 2023, against Adams State.
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What the first-year coach has enjoyed as much as anything is the team's ability to share the ball and find better shots. He asked Pascarelli why he passed up an open look at one point, and the guard told him he knew the action would bring a better shot.
Â
The reserves mimicked the behavior they've been watching.
Â
"We're all brothers. Like, we love each other," Slater said. "We're all always looking to motivate one another. So, I felt like that was huge. And then just going out there playing, like, just having fun. I feel like that's the biggest thing. When you're having fun, especially with your friends and your boys, like, everything just takes care of itself."
Â
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For the most part, it's just the team, the staff and the managers. The players witness it all, particularly the starters being appreciative of the looks the reserves give them. So when they get a chance to switch places on the bench when the lights are on and Moby has crowd energy.
Â
In a Sunday matinee, that's the way Colorado State's game played out with Northern New Mexico, which was the hope. Establish dominance early and keep the flow regardless of who was on the floor and for how long. A 104-54 win to push the Rams to 9-2 followed the blueprint on a day when the bench not only outscored the starters, they outscored the Eagles (56-54).
Â
"No doubt. I mean, it's super cool," starting guard Brandon Rechsteiner said. "I mean, we all know how prepared they are, and they're going to help us at some point in the season. This kind of just shows that they can play. It's just, when the numbers call, they're going to be ready. So, it's cool."
Â
Not only did four Rams hit career-bests in scoring, they did so by reaching double figures for the first time. Nikola Djapa was put in a starting role with the absence of posts Rashaan Mbemba and Kyle Jorgensen, and he answered the call with 12 points, making all five of his shots from the floor.
Â
Off the bench, Darnez Slater one-upped him. The redshirt freshman made all six of his shots – including a 3 – as well as draining all four of his free throws to lead the team with 17 points. For a guy who only had played in five previous games, he most certainly took advantage.
Â
"Honestly, I feel like just me being prepared for the moment. I just always, whenever my number's called, it's just going out there, playing hard, playing with energy," Slater said. "Just trying to impact the game however I can."
Â
He did it with scoring, but also with defense. JoJo McIver finished with 11 points, and Jon Mekonnen came off the bench to score 13, including a late, highlight dunk, one Slater had to follow with a dunk of his own – just no windmill.
Â
There were six Rams in double figures, with Rechsteiner setting the early pace with some quick 3s, hitting four in all for his 12 points. It's the seventh game this season where he's dropped three or more treys. His backcourt mate, Josh Pascarelli, closed with 10.
Â
For coach Ali Farokhmanesh, whose family used the stage to bring awareness for neurodivergent inclusivity with Temple Grandin sitting courtside, the performance was not only what those players needed, but the team.
Â
Up next is a wild run through a 20-game Mountain West schedule, one which starts on the road Dec. 20 at Utah State.
Â
"I told them we're going to need everybody at some point," Farokhmanesh said. "Just like tonight, not having Rashaan and Kyle out, we needed everybody again. So it's going to happen down the road, especially when we're playing 20 conference games and how quick these back-to-backs happen. We're going to need everybody."
Â
Colorado State opened with a 9-0 run on their NAIA opponent and scored a season-best 60 in the first half. The final tally is tied for the 18th most in a game for the program, with the last time exceeding the century mark coming Dec. 29, 2023, against Adams State.
Â
What the first-year coach has enjoyed as much as anything is the team's ability to share the ball and find better shots. He asked Pascarelli why he passed up an open look at one point, and the guard told him he knew the action would bring a better shot.
Â
The reserves mimicked the behavior they've been watching.
Â
"We're all brothers. Like, we love each other," Slater said. "We're all always looking to motivate one another. So, I felt like that was huge. And then just going out there playing, like, just having fun. I feel like that's the biggest thing. When you're having fun, especially with your friends and your boys, like, everything just takes care of itself."
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Team Stats
NNMU
CSU
FG%
.345
.613
3FG%
.231
.379
FT%
.667
.773
RB
28
40
TO
16
9
STL
5
10
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
C
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballColorado State Basketball (M): Ali Farokhmanesh Post-Game (Northern New Mexico)
Sunday, December 14
Colorado State Basketball (M): Brandon Recsteiner (L) & Darnez Slater (R) Post-Game (Northern New Mexico)
Sunday, December 14
Rams Live Exclusive - Farokhmanesh Family: Lead by Curiosity
Saturday, December 13
Colorado State Basketball (M): Ali Farokhmanesh Post-Game (Dartmouth)
Tuesday, December 09