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Colorado State University Athletics
Rams Jump Directly into the Deep End
12/18/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Mountain West play begins on the road at Utah State
The approach is simple. It's coming, so why wait? Might as well rip off the Band-Aid in one swift motion, dive directly into the deep end.
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On the road at Utah State to open Mountain West play (Saturday at noon) seems to be the ideal way to enter the fray as any for Colorado State's men's basketball team.
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"I mean, Utah State probably has one of the best environments here in Mountain West, so, you know, it's going to be a test. We're getting ready for it, and we're going to be prepared and ready to go, and we're excited," CSU post Kyle Jorgensen said. "It's not like we're going in there fearing it, but we're excited to get that first one. Conference play is crazy, but we're excited to get going.
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"I told our guys, they didn't even have Moby Madness experience until CU. So, even the home games are going to be loud, but especially the away games. A huge test, huge test to start, and it's going to test our character, and we're going to have to go through some adversity, which we haven't really seen that often this year, except for DU. So, it's going to test us, and it's going to be exciting."
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Utah State is one of five Mountain West teams sitting in the top 62 of NET, one of the many metrics people use to establish merit. The Aggies lead the conference pack at No. 29;Â Rams sit at 54 and the conference opener will represent their first Quad 1 opportunity.
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In Ali Farokhmanesh's first season as head coach, the team has established an offensive rhythm and displayed an ability to shoot the ball well. From anywhere. They lead the country in field goal percentage (54.3), 3-point percentage (44.7) and free throw percentage (80.8). An impressive trifecta no team has accomplished at the end of a season. Â Only three teams have led in two categories, the last being Weber State in 2013 (FG and 3-point percentage).
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CSU has done it by spreading the wealth, averaging 18.7 assists per contest. If a team is looking for some confidence, it's not a bad place to start. So is displaying a bit of resiliency.
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"I feel like we've always been really selfless as a team. Like last game, seeing guys that don't get the opportunity as much, getting that opportunity and doing well and having big moments," Carey Booth said. "Everyone's happy for each other, so I probably like that the most, just the selflessness.
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"What really gives me confidence is just the way we bounce back. We've had really tough losses early in the season. A lot of teams have a loss like we did early in the season to Denver at home.
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The season could have ended up going downhill, but for us, we bounced back and we just kept our heads high. So I feel like our resilience is what I really like about this team. And no matter what happens when we play Utah State, whether it's a win or a loss, I feel like we're going to keep growing from that."
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Growth is always the key. In the transfer portal era, it's unfair to look at year to the next and proclaim the roster as the same team. Colorado State most definitely is not, but the Rams started one way a season ago and finished another – in a positive way. Much of the turnaround stemmed from defensive growth, which Farokhmanesh and his squad are looking for, having played much of the season without the expected defensive anchor Rashaan Mbemba in the lineup.
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Jorgensen, for one, believes this current period will help. School is out of session for a couple of weeks and there will be a 10-day space between games. Using that time to clean up some areas and gain cohesiveness in others should help.
Â
What's on the agenda now is a tough road game for openers. What happens later will become vital, a message the coach has consistently delivered.
Â
"We've got to keep growing. And that's the best part about this group, though," Farokhmanesh said. "They always want to grow and get better, and they know there's no finish line right now. The biggest thing is, can we get to the best this team can get to by the time we hit March?
Â
"I told them, I don't know what that looks like. And I like where we're at today. But if we keep growing and getting better, it's going to be scary."
Â
From the Rams' perspective, there's no reason to put off the tests any longer.
Â
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On the road at Utah State to open Mountain West play (Saturday at noon) seems to be the ideal way to enter the fray as any for Colorado State's men's basketball team.
Â
"I mean, Utah State probably has one of the best environments here in Mountain West, so, you know, it's going to be a test. We're getting ready for it, and we're going to be prepared and ready to go, and we're excited," CSU post Kyle Jorgensen said. "It's not like we're going in there fearing it, but we're excited to get that first one. Conference play is crazy, but we're excited to get going.
Â
"I told our guys, they didn't even have Moby Madness experience until CU. So, even the home games are going to be loud, but especially the away games. A huge test, huge test to start, and it's going to test our character, and we're going to have to go through some adversity, which we haven't really seen that often this year, except for DU. So, it's going to test us, and it's going to be exciting."
Â
Utah State is one of five Mountain West teams sitting in the top 62 of NET, one of the many metrics people use to establish merit. The Aggies lead the conference pack at No. 29;Â Rams sit at 54 and the conference opener will represent their first Quad 1 opportunity.
Â
In Ali Farokhmanesh's first season as head coach, the team has established an offensive rhythm and displayed an ability to shoot the ball well. From anywhere. They lead the country in field goal percentage (54.3), 3-point percentage (44.7) and free throw percentage (80.8). An impressive trifecta no team has accomplished at the end of a season. Â Only three teams have led in two categories, the last being Weber State in 2013 (FG and 3-point percentage).
Â
CSU has done it by spreading the wealth, averaging 18.7 assists per contest. If a team is looking for some confidence, it's not a bad place to start. So is displaying a bit of resiliency.
Â
"I feel like we've always been really selfless as a team. Like last game, seeing guys that don't get the opportunity as much, getting that opportunity and doing well and having big moments," Carey Booth said. "Everyone's happy for each other, so I probably like that the most, just the selflessness.
Â
"What really gives me confidence is just the way we bounce back. We've had really tough losses early in the season. A lot of teams have a loss like we did early in the season to Denver at home.
Â
The season could have ended up going downhill, but for us, we bounced back and we just kept our heads high. So I feel like our resilience is what I really like about this team. And no matter what happens when we play Utah State, whether it's a win or a loss, I feel like we're going to keep growing from that."
Â
Growth is always the key. In the transfer portal era, it's unfair to look at year to the next and proclaim the roster as the same team. Colorado State most definitely is not, but the Rams started one way a season ago and finished another – in a positive way. Much of the turnaround stemmed from defensive growth, which Farokhmanesh and his squad are looking for, having played much of the season without the expected defensive anchor Rashaan Mbemba in the lineup.
Â
Jorgensen, for one, believes this current period will help. School is out of session for a couple of weeks and there will be a 10-day space between games. Using that time to clean up some areas and gain cohesiveness in others should help.
Â
What's on the agenda now is a tough road game for openers. What happens later will become vital, a message the coach has consistently delivered.
Â
"We've got to keep growing. And that's the best part about this group, though," Farokhmanesh said. "They always want to grow and get better, and they know there's no finish line right now. The biggest thing is, can we get to the best this team can get to by the time we hit March?
Â
"I told them, I don't know what that looks like. And I like where we're at today. But if we keep growing and getting better, it's going to be scary."
Â
From the Rams' perspective, there's no reason to put off the tests any longer.
Â
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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