Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, February 8
Fort Collins, CO
8:00 PM
Colorado State
vs
San Diego State
Rams Host Aztecs for Orange Out
2/7/2025 6:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Colorado State men's basketball hosts its annual Orange Out Saturday night
FORT COLLINS – Colorado State men's basketball returns to its Aggie roots on Saturday with their annual Orange Out. The Rams will host San Diego State at 8 p.m. MT.
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Opening Tip
- Colorado State's four game win streak was snapped on Wednesday when they fell to New Mexico on the road 87-65.
- The Rams shot just 34.5% in the game, their second lowest percentage of the year, while the 87 points from UNM was a season-high for any opponent.
- Rashaan Mbemba led CSU in the loss with 17 points adding in three rebounds, an assists, a block and a steal.
- Nique Clifford finished a point shy of his 10th double-double of the year with nine points and 10 rebounds. He also led the team with five assists.
- Clifford has recorded five-plus assists in six of the last seven games.
- He is averaging 17.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
- He is the only Division I player to have at least 380 points, 200 rebounds and 90 assists this season.
- Clifford is sixth in the nation with 8.18 defensive rebounds per game and 16th for total rebounds at 9.6.
- He was selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team after earning third team honors last season.
- Jalen Lake is having a strong senior season averaging 12.3 points on 42.5% shooting including 33.6% from behind the arc.
- Sophomore Kyan Evans battled foul trouble but still finished the night with a point shy of his career-high with 15 points.
- The Kansas City native has turned a corner in the past 12 games averaging 10.8 points shooting 46.2% from 3-point range with 3.7 assists per game.
- CSU ranks 11th in the nation making 78.7% of its free throw attempts this season.
- Colorado State's defense has turned it up in conference play. They are allowing just 66.8 points and holding opponents to 42.4 shooting.
- In conference games only, the Rams ranks third in Bartorvik for adjusted defensive efficiency at 99.9 and KenPom as well at 101.1.
- San Diego State won the first meeting between these two teams a month ago 75-60. Turnovers hurt the Rams in that game as they gave it up 20 times.
- Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 131-83 as the Rams' head coach. He has the second most wins in program history trailing only Jim Williams (1955-80) and his 352.
- 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.
- CSU has two players currently in the NBA or G League with David Roddy (Atlanta Hawks) and Isaiah Stevens (Miami Heat/Sioux Falls Skyforce).
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Scouting the Aztecs
The staple of the San Diego State program is their defense and once again this year the Aztecs are near the top of the nation. SDSU is allowing just 62.9 points a game and opponent are shooting 36.5% against them, including 29.5% behind the arc.
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The Aztecs rank ninth in the nation for defensive efficiency with a mark of 93.4. SDSU holds its opponents to 43.5% shooting inside the arc, the eighth best mark in the nation.
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Miles Byrd leads San Diego State offensively with 13.8 points per game and is fourth on the team grabbing 4.3 rebounds.
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What's Ahead
Colorado State heads to Logan, Utah on Tuesday to face the Aggies of Utah State. CSU and USU will tip off at 9 p.m. MT.
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The Rams next home contest is a week from Saturday when they host Wyoming for a Stripe Out at 2 p.m. MT
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Tickets can be purchased at CSURams.com/MBBTickets.
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Opening Tip
- Colorado State's four game win streak was snapped on Wednesday when they fell to New Mexico on the road 87-65.
- The Rams shot just 34.5% in the game, their second lowest percentage of the year, while the 87 points from UNM was a season-high for any opponent.
- Rashaan Mbemba led CSU in the loss with 17 points adding in three rebounds, an assists, a block and a steal.
- Nique Clifford finished a point shy of his 10th double-double of the year with nine points and 10 rebounds. He also led the team with five assists.
- Clifford has recorded five-plus assists in six of the last seven games.
- He is averaging 17.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
- He is the only Division I player to have at least 380 points, 200 rebounds and 90 assists this season.
- Clifford is sixth in the nation with 8.18 defensive rebounds per game and 16th for total rebounds at 9.6.
- He was selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team after earning third team honors last season.
- Jalen Lake is having a strong senior season averaging 12.3 points on 42.5% shooting including 33.6% from behind the arc.
- Sophomore Kyan Evans battled foul trouble but still finished the night with a point shy of his career-high with 15 points.
- The Kansas City native has turned a corner in the past 12 games averaging 10.8 points shooting 46.2% from 3-point range with 3.7 assists per game.
- CSU ranks 11th in the nation making 78.7% of its free throw attempts this season.
- Colorado State's defense has turned it up in conference play. They are allowing just 66.8 points and holding opponents to 42.4 shooting.
- In conference games only, the Rams ranks third in Bartorvik for adjusted defensive efficiency at 99.9 and KenPom as well at 101.1.
- San Diego State won the first meeting between these two teams a month ago 75-60. Turnovers hurt the Rams in that game as they gave it up 20 times.
- Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 131-83 as the Rams' head coach. He has the second most wins in program history trailing only Jim Williams (1955-80) and his 352.
- 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.
- CSU has two players currently in the NBA or G League with David Roddy (Atlanta Hawks) and Isaiah Stevens (Miami Heat/Sioux Falls Skyforce).
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Scouting the Aztecs
The staple of the San Diego State program is their defense and once again this year the Aztecs are near the top of the nation. SDSU is allowing just 62.9 points a game and opponent are shooting 36.5% against them, including 29.5% behind the arc.
Â
The Aztecs rank ninth in the nation for defensive efficiency with a mark of 93.4. SDSU holds its opponents to 43.5% shooting inside the arc, the eighth best mark in the nation.
Â
Miles Byrd leads San Diego State offensively with 13.8 points per game and is fourth on the team grabbing 4.3 rebounds.
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What's Ahead
Colorado State heads to Logan, Utah on Tuesday to face the Aggies of Utah State. CSU and USU will tip off at 9 p.m. MT.
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The Rams next home contest is a week from Saturday when they host Wyoming for a Stripe Out at 2 p.m. MT
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Tickets can be purchased at CSURams.com/MBBTickets.
Players Mentioned
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