Colorado State University Athletics
Rams Take On Wolf Pack in Quarterfinals
3/13/2025 9:38:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Colorado State men’s basketball starts the Mountain West Tournament on Thursday
LAS VEGAS – Back to 0-0. That's what Colorado State men's basketball will be as they tip-off the Mountain West Tournament Thursday evening against Nevada at 7 p.m. MT.
Opening Tip
- Colorado State enters the Mountain West Tournament as the No. 2 seed after winning a program record 16 conference games this year.
- CSU has been the second seed three previous times (2013, 2017, 2022), holding a 4-3 record as it made the championship game in 2017.
- Colorado State has won the Mountain West Tournament once, back in 2003 as the No. 6 seed.
- The Rams enter the tournament with a seven-game win streak and winners of 11 of the past 13 games.
- CSU won a program-best seven Mountain West road games this season.
- During the seven-game streak, the Rams' defense is allowing just 61.0 points per game and holding opponents to 42.4% leading to a margin of victory of 19.6 points.
- Two Rams earned All-Mountain West honors in Nique Clifford and Kyan Evans. Clifford was unanimous first team selection and on the all-defense team, while Evans earned honorable mention.
- Colorado State has the longest active streak of having a player on the first team All-Mountain West list at seven years. Nico Carvacho (2019-20), David Roddy (2021-22), Isaiah Stevens (2023-24) and Nique Clifford (2025)
- Clifford also picked up the Mountain West Player of the Week honor after he averaged 25.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals on 70.4% shooting.
- He put on a show in the regular season finale at Boise State with 36 points, shooting 72.2% in the 10-point win over the Broncos.
- It was the most points in a game by a Ram since David Roddy scored 36 against Creighton in November of 2021.
- Clifford is averaging 18.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
- He became the first Ram in program history to have 500 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists. Clifford is also the only Division I players to have 550 points, 300 rebounds and 125 assists this season.
- Clifford is third in the nation with 8.19 defensive rebounds per game and 14th for total rebounds at 9.7.
- Kyan Evans had his eighth straight double figures scoring game with 14 points, two assists and two rebounds against Boise State.
- Evans found his way during conference season averaging 12.0 points and 3.4 assists while shooting 45.2% behind the arc.
- Jalen Lake is having a strong senior season averaging 11.5 points on 42.4% shooting including 34.7% from behind the arc.
- Lake scored 11 points including a pair of 3s in the win at Boise State.
- The Rams are averaging 16.8 assists per game to rank 22nd in the nation. Their assist rate of 62.9% is the seventh best in the NCAA.
- CSU ranks 10th in the nation making 79.0% of its free throw attempts this season.
- The Rams were an impressive 21-for-22 at Boise State last Friday.
- Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 138-84 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 five times.- He picked up his 200th career win in November with the Rams' overtime win over TCU.
Scouting the Wolf Pack
Nevada earned its spot in the quarterfinals defeating Fresno State 86-71 Wednesday afternoon. The win was the 700th in coach Steve Alford's career.
The Wolf Pack are led by second team All-Conference selection Nick Davidson and third team member Kobe Sanders. Each are averaging 15.6 points per game and have accounted for almost 50% of the team's assists.
What's Ahead
With a win, Colorado State will face Utah State or UNLV in the semifinals Friday night at 10 p.m. MT.
Opening Tip
- Colorado State enters the Mountain West Tournament as the No. 2 seed after winning a program record 16 conference games this year.
- CSU has been the second seed three previous times (2013, 2017, 2022), holding a 4-3 record as it made the championship game in 2017.
- Colorado State has won the Mountain West Tournament once, back in 2003 as the No. 6 seed.
- The Rams enter the tournament with a seven-game win streak and winners of 11 of the past 13 games.
- CSU won a program-best seven Mountain West road games this season.
- During the seven-game streak, the Rams' defense is allowing just 61.0 points per game and holding opponents to 42.4% leading to a margin of victory of 19.6 points.
- Two Rams earned All-Mountain West honors in Nique Clifford and Kyan Evans. Clifford was unanimous first team selection and on the all-defense team, while Evans earned honorable mention.
- Colorado State has the longest active streak of having a player on the first team All-Mountain West list at seven years. Nico Carvacho (2019-20), David Roddy (2021-22), Isaiah Stevens (2023-24) and Nique Clifford (2025)
- Clifford also picked up the Mountain West Player of the Week honor after he averaged 25.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals on 70.4% shooting.
- He put on a show in the regular season finale at Boise State with 36 points, shooting 72.2% in the 10-point win over the Broncos.
- It was the most points in a game by a Ram since David Roddy scored 36 against Creighton in November of 2021.
- Clifford is averaging 18.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
- He became the first Ram in program history to have 500 points, 300 rebounds and 100 assists. Clifford is also the only Division I players to have 550 points, 300 rebounds and 125 assists this season.
- Clifford is third in the nation with 8.19 defensive rebounds per game and 14th for total rebounds at 9.7.
- Kyan Evans had his eighth straight double figures scoring game with 14 points, two assists and two rebounds against Boise State.
- Evans found his way during conference season averaging 12.0 points and 3.4 assists while shooting 45.2% behind the arc.
- Jalen Lake is having a strong senior season averaging 11.5 points on 42.4% shooting including 34.7% from behind the arc.
- Lake scored 11 points including a pair of 3s in the win at Boise State.
- The Rams are averaging 16.8 assists per game to rank 22nd in the nation. Their assist rate of 62.9% is the seventh best in the NCAA.
- CSU ranks 10th in the nation making 79.0% of its free throw attempts this season.
- The Rams were an impressive 21-for-22 at Boise State last Friday.
- Head coach Niko Medved is in his seventh year leading Colorado State. He is 138-84 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 five times.- He picked up his 200th career win in November with the Rams' overtime win over TCU.
Scouting the Wolf Pack
Nevada earned its spot in the quarterfinals defeating Fresno State 86-71 Wednesday afternoon. The win was the 700th in coach Steve Alford's career.
The Wolf Pack are led by second team All-Conference selection Nick Davidson and third team member Kobe Sanders. Each are averaging 15.6 points per game and have accounted for almost 50% of the team's assists.
What's Ahead
With a win, Colorado State will face Utah State or UNLV in the semifinals Friday night at 10 p.m. MT.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballFriday, June 05
Saturday, March 07
Saturday, March 07
Friday, March 06