Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
12-7,3-5Mountain West
Air Force
3-16,0-8Mountain West
Rams Steal the Show Against Air Force
1/20/2026 10:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Colorado State snaps back with an 81–52 statement win
Coming off back-to-back road losses, Colorado State returned home to Moby Arena and a glowstick-clad crowd, responding with an emphatic 81-52 win over Air Force to earn its third conference victory of the season.
For the Rams, the theme all year has been simple: what's next. Lingering on losses can only move the needle so far, and under Coach Ali Farokhmanesh, the focus has remained squarely on what's ahead.
That mindset was evident Tuesday night, especially with the return of key frontcourt pieces. A healthier Kyle Jorgensen and a cleared Rashaan Mbemba were back in full force, giving the Rams their interior presence back. After an Air Force jumper early in the game, Colorado State ripped off a 10-0 run that shifted the energy in the building and established a lead the Rams would never relinquish.
Jorgensen's absence had been felt in recent games, and his return provided more than just size.
"Having Kyle and having Rashaan out there makes a huge difference from a continuity standpoint and just an ability to flow offensively too," Farokhmanesh said. "Kyle brings just a different edge, you know? You can always tell that when he starts to feel comfortable, he starts talking a little bit… He's just unique. He's a unicorn in a way, and I think that's the way we want to play. So yeah, we missed him."
While the bigs anchored the offense, the Rams' defense set the tone. Colorado State finished with 10 steals, consistently pressuring the Falcons and disrupting passing lanes. That defensive intensity fueled transition opportunities and prevented Air Force from ever settling into a rhythm.
The pressure also highlighted one of the Rams' most encouraging trends of the night: ball movement. Colorado State recorded 17 assists while committing just six turnovers, a welcome improvement after recent struggles.
"I would just say that going into the game we knew they were going to run zone, so we thought this is a good game for us to really get the ball moving," Jase Butler said. "After the last couple games, we weren't having as good of ball movement as we know we can, so I think this was good for us just to get the ball flowing around."
Butler, a sophomore, finished with 11 points in his second start of the season.
Despite it being January, injuries have forced the Rams to cycle through multiple lineups. With Mbemba and Jorgensen back in the rotation, the team continues to search for consistency—a task that becomes increasingly urgent as conference play grinds on.
"It's go time now," Farokhmanesh said. "You could lose a game at any point, and it's not just the last five minutes. It's realizing every possession matters. When you get to that point, that's when you start separating yourselves."
Defense remains central to that separation. Josh Pascarelli, who has been variable from deep in recent weeks, paired a 3-for-4 shooting night from beyond the arc with strong defensive effort. He added seven rebounds, making his presence felt on both ends of the floor.
"It felt great," Pascarelli said. "It's been a while since I've had that high of a rebounding game, but the coaches always talk about it in practice. Protect the glass if you can, and tonight they fell my way. As long as I'm able to help and contribute, I will."
The starters weren't alone in making an impact. Colorado State's bench poured in 31 points, highlighted by true freshman guard JoJo McIver. Known for his defensive aggressiveness, McIver logged minutes at point guard and finished with nine points.
Though, like many first-year players, McIver is still navigating the learning curve.
"I think it's relaxing," Farokhmanesh said. "He wants to make the right play every time, and in basketball, there's no such thing as a perfect play. There's nine other people making decisions. We need those minutes from JoJo, especially with all the pressure we see, and I thought it was great for him to show what he can do tonight."
That same sense of comfort extended beyond the court and into Moby Arena itself. With students back in the stands and the band filling the building, the atmosphere provided a backdrop which matched the Rams' energy. The noise followed defensive stops, extra passes and effort plays, reinforcing the style of basketball Colorado State leaned on throughout the night.
Farokhmanesh has stressed all season that progress is rarely defined by a single performance. Instead, it shows up in habits—how players communicate through possessions, how they handle pressure and how consistently they commit to playing together.
Whether Tuesday's performance marks a turning point is not yet clear. What was evident, though, was a team centered on the present. Colorado State played with attention to the possession in front of it, trust in the teammate beside it and a growing confidence in the identity it is continuing to shape.
