Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
17-10,8-8Mountain West
San Diego State
18-8,12-4Mountain West
Peaking at the Right Time
2/21/2026 7:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Rams look like a team discovering its best basketball as March approaches
Though people can be green with envy or blue with sadness, Colorado State brought new meaning to the color orange: teamwork.
Not the subtle, fall‑leaf orange — but the bright, pulsing shade which filled Moby Arena on Saturday. Between the pumpkin‑toned jerseys and the confidence of a four‑game win streak, the Rams arrived carrying the kind of energy which feels contagious before the opening tip even hits the hardwood.
That energy took shape almost immediately. In the first minutes, Carey Booth detonated a poster dunk which hung over the building like a neon sign.
"That dunk might be number one," Booth said. "We were body‑to‑body, you can't really repeat that."
But it wasn't just highlight material; it became the opening note in what would develop into one of CSU's most well‑rounded performances of the season.
Booth continued to capitalize on that momentum, finishing the half 5‑of‑8 from the field and carrying that rhythm into a complete night. He ended the game with 22 points on 8‑for‑12 shooting, hitting two threes and pulling down five rebounds. His production was efficient and vital — not just in the scoring column, but in stabilizing the Rams whenever SDSU's pressure mounted.Â
Pressure, of course, is what San Diego State does best. And for stretches, they succeeded — enough to force CSU into the first of many gut checks. Basketball is a sport made of runs, a point coach Ali Farokhmanesh hammered home afterward.
"How we handle the runs is going to determine our success," he said. "They're going to go on a 5‑0 run, 6‑0 run, but how do you make the next play? You just have to stay in the fight."
Colorado State didn't just stay in it — they flipped it.
Jase Butler was at the forefront and didn't slow down. By the final buzzer, he had delivered a career‑high 25 points, including four 3s and 11‑of‑12 from the free‑throw line.
"I think just his confidence has changed," Farokhmanesh said. "I think he's just starting to believe in himself a little bit more. And sometimes you need those results to get to that point. I thought this was who he was going to be. And it's cool for him to get to that point now that he is playing at a high level because he works at it, and he shows up every day. He's a byproduct of consistency."
Still, it wasn't just a two‑man show. The Rams' offense hummed with contributions from everywhere. Brandon Rechsteiner found his rhythm exactly when CSU needed another jolt, hitting five 3s and finishing with 16 points.
The difference was in the subtleties: the rotations which clicked a beat faster than they did a month ago, the decision‑making sharpened by learning the hard way through early‑season bumps, the trust visible in how freely players moved without the ball.
"I think when we lost a couple games in conference, a lot of people had stuff to say about us," Butler said. "We got really close during that stretch… We have so much confidence going into every game now."
That confidence radiated in how Colorado State handled the in‑between moments — the possessions which don't make highlight reels but define a team's maturity.
Earlier in the season, those quiet stretches sometimes wobbled. Now, they're becoming opportunities. Opportunities to regroup, to lock in, to answer pressure with poise instead of panic.
"When you have seven new guys in your rotation that haven't been here before, you lose a few games and start to question things," Farokhmanesh said. "For them to fight that off and stay together… it just takes time."
And that time seems to be paying off. With their fifth straight win, the Rams appear to be discovering their best basketball at precisely the right moment. March is inching closer. The schedule is swelling. The stakes are rising.
Yet Saturday's victory didn't feel like a peak. It felt like a promise — an indication of what this team can be when shots fall, when rotations tighten, when belief replaces hesitation.
"I always believed in myself," Booth said. "I didn't really care what anyone had to say, whether I was playing or not. I knew once I got the opportunity, I was going to be able to prove myself. So it's just great having a staff that believes in me and being with teammates that trust me."
Because belief can be loud. It can be bright and it can look a lot like orange.
