Consistency matters in a 30+ game season.
And while the Mountain West is traditionally anything but stable during conference play, Ali Farokhmanesh has kept his focus on continually improving Colorado State men’s basketball. The season has had its ups and downs already, and the first-year head coach has seen everything from his team shooting lights out to major disruptions which led to inefficiency.
Heavy ball pressure has caused major problems for the Rams’ offensive flow, and CSU faced a stretch without Kyle Jorgensen and Rashaan Mbemba where they struggled to overcome that pressure. But Tuesday night looked a little more familiar in Moby, in which Jorgensen and Mbemba logged 24 and 17 minutes respectively against a wayward Air Force squad, leading to 81-52 victory for CSU.
With a fully healthy roster, Farokhmanesh switched up the rotation, yielding different combinations of lineups and more flexibility.
“We thought that was going to be our starting lineup on October 31 or whatever date that was, and then Rashaan sprained his ankle, and we’ve never seen that lineup since,” Farokhmanesh said. “So it was the first time we’ve been able to do that. And it just helps having that continuity.”
The continuity showed early.
The Rams settled in quickly, building a 38-21 halftime lead while holding the Falcons to 2-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc. CSU never trailed after the opening minute and steadily expanded the margin pushing the lead to as many as 33 in the second half.
Much of that early control stemmed from improved ball movement. After consecutive road losses where CSU struggled to generate rhythm offensively, the Rams emphasized pace and trust against an Air Force defense they took advantage of early.
“Going into the game, we knew they were going to run zone,” Jase Butler said. “So we thought this was a good game for us to really get the ball moving after the last couple of games not really having good ball movement as we know we can. So I think this was good for us, just to get the ball floating around.”
CSU recorded 17 assists on 28 made field goals and placed five players in double figures, a reflection of offensive flow rather than forced shot making.
Defensively, CSU adjusted early. The Falcons tested CSU’s perimeter defense but the Rams responded by tightening gaps and attacking ball handlers.
“I feel like every time we scout a team like they kind of switch their stuff up a little bit when we play them,” Butler said. “But, yeah, they ran a lot more dribble drive action than we thought … but I think we adjusted well.”
CSU finished with 10 steals and forced 14 turnovers, preventing Air Force from building any sustained momentum. Once the Rams settled into those reads, the Falcons struggled to generate clean looks, particularly from the perimeter.
Offensively, CSU found balance through interior pressure.
While the Rams shot 42% from deep, the separation came from paint touches rather than perimeter volume, guards consistently drove the ball with purpose, collapsing the defense and creating open looks on the perimeter.
“Look, we’re a great shooting team, but you (have) got to score the ball from the paint, too,” Farokhmanesh said. “And I think now we’re starting to realize, like we can make plays in the paint. When we get to the paint, that doesn’t mean I have to shoot it; we can spray out to the next one. And I thought tonight was a really good example of (how) we attacked the paint harder, and that still led to 3’s after that.”
The return of Mbemba and Jorgensen helped restore that balance.
Mbemba added eight points and seven rebounds, providing physicality inside, while Jorgensen spaced the floor and facilitated, forcing AFA to defend multiple actions rather than simply chasing shooters.
Meanwhile, Butler continued to solidify his role within the rotation, earning his second straight start and finishing with 11 points, three assists and zero turnovers.
“It doesn’t really matter to me if I start or come off the bench,” Butler said. “But I’m just glad my teammates trusted me and my coaches trusted me, so I just try to do what I can to go out there and help the team win.”
The rotation also allowed CSU to stagger playmakers more effectively.
With Jorgensen starting, Jevin Muniz helped lead the second unit, giving the Rams another ball-handler capable of maintaining tempo. The bench responded with 31 points, helping CSU avoid falling into a game of runs.
CSU led for more than 38 minutes and never allowed Air Force to mount a sustained comeback, a contrast to recent losses where momentum had swung during the middle portions of halves.
And now the Rams look toward a looming Utah State matchup back at home against an Aggie team which crushed CSU 100-58 earlier this season.
“Yeah, that’s a tough one,” Farokhmanesh said. “There was no pressure tonight. And I think that’s what I want to see on Friday.”
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Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey.
