Year 2 pushes Kyle Jorgensen to new heights for CSU men’s basketball

This year has moved fast for Kyle Jorgensen.

It started with big nights in November, a larger role almost immediately and conference recognition before Colorado State men’s basketball had time to settle into what this team was going to be.

But then the rhythm broke.

An injury, time missed and a return that dropped him straight into the middle of Mountain West play, where nothing waits for anyone to feel comfortable.

Last season was about learning and adjusting to the speed and physicality of college basketball and figuring out how to grow inside a system built around Nique Clifford, one of the most accomplished players CSU has ever had. Jorgensen didn’t disappear as a first-year, but he wasn’t necessarily asked to carry the load either.

Back when CSU beat Colorado at home earlier this season, and the young forward picked up his first career victory against the Buffs, Jorgensen’s mind went back a year.

“Man, I just remember last year,” Jorgensen said. “Nique Clifford, I don’t want to throw a name out there, but he was devastated after (the 2024 loss to CU). … He was devastated on the bus ride home, and he put a lot of (it on) himself. I was devastated, too. They were saying some things after the game that, you know, I don’t really necessarily like.”

And that edge showed up early this season, too.

Jorgensen opened the year with back-to-back performances that earned him Mountain West Player of the Week honors. The production came quickly and efficiently, but the mindset stayed grounded.

After CSU’s first loss of the season against Denver, though, Jorgensen focused less on the result and more on what he hadn’t done well.

“I feel like in every game there’s certain plays that you should make and that you just don’t,” Jorgensen said. “I think I had a good offensive game, but I think I was poor on defense, and I think that’s something that I have to continue to keep getting better at. And I’m going to continue to keep getting better at.”

Despite putting up a career-high 29 points against the Pioneers, Jorgensen faced his first loss as a featured player in a buy game.

“I always thought Kyle could be a good player,” head coach Ali Farokhmanesh said. “We don’t set ceilings on anybody, because I’ve seen it with Nique, somewhat. People told me what Nique was going to be. People told me what Isaiah (Stevens) was going to be. David Roddy, all these guys, so I’m not putting a ceiling on Kyle. And I think this is just the stepping stone for him.”

Then the season changed course Dec. 20, 2025, at Utah State in arguably the worst loss of the season.

Jorgensen went down four minutes into the game and didn’t return. CSU later classified him as week-to-week. He missed time. And defensive anchor Rashaan Mbemba missed time, too.

CSU lost continuity and margin in the coming games. Offensive flow was disrupted and lineups shifted to fill holes in the rotation.

When Jorgensen returned with full minutes Jan. 20 against Air Force, the Rams finally had their intended lineup back on the floor.

“It was the first time we’ve been able to do that (all season),” Farokhmanesh said. “We had some guys playing out of position before, like we’ve talked about, and they did a great job of filling in those roles. It’s hard to adjust throughout the season that quickly to those changes. And having Kyle and having Rashaan out there makes a huge difference from a continuity standpoint.”

The MW stretch hasn’t been kind to CSU; the Rams rank 10th in the conference, and Jorgensen’s impact on the lineup was felt in his absence.

And for new transfers like Jase Butler, getting the sophomore back meant elevating play down the stretch.

“I think just like that veteran presence, he’s been here for a year, and he played last year,” Butler said. “So, with him getting back, and kind of our full team healthy, we’re aiming to play our best basketball March, I think we’re kind of getting closer and closer to that.”

Overall, what Jorgensen brings is versatility.

His increased size and frame from workouts over the summer has freed him up in the post, and his 46.4% shooting from deep this season means he can open up the court as one of the biggest players on the team.

“He’s the quintessential P-spot guy because he can stretch the floor and shoot, he can pass and make reads for other guys, (and) you can also post up versus mismatches,” Farokhmanesh said. “And that’s what’s unique about him.”

However, MW play doesn’t allow much adjustment time.

Many teams started to figure out how to disrupt CSU with constant ball pressure, and the fluidity has squeezed since midseason. The Rams are still figuring out how to win with a month left before March.

“Every team has different looks,” Jorgensen said after CSU’s loss at Wyoming. “That’s what conference is all about. You know, the scout is different every game. Me personally, I (have) got to be better on staying aggressive while also finding the right reasons.”

The Rams lost that night in Laramie, a rivalry game that tested execution among other things. Against another rival on the road, the forward said he believed the group was tightening and recognized how “people tend to panic a little bit” after working through early highs and late lows.

And he said he thinks his team is doing the opposite.

“I feel like now we’re starting to get closer than ever, and we want to make a push for these last nine games,” Jorgensen said.

For now, the season is still asking questions.

CSU’s hopes of acquiring an at-large bid are all but dashed, and a dramatic turnaround in the regular season or the MW tournament could be the only option left. For someone as young as Jorgensen, there’s more to it than focusing on the record.

“(I’m) just viewing it as getting 1% better every day,” Jorgensen said. “Each game and each practice is going to be different, but you have to come with a mindset that you’re going to be okay with that.”

Nothing about year two has been straightforward. It has been fast, interrupted and uncomfortable at times. But it’s also been revealing.

And with 10 games left, Jorgensen is still learning what this season is asking him to be.

Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey.

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