The Colorado State University men’s basketball team headed to The Pit to face off against The University of New Mexico Lobos for their fifth to last game of the regular season.

The Rams hit the floor ready to play in the first half, with David Roddy making nine of CSU’s first 12 points, taking an early 12-2 lead. 

Less than four minutes later, the Lobos seemed to wake up, and the Rams saw their 10-point advantage turn into a tight, three-point lead. Lobos star guard Jaelen House was the Rams’ biggest issue in the first half, as House was creative in his assists and hard to keep an eye on. 

The Lobos saw their first lead midway through the first half, but both teams wanted the gain before they headed to their locker rooms. The Lobos and Rams traded leads 12 times and tied three times in the last 11 minutes of the half, but unfortunately for the Rams, they left the court down by two, 42-40. 

Going into the second half, both teams brought strong defenses accompanied by big blocks, making all 10 on the court work for their points. Following the trend of the first half, no one could hold a solid lead, having quick points on both ends of the court, tying at 54 with 13 minutes left in the game.

With tough defense and accurate shooting, the Rams found themselves ahead eight points, nearing the finish line after a fast-break dunk by Chandler Jacobs. The Lobos’ hands-on defense style made it hard for CSU to keep a constant flow, but with 1:56 left on the clock, the Rams held a powerful 13-point lead.

The Rams eventually found their comfort with the help from Roddy, who ended the night with 31 points, leading Colorado State to yet another victory against New Mexico, 83-68. 

The green and gold will stay on the road as they head to Las Vegas with their new 21-3 record to take on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Feb. 19.

Reach Taylor Paumen at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @TayTayPau.