Fresh off their first Mountain West Tournament championship in 22 years, Colorado State men’s basketball is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.
The Rams will face Memphis in the first round Friday, looking to extend their red-hot postseason run on the national stage.
CSU enters the tournament riding a 10-game win streak, capped by a dominant 69-56 victory over Boise State in the MW title game. Led by tournament MVP Nique Clifford, the Rams put together a historic tournament run, showcasing the chemistry that has defined their season. Clifford averaged 25 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists throughout the tournament, solidifying himself as one of the premier players in the country heading into March Madness.
The Rams’ recent success is a stark contrast to the doubts that surrounded them earlier in the year. However, coach Niko Medved and his team embraced the challenge, steadily climbing back into contention with defensive adjustments, improved ball movement and a more balanced offensive attack.
Now, they enter the tournament as one of the most dangerous mid-major teams in the field. But the stakes are still high for every player.
“The last thing we would say is they’re comfortable,” Medved said. “So, if you’re going in the NCAA Tournament, feeling comfortable, then we might not advise them to get on a plane. So, they’re not that list. These are the best teams in the country that are here for a reason. Both teams are as motivated as they’ve ever been. We just know that they’re going to be really motivated.”
Memphis, meanwhile, brings a battle-tested squad to the matchup, having navigated a competitive American Athletic schedule. Picked second in the AAC Preseason Coaches poll, Memphis secured at least 20 wins for the seventh straight season under head coach Penny Hardaway. Hardaway has led the Tigers to multiple postseason successes, including an NIT title in 2021, an AAC Tournament title in 2023 and 2025, and an AAC regular season championship in 2025.
This marks the third time in four seasons that Memphis has earned an NCAA Tournament berth, entering the tournament as the No. 5 seed in the West Region. After a slow start to the season that left them 9-3 in December, the Tigers won 20 of their last 22 games en route to claiming both the AAC regular season and tournament championships—becoming the first team since Houston in 2022 to accomplish that feat. Memphis will look to carry that momentum into Friday’s game against a CSU squad eager to prove itself on the national stage.
CSU’s depth will be crucial in this matchup, as the Rams have relied on contributions from across the roster during their tournament run. Graduate transfers Bowen Born and Ethan Morton have been difference-makers, with Born’s clutch shooting and Morton’s defensive tenacity proving invaluable in high-pressure moments. Additionally, young players like Kyan Evans and Rashaan Mbemba have provided energy, giving the Rams multiple options to counter Memphis’ physicality.
Morton emphasized the team’s mindset heading into the game.
“I’d say, from an outsider’s perspective, it’s unique, right?” Morton said. “You know, there’s not a ton of times where you’re a lower (seed) with a lot of juice behind you, but from our perspective, there’s no change. I mean, we’re approaching this game the same way we approached last week, the same way we approached, you know, every game this season, in the last 10 or, you know, whatever we’ve won, like, it’s just the next game, man.”
When asked about defending Memphis’ standout player, PJ Haggerty, Medved shared his thoughts on the challenge.
“You just have got to try to make it hard on him,” Medved said. “I mean, Haggerty gets in the free throw line as much as any player. He’s kind of a hard guy to officiate. He initiates a ton of contact. You have got to try to do a great job of guarding him without fouling. But he can score at all three levels. And again, I think you want to guard him, you just have got to try to make him work for his points, but you’re not just going to shut it down.”
Defensively, Morton noted the team’s progress over the season.
“So our defensive transformation has just been incredible,” Morton said. “Our first few games, I feel like we would just get cooked in a ball screen. So our growth there, and just making teams beat us with tough shots, our rebounding has done a lot better, just just the growth in those areas has been so impressive, because we’re not here without that.”
Evans echoed the team’s excitement heading into the tournament. He pointed to the Rams’ midseason turnaround as a key moment for the team.
“We obviously had our struggles in the non conference, but I think the turning point for us where we got a little confidence was the Nevada game (where things) just kind of kind of clicked a little bit,” Evans said. “And then, you know, we had our we had another down (in) New Mexico, but we just got better and better.”
Despite the high spirits coming off a conference championship, Medved knows about the importance of maintaining focus amidst the excitement of the tournament.
“I think, listen, you want the guys to enjoy those periods,” Medved said. And for some guys, it’s the first time. In Bowen Born’s case, (he’s) never been here in his career. So, it’s the balance between you want them to enjoy it, but then I think on the other side of it is the end of the day, it’s a basketball game. We know it’s a big game. People are watching huge sporting event. Ultimately, the ball is going to be tipped up, and it’s the same basketball games we just played, right? You (have) got to do those things.”
This game represents an opportunity for CSU to continue proving doubters wrong. The Rams weren’t expected to be here — not as conference champions, not as a team riding a 10-game win streak and certainly not as a group expected to make noise in the NCAA Tournament. Yet, here they are, with a chance to further etch their names into CSU basketball history.
Tipoff between CSU and Memphis is set for noon MST Friday in Climate Pledge Arena. The winner will advance to the second round to face either Maryland or Grand Canyon.
Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.
