SEATTLE — Colorado State men’s basketball continued its red-hot postseason run, earning a 78-70 victory over Memphis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Rams’ 3-point shooting and physical turnaround sealed the win, extending their remarkable 11-game streak.
Kyan Evans: CSU tournament record made 3’s. That’s what the young guard offered his team on one of the biggest stages.
If it weren’t for Evans, CSU wouldn’t have stood a chance. The promising young guard shot an efficient 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, keeping the Rams in the game early on. His dexterous play continued into the second half as he pulled up with confidence and occasionally off a step-back or way deeper than needed.
Fans saw just how good he can be.
Fiery second half: The questions surrounding how CSU would manage the star power of Memphis were answered. The Rams adjusted throughout the game — save maybe Dain Dainja — and stepped up down the stretch. CSU’s ability to finish games in the second half lacked during nonconference, but it’s clear the team is open and willing to shift as coach Niko Medved sees fit.
Ram fans can feel more secure now even after sloppy first halves.
Life from Rashaan Mbemba out of half: CSU’s bruiser rested for a majority of the first half but came out swinging when the team needed it most. What the Rams needed more of in the first half was physicality, and Mbemba provided yet again.
His efficient sequence consisting of a made layup, ball disruption, offensive rebound and foul drawn helped Nique Clifford sink just his second basket in the paint — and overall — and got the offense headed in the right direction. CSU went on to retake the lead behind a 7-0 run and more points near the rim.
Dain Dainja: The 6-foot-9, 255 pound forward had his way with the Rams in the first half. On top of leading his team with 15 points off 7-of-9 shooting, he played every single minute until break. The big man displayed astonishing finesse for a player of his stature and seemed to snake around box outs to acquire several key rebounds.
Bad size matchup: The Rams knew the battle down low would be to their disadvantage, but Dainja and 6-foot-11 rim protector Moussa Cisse proved difficult to overcome. Even 6-foot-7 Nicholas Jourdain asserted himself on defense as one of the Tigers’ premier defenders.
Lack of CSU bench production: The backups were nowhere to be found early, as they combined for zero points and hardly any other significant statistics. Ethan Morton contributed three rebounds, but two of them were offensive boards that failed to convert.
Poor 3-point shooting for Memphis: What the Tigers accomplished down low, they couldn’t replicate on the perimeter. Memphis shot just 26.1% from three and 42.4% from the field.
PJ Haggerty comeback attempt: The talented guard — known for both his ability to score at all three levels and to draw fouls like a pro — put Memphis on his back after a mediocre early showing. His fearlessness in driving and shooting yielded more profit, but it wasn’t enough.
Next up: With their historic win, CSU now faces a chance to keep proving its doubters wrong. After a season of growth and resilience, the Rams have shown that they belong on the national stage. They’ll look to build on this momentum as they prepare for the next challenge in their quest for a deep NCAA Tournament run Sunday.
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Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.
