SEATTLE — The run is over, but the legacy remains.
Colorado State men’s basketball season came to an end in the Round of 32, as the Rams fell to Maryland 72-71 Sunday in a hard-fought bout. Despite the loss, CSU’s 26-win season, Mountain West Tournament title, and first-round NCAA win cemented this team as one of the best in program history.
The final minute against UMD would replay in the minds of many for days to come.
With the game tied and 20 seconds to go, Julian Reese stepped up to the line, sinking both free throws. CSU had one final possession, and the ball was in the hands of the four-year veteran, Jalen Lake. The senior hit a game-winner in the regular season against Boise State, so it seemed like a fitting conclusion.
And he absolutely drilled it.
For a moment, it looked like CSU had pulled off another dramatic finish. But UMD had one last chance. With three seconds left, the ball went to Derik Queen — one of the most dominant players on his squad. Across from him stood CSU defensive maestro Ethan Morton.
The swoosh of the made shot was infinitely louder than the silence of the Rams.
“I mean, obviously, it (is) just absolutely a gut-wrenching loss for these guys,” coach Niko Medved said. “What these guys have done this year is really one of the most incredible things I’ve been a part of with coaching. And unfortunately, these things happen too.”
“And I mean, I thought we did just about everything, right, you know? I mean, in this game, it was an unbelievable college basketball game, both teams going at it, trying to fight to go to the Sweet 16. These guys played a lot of plays. And I thought we defended that last play pretty well. It’s about all we could ask for. And he made a freaking unbelievable shot. It’s what happens in March Madness. And sometimes you’re on their side of it, and sometimes you’re on ours.”
It was a heartbreaking way to go out, especially with the controversial nature of the final play, but CSU had been no stranger to adversity all season. It had fought through a difficult nonconference schedule amid growing pains from the changes to the team, upset major programs and secured a MW Tournament championship that reaffirmed their place in the national conversation.
They had built their identity on team chemistry and relentless effort, and this game was no exception.
As the clock struck zero, Nique Clifford couldn’t help but hold the ball one last time, catching it off the shot made by Queen. He threw it into the goal post out of disbelief and perhaps as a way to affirm the moment.
Despite the loss, Clifford delivered another stellar performance, embodying the determination that had defined CSU’s season. The future NBA draft pick finished with 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting, seven rebounds, two blocks, a steal and six assists. He had been the heart of this team, and in his final game, he left it all on the floor.
The game of basketball can take as much as it gives, but Clifford’s legacy at CSU is cemented. With 681 points in his final year with the Rams, the star ends his career as the program’s all-time scoring leader for a single season.
“My time here at CSU has gone wild, so fast — two years,” Clifford said. “I wish I was there even a longer. It was just the best time in my life. Like I really can’t thank Coach Ali and the rest of the staff enough for what they’ve done for me. They really changed my life, and I’m just so thankful for my teammates.”
“It was just a fun run that we were able to go on this year, and just the adversity we went through to see where we are now is special, and so is sad that it ended that way, and that’s the way our college careers are gonna have. But, you know, we can’t hang our heads. We better soak it all in and keep moving forward.”
Although the finish wasn’t what CSU hoped for, the Rams played up to UMD’s level. At times, it just wasn’t enough.
CSU had started the game shooting well from deep, but the rhythm faded down the stretch. As the Rams struggled to connect from beyond the arc, the Terrapins found their groove, heating up at just the right time. Aside from the game-winner, it was those crucial shots that made the biggest difference.
Momentum also shifted early in the second half when the Terrapins came out of the break rejuvenated, sinking four of their first five three-point attempts to cut into CSU’s lead. A pivotal and-one three-pointer by Rodney Rice gave the Terrapins the lead with under 14 minutes to play. The Rams were still in the fight, but the energy of the game had shifted.
Bowen Born, a graduate transfer playing in what could be his final collegiate game, fought hard despite being physically outsized. Known for his fearless style, he left everything on the court, much like he had all season. Though his impact didn’t always show in the box score, his presence was a vital part of CSU’s spirit.
“Yeah, it’s hard to explain the emotions that we’re feeling right now,” Born said. “I just feel — removed from this team itself — just very thankful, very appreciative of my time here at CSU. These coaches and these guys and everybody in the locker room have made a really positive impact on me, and I just really I feel very thankful for my time here at CSU.”
Embodied in Born as a player, the Rams entered the game as underdogs, facing a Terrapin squad with multiple players standing 6-foot-9 or taller. But CSU never backed down. They attacked the rim early and often, matching UMD’s physicality and even outrebounding them 18-15 by halftime. Seven of those rebounds came on the offensive glass, a testament to the Rams’ determination.
They also took care of the ball well in the first half, committing just four turnovers to UMD’s five. Despite being outmatched in several statistical categories coming into the game, CSU kept itself in position to win.
“We were pretty dang good, and we were a pretty dang good team,” Medved said. “And I think we proved that every night. And again, our guys came in this game, and I thought we played, man, we just we battled defensively, and we out rebounded this team by 10. We fought, we moved the ball, maybe just a couple more shots right on go in. But I’m not surprised that we battled the way we did. I believed we were going to win.”
To the seemingly majority fans in Climate Pledge, CSU seemed like it had won before the final shot. Victory chants could be heard just before the game-changing final shot.
CSU adjusted well defensively in the second half and forced the Terrapins into a near seven-minute scoring drought. The Rams temporarily regained the lead, leaning on contributions from multiple players. But in the final moments, the Terrapins found a way to make the one shot that mattered most.
The ending was bitter, but it didn’t erase the significance of what CSU had accomplished this season. The Rams had spent the year proving their worth, not just to the Mountain West but to the entire college basketball world. They had battled ranked opponents, delivered statement wins, and shown the kind of toughness that defined championship teams. The journey had been filled with both triumph and heartbreak, but the team had never wavered in its belief.
Lake certainly never did.
“I mean, this is been the best four years of my life, honestly,” Lake said. “And I want to be standing here first without God, and then I (wouldn’t) be standing here without Coach Medved — just to believe he’s had in me since I was a freshman. I wish I could wear Colorado State the rest of my life. I mean, it’s just means that much. It’s amazing how much I’ve grown just not only as a basketball player, but just as a man.”
The heartbreak was evident, but so was the gratitude. For the seniors, this was the culmination of years of dedication and sacrifice. They had built something special, and while the final game ended in disappointment, their impact would last far beyond the emotions of one game.
With 26 wins, a MW championship, and one NCAA Tournament victory, these players left their mark on CSU history. The season may have ended, but the program is stronger for what they achieved. The Rams showed they belong on the national stage — and they will be back.
“Oh, I mean, this is something that (the players) are going to remember for the rest of their life,” Medved said. “This is something that no one will ever be able to take away from this team and what they accomplished this year. People who know our story, our program’s stories — it’s going to go down as one of the best seasons ever. You never want it to end.”
“And so it’s hard to process right now, but when they look back on it, this team will have an unbreakable bond with each other for the for the rest of their life. And I know this: they learned so many valuable life lessons through all of this, and what it means, that’s what it’s about as a coach and they taught me just as much, you know what I mean. And again, just an incredible journey, and they should be very, very proud.”
Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.
