5 things: What are the key questions facing new-look Colorado State men's basketball team?

Plenty of new, plenty of familiar and plenty of experience.

That's the quick capsule for the Colorado State men's basketball team.

The Rams welcome three high-profile transfers and a couple intriguing incoming freshmen to refresh the squad. Also back is one of the best players in program history in Isaiah Stevens, plus other key players.

And across the board is experience, with at least eight players with multiple years of experience at the college level.

Here's what to know and look for on the team as the season approaches.

Who starts for Colorado State?

There are seven players on CSU's roster with vast experience as college starters. That math doesn't work, so who are the first five? Coach Niko Medved frequently says the first five are less important than the five who finish a game, but it's always an important marker.

Start with the locks: Stevens at point guard and Black Hills State transfer Joel Scott (6-foot-7) and Patrick Cartier (6-foot-8) at the center and power forward positions. Scott will be tasked with defending post players while Cartier will be expected to score with efficiency.

The other two spots? It likely comes down to three players: Josiah Strong (back healthy after a medical redshirt last season), Jalen Lake and Colorado transfer Nique Clifford. Whoever doesn't start will be first off the bench.

Strong is a sharpshooter and strong defender. Lake is arguably CSU's best perimeter defender and a spot-up 3-point shooter. Clifford (6-foot-6) is an athletic wing with experience. He can make jaw-dropping plays, but consistency will be key to his season.

How will minutes be spread?

Depth was a problem for CSU last season due to a rash of injuries and illness. There should be more protection this season, plus more on-court options.

“We do have more depth this year. It looks like we have more length and athleticism," Medved said. "We’re going to need it when you look at who we’re playing."

The same question marks with the starting group trickle into the full rotation. Who gets minutes? There aren't enough for everyone. There are 200 minutes available in a college basketball game. If you add the minutes-per-game of all the players on the roster from where they played last year it totals up to 231, and that doesn't account for two incoming freshmen or a redshirt freshman who will all try and crack the rotation.

The math doesn't add up, so minutes will be cut back from what someone is used to. It will require a delicate balance of team chemistry but also breeds a high level of practice competition. If you don't bring it, the bench will be calling.

"We’ve got a lot of depth this year," Lake said. "Coming into every practice you have to be mentally ready. You have to be ready to go at each other. It’s been super competitive."

There are basically three groups you can break rotations into. Within those, it will be interesting to see how minutes are split.

Ball-handlers: Stevens starts and plays a lot, but sophomore Tavi Jackson and freshman Kyan Evans are backups. Both will play. Jackson has battled a series of injuries and illness and is getting back to full form. The staff is high on Evans. There could be times both play together while Stevens rests.

Wings: We've discussed the Strong-Lake-Clifford trio. Also in the group is New Mexico transfer Javonte Johnson, last year's bench spark plug Joe Palmer and redshirt freshman Jack Payne. Johnson and Palmer likely have the inside track on those minutes. Whoever is reliable on defense and can provide offensive punch will see the floor.

Bigs: The 6-foot-10 sophomore Kyle Evans and 6-foot-7 freshman Rashaan Mbemba (who bears a startling resemblance to David Roddy) are the backups. Kyle Evans is a long, shot-blocking and smooth-passing big. Mbemba is older than a typical freshman and can bring a physical presence. Both should see the floor at times.

Any style changes?

Medved's style leads to an open, free-flowing and high-scoring offense. That won't change. The plan last year was to play with more tempo, but that was derailed.

"Every team in the country says ‘oh, we want to play faster this year.’ I think that was kind of some of the plan last year, obviously due to injury (we didn’t)," Medved said. "Maybe we can even be a little bit more aggressive this year."

The biggest visual difference for fans will be size, length and athleticism and, in theory, ability to defend at a higher level. CSU will start four players 6-foot-4 or taller and, outside the point guards, everyone off the bench will be in the 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-8 range.

What will Isaiah Stevens' encore be?

CSU's star point guard is already one of the best players in program history, but coming back for his fifth season (granted due to playing the COVID season) means Stevens could own the record book.

His numbers are already staggering and each of his four seasons were shortened from what they could have been. His freshman year saw a potential postseason berth wiped out by the beginning of COVID. His sophomore year was the COVID-shortened season. His junior year saw CSU have several games canceled due to COVID, and he missed the first eight games last season while recovering from a broken foot.

Stevens is already the CSU basketball men's and women's combined assist leader (618) and will set that mark a long way out. He's 206 points behind Pat Durham as the program's all-time leading scorer. He's 47 3-pointers from tying Andy Birley as the program leader.

More: Colorado State has the top two Mountain West basketball players

He'll also likely become the Mountain West's career assists leader and move to second in scoring in the league's history, and he was voted as the league's preseason Player of the Year.

Stevens will own CSU's record book and, after a healthy offseason, could be primed for a huge final season.

First look at new team

The Rams have made a tradition of hosting an open-house intrasquad scrimmage on homecoming Saturday before the football game. CSU will scrimmage at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at Moby Arena (free to attend).

With the team not playing a public exhibition game, it's the lone chance for fans to see the returners and six newcomers before the season begins on Nov. 6 against Louisiana Tech.

"I think it fits in great during homecoming weekend. Basketball season is right around the corner, fans get a look at the team a little bit, get to interact with our players, get to see the new guys," Medved said. "I think it’s a great way to connect with our fans and build excitement for basketball season."

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What are key questions facing Colorado State men's basketball team?