Colorado State basketball’s road problems persist in loss at UNLV
LAS VEGAS — Each game is different, but the same ending keeps happening.
The Colorado State men’s basketball team cannot pick up a key road win.
It happened again Saturday as the Rams lost 66-60 at UNLV.
As has often been the case, it was close and came down to the end.
“We just couldn’t make the play that we needed to,” CSU coach Niko Medved said.
That’s frequently been the case on the road.
Another late result goes against CSU
The game was there to be won late. It was 49-49 with just over 6 minutes left in the game.
The Rams (20-8, 8-7 Mountain West) then went scoreless for the next 3 minutes, 46 seconds. In that time, CSU missed four shots at the rim.
CSU had a 1-8 shooting stretch as UNLV (16-10, 9-5 MW) went on a mini 5-0 surge in that time to take control.
The Rams cut it to two points once inside the final 2 minutes but never had a possession with a chance to tie or take the lead after that point.
UNLV shot just 38% but made 26 free throws and outrebounded the Rams by nine.
“We’ve just got to find a way to make some more plays that we’re not quite making,” Medved said.
UNLV star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 23 points and went 12-12 from the free throw line. Luis Rodriguez scored 14.
Isaiah Stevens scored 18 and had six assists as he passed Ryan Yoder for most assists in a single season for the CSU men’s basketball program. Joel Scott had 13 points and seven rebounds.
Continued offensive struggles
CSU is 42nd in the country in offensive efficiency, but the offense has wilted, especially from 3-point range. But the key misses inside vs. UNLV and earlier in the week vs. New Mexico were costly.
“We’re putting ourselves in position but sometimes we have to step up and find a way to make a big shot, and we’ve done it before,” Medved said. “The offense has not been what we need it to be to win.”
CSU’s offense was poor. The Rams shot 39% for the game and 6-24 (25%) from 3-point range. CSU also was just 12-18 (67%) on free throws.
“We haven’t been shooting the ball as a team too well lately, including myself,” Nique Clifford said. “We’ve proven we can be a good shooting team. It’s going to come back to us.”
The Rams are just 32% from 3-point range in Mountain West play.
“Maybe what happens sometimes, it’s guys are not in rhythm and they want to make it so bad and they just put the weight of the world on every shot,” Medved said.
The ‘what if’ challenges
Sitting there staring at “what if” situations can devour a person. This week of road games is the perfect example.
CSU was one possession from a big win at New Mexico and a few away in this one. A 2-0 week and the Rams would be sitting pretty.
Instead, CSU snagged neither.
The Rams are still fairly comfortably in the NCAA Tournament, but the seed line is dropping.
The good news for CSU is the Rams have been dominant at home, so far winning every league game at Moby Arena.
CSU hosts Nevada at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in another key game against a Wolf Pack team desperate for a big win to ensure their own NCAA Tournament berth.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado State basketball’s road problems persist in loss at UNLV
