MBB: Boise State University (16-5, 6-2) vs Colorado State University (10-11, 2-6)
Boise State University vs Colorado State University
Date: Saturday January 28,2023
Time:6:00pm MT
Stadium: ExtraMile Arena, (12,644)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: KBOI 670 AM
Commentators: Bob Behler and Abe Jackson
Know Thy Enemy
A win is a win, but Boise State looks to shake off the stink of Tuesday with a showdown with the “Stalwart” Rams of Colorado State.
If Colorado State didn’t have bad luck they might not have any luck at all. This season has been just the epitome of responding to adversity. At every turn the Rams have dealt with injuries, and misfortune, but according to their coach, Nico Medved, “I think we’ve made some strides, but we're not there yet…I still feel we can be better than we’re playing. That’s what we have to keep going to work on.” The Rams have essentially had to go back to the drawing board every week since the season has started. Players were out. Then back in. Then a new player was out for a spell. Then for good. The run of injuries have been staggering. As a team, they’ve already lost more player games due to injury than the past three seasons combined. The Colorado State fan base is knocking on wood, crossing their fingers and toes, and rubbing a rabbit's foot, hoping to the point where they can move forward through the rest of the season without any more surprises. As mentioned before the Rams have had such a rough go of it that one of their up and coming freshman Kyle Evans broke his finger, in practice, while on the sidelines. That's the type of “luck” the Rams are dealing with.
On the bright side, Division II transfer Patrick Cartier has been the glimmer of hope that CSU needs. Cartier is riding a current string of nine consecutive games scoring in double figures. The other positive for the Rams is they are finally finding some consistency in their starting lineup and rotation. In four of their last five the Rams have been able to put out the same starting Five. Along with Cartier, The Rams are spearheaded by a trio of program veterans in Isaiah Stevens, Isaiah Rivera, and John Tonje.
On the season the Rams are 10-11, 2-6. The conference record is a little misleading. The Rams had three games in a row that went to Overtime and their last game, in the Border War against Wyoming, was decided on a made free throw with five seconds left.
Colorado State is averaging 72 points per game in league play and giving up almost a league worst 76 points a game. Interestingly enough, Boise State is scoring the exact same amount as Colorado State has given up in conference play. For as bad as their record may seem, the Rams really have been playing well. They are third in the conference in team field goal percentage and lead the conference in assist to turnover ratio. However, they don’t shoot the three all that well and they do struggle keeping up on the boards.
Colorado State is coached by Nico Medved. Medved is in his fifth season with Colorado State and has a record of 87-55 and 166-142 overall. Coach Medved was an assistant at Colorado State from 07-13 before taking the head job at Fruman and later Drake before returning to the Rams. He has led the Rams to two post season appearances, taking fourth place in the 2021 NIT tournament and then last season the team made their first NCAA tournament appearance since the 2013 season.
Saturday will mark the 30th time these two programs have met on the hardwood. Boise State leads the tightly contested matchup 15-14. Colorado State is 4-6 in their last 10 against the Broncos and 4-10 when coming to Boise.
What Happened Last Season
The Rams were responsible for two of the Broncos three conference losses last season. The first matchup was a preshow for the Super Bowl as Boise State hosted the Rams on Superbowl Sunday.
Marcus Shaver yet again made a clutch 3-pointer to send the game to overtime, but Colorado State found points on all but one of their possessions in the extra period, pulling ahead one last time with 29 seconds left to close out the win 77-74. Marcus Shaver finished the night with 17 points. Max Rice also chipped in 17 for the Broncos.
The second matchup came in the season finale in Fort Collins. In front of a sold-out crowd the Broncos kept it close and even had a lead with 1:28 left before the Rams closed out the game with four-straight second-chance points to secure the three point victory 71-68. Abu Kigab paced the Broncos with his 15 points and six rebounds.
Player to Watch
COLORADO STATE
GS., PATRICK CARTIER., F #12
New comers sometimes take a while to get the feel for their new team, but not Patrick Cartier. In the midst of a season where things really haven’t gone the Ram’s way, Cartier has supplied some brightness to the situation. The grad transfer from DII Hillsdale College has fit in nicely with CSU. Cartier started the season coming off the bench, but has been in the starting five in 10 of the last 11 games. Cartier has been in the double digits in points in all but five games this year and has scored 10 or more in nine straight including two 20-plus performances. Last time out against Wyoming the 6-8 forward went 5-of-11 for 13 points and five rebounds. Cartier won’t shoot the three very often as he has only attempted 22 all season. He loves to play in the high post and shoot the mid-range jumper.
BOISE STATE
JR., CHIBUZO AGBO, G#11
Don’t look now, but “Buzo” might be starting to heat up again. Agbo has been streaky at times this season and has been in one of his little “dips” if you will, before the Fresno State game. Agbo opened up conference play by scoring 15-plus points in four of five. He came back to earth a bit, going 3-of-9 with 10 points against Nevada and then was ice cold against New Mexico only managing to score 5 points on 2-of-10 from the floor. However, against Fresno State he went 4-for-9 and 3-of-5 from deep for 11 points. Boise State needs Agbo to get on another one of his hot streaks as things just get tougher the next few weeks. Look for #11 to go off against the Rams.
PROBABLE STARTERS
BOISE STATE
COLORADO STATE
Rev's Route to a Bronco Win
Frustrate the Facilitator
When you think of Colorado State point guards over the last four seasons only one name should come to mind: Isaiah Stevens. Stevens has started every game he’s been available since his freshman year back the 2019-2020 seasons. Stevens has gotten better and better each year he’s been on campus with this season being his best yet. Stevens is averaging 18.4 points per game and 6.6 assists per game. He leads the conference in assists and assists/turnover ratio. He’s only turned the ball over 25 times this season. Stevens has only one game this year where he has had more turnovers than assists. Boise State can’t afford to let Steven’s cook, as the kids say.
Protect the Basketball
Speaking of turnovers, Boise State is coming off of their worst performance of the season in terms of taking care of the ball. At halftime of the Fresno State game, the Broncos had committed 15 turnovers. By the time the game was over they had finished with 19 turnovers which is 7.5 more than their season average. Not only were they turning over the ball, but doing it in egregious fashion. Coach Rice knows that his team is going to have some turnovers, it's part of the game, but he reiterated that they can’t be, “Throwing souvenirs to fans.” Boise State can’t come out flat again on Saturday against a much more prolific scoring team in Colorado State and expect to win.
Editor Note:
Good Teams Find A Way
“Sometimes you gotta win ugly.” Coach Rice said it best. He also told the team, “When you’re in the grind of a season that we’re in, it’s like a bell curve. Most of your games are going to be right in the middle. You’re going to play some great ones on one end and then you’re going to play some tough ones on the other end when you don’t play your best…but if you’re a really good team you can find a way on nights like that.” Boise State has been on a grid the last two weeks, playing three of four on the road and then a really emotional game against New Mexico. Which could have been some of the cause for the less than stellar performance against the Bulldogs, but all-in-all the Broncos came out on top which is what matters.
I think all things considered, what happened to the Broncos on Tuesday will benefit them down the stretch far more than if they would have won in blow out fashion. This team has no “quit” and even when shots are falling and things seem to be spiraling out of control they come together, regroup and right the ship. Now did they get helped out that Fresno State was colder than Alaska in January from downtown? You bet, but some of that was their commitment to playing solid defense. Needless to say, Boise State won and that's all that matters. This is a sign of things to come, but not in a negative way, because I don’t think we’ve seen the best of this Broncos team yet.
Boise State wins their 10th-straight home game.
Broncos 82, Rams 69
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