HOW CSU WILL DO IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
The Colorado State men’s basketball team opens the 2017-18 Mountain West schedule at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Boise State. Here’s a closer look at where the Rams stand after 13 nonconference games this season:
Record: 7-6
Best win: 72-63 vs. Colorado (Dec. 2) — The Rams’ lone Power Five victory in their nonconference slate almost got away as a 17-point advantage slimmed to four points with less than a minute left. But CSU’s resilience shined through against its in-state rival, as the Rams forced five CU missed shots to end the game and seal the win. It was the first home victory in the series for either team since 2012.
Worst loss: 92-66 at Arkansas (Dec. 5) — Still riding the wave from its win against the Buffaloes, CSU traveled to Fayetteville and got hammered by 26 points. All five Rams starters had two fouls by halftime, the team shot just 36.5 percent from the field, and CSU committed 19 turnovers to the Razorbacks’ five.
Nonconference MVP: Junior guard Prentiss Nixon — Look no further than the Rams’ latest victory, 68-66 against Long Beach State on Saturday, to understand Nixon’s importance. He hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for the game-winner — the second of his CSU career (the first was Feb. 28 last year vs. Wyoming). Nixon leads the Rams in scoring (17.8), minutes (33.8), 3- pointers (34) and steals (16).
Three story lines
1. Road woes. CSU is a perfect 7-0 at Moby Arena but 0-4 on the road and 0-2 at neutral sites. If the Rams hope to still be in contention for the regular-season Mountain West championship in late February, they’ll have to learn how to win in raucous road environments.
2. Find offense. The Rams rank ninth in the Mountain West in scoring offense (70.5). Nixon gives CSU the spark it needs, but the Rams must develop more consistent scoring threats inside.
3. Transfer U. Once again, CSU added a high-profile transfer, although he won’t be eligible to play this season. Hyron Edwards is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound combo guard and former a National Junior College Athletic Association freshman All-American at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. He also spent one semester at Texas Tech but did not play. Edwards will be on campus this spring semester.
Mountain West power rankings
1. Nevada (11-3): The only conference team receiving votes in the AP poll.
2. UNLV (11-2): The Rebels lead the league in scoring (91.2) and field-goal percentage (.520).
3. Boise State (10-2): The Broncos have allowed the fewest points per game among conference teams (64.5).
4. Fresno State (10-3): Like CSU, the Bulldogs also lost to Arkansas and Oregon, but in much closer games.
5. San Diego State (8-3): The Aztecs are holding opponents to just 38 percent shooting from the field.
6. Colorado State (7-6): The Rams are building momentum with three straight victories.
7. Wyoming (9-4): The Cowboys took down Oregon State but fell to Denver and Northern Colorado.
8. Utah State (7-6): The Aggies have lost three of their last four games.
9. Air Force (6-6): The Falcons have been stout defensively, giving up 68.6 points per game.
10. New Mexico (5-8): The Lobos can score with the league’s best but have issues on defense.
11. San Jose State (3-8): Much like the school’s football team, the Spartans have struggled mightily this year — again.
CSU outlook
The Rams are a middle-of-the pack Mountain West team whose only shot at an NCAA Tournament berth (their first since 2013) will be through an improbable championship via the conference tournament. Coach Larry Eustachy discussed this crop of young players as having a “60-game season” as they develop now and into the future. But the Rams need to show improvement beyond an NIT appearance to keep Eustachy off the hot seat.