By Bert Leeson
3 19 2024
72,647 Niko Medved Colorado State M BKB coach On an unbelievable blowout of Virginia 67-42 First Four 3 19 2024.mp3
72,648 Joel Scott Colorado State Forward Team used its physicalness on defense to control game CSU 67 Virginia 42 3 19 2024.mp3
72,649 Nique Clifford Colorado State Guard On he & Josiah Strong shutting down Virginia’s guards CSU 67 Virginia 42 3 19 2024.mp3
Slatted into the first four, Colorado State’s men’s basketball team was the last one invited to the Big Dance.
The Rams aren’t leaving. Rather, they were quite joyous to be catching a red-eye flight to Charlotte, N.C. after a 67-42 victory over Virginia at Dayton Arena. Thursday, the 10th-seeded Rams will face No. 7 Texas in a 4:50 p.m. (MT) tip.
Earlier in the day, Colorado State coach Niko Medved told his team all about what Virginia had going for it on the floor. He reminded his team they had skills too – superpowers he calls them – imploring his players to use theirs.
Going to Charlotte with what brought them to the March Madness stage, Colorado State was the more physical team on the floor. It showed in the paint, holding a 36-20 scoring advantage in the prime real estate, controlling the glass with a 37-17 edge.
The Cavaliers entered the night with the strong defensive reputation, third in the nation by holding teams to 59.5 points per game. But it was the Rams who applied the most pressure, holding Virginia scoreless the final 9:20 of the first half. Their 14 points were the fewest the Rams allowed in a half this season, the fewest the Cavs had scored.
By the way, Colorado State is a top-30 team in defensive metrics and they opened the night forcing a shot-clock violation.
“They’re one of the slowest if not the slowest playing team offensively in the country, but if you look at us, we’re one of the top two in the country on defensive tempo, meaning we force teams to play late in the shot clock,” Coach Medved said. “I told our guys, that’s nothing new for us, that’s what we do every day.”
Colorado State hounded Virginia’s best scorers, guards Reece Beekman and Isaac McKneely. They had their looks, but almost every attempt was contested as they struggled from the floor. Strong drew Beekman most of the night, Clifford had McKneely.
Beekman would finish with 15, but it came with a base of a 7-of-7 performance at the line while he was 4-of-16 from the floor. McKneely was just 2-of-13.
The Rams top scorers for the night, both Colorado Springs products – both transfers – paved the road with double-doubles. Joel Scott finished with career-best 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Nique Clifford closed with an impressive line of 17 points, 10 rebounds and a program tournament record six assists. Cartier joined them in double figures with 12.
Virginia shot just 17.2 percent in the first half, 25.0 on the night as its season came to an end. The 9:20 to end the half would extend to 12:43 in total. The Rams would score the first eight after the break and would eventually push the lead to as much as 26.
COURTESY COLORADO STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
