Colorado State University continued their impressive form by defeating Fresno State 74-70 at Moby Arena on Tuesday, marking their sixth consecutive victory. This win improved their overall record to 18-10 and their Mountain West Conference standing to 9-8, allowing them to surpass the .500 mark in league play for the first time this season.
The Rams, coming off a thrilling win in their annual Orange Out game, faced a tough challenge as they trailed by double digits in both halves. However, they rallied late in the game to secure the win and avenge a previous loss to the Bulldogs.
“I had a feeling we might experience a letdown after such an emotional victory,” said Rams head coach Ali Farokhmanesh. “We tried to keep the energy up during practice, but it”s human nature to ease off a bit. It wasn”t pretty, but we found a way to win. Our execution improved in the second half, and we were more aggressive attacking the basket.”
The Rams started the second half down 39-32, but quickly tied the game at 47 thanks to a 3-pointer from Brandon Rechsteiner. The teams exchanged leads, and after Fresno State surged ahead with an 8-0 run, CSU responded with back-to-back 3-pointers from Rechsteiner, narrowing the gap to 61-57.
As the game progressed, CSU tied it again at 64 with free throws by Carey Booth. A free throw by Jase Butler then gave the Rams a narrow lead, followed by a crucial 3-pointer from Kyle Jorgensen that extended their advantage to 68-64.
In the final minutes, Rechsteiner knocked down another 3-pointer to put CSU ahead 71-66. Booth secured the victory with a layup that boosted the lead to 73-68. Although Fresno State managed to cut the deficit to 73-70, Jorgensen”s free throw sealed the game at 74-70.
“We call these kind of trap games,” Jorgensen noted. “After our best game of the year on Saturday, it”s important to move forward. We started a bit casually, but we turned it around. A month ago, I don”t think we would have won this game.”
All five starters for CSU scored in double figures, with Rechsteiner leading the way with 16 points. Jevin Muniz followed with 15, while Jorgensen, Butler, and Booth each contributed 11 points.
Fresno State initially took control of the game, leading 39-32 at halftime after building a significant 37-24 lead. CSU managed to cut the lead to five points before the break, showing signs of their comeback.
The Rams will look to extend their winning streak further when they travel to Fresno State for a rematch on Saturday. Their final home game of the season is scheduled for March 7 against Boise State.
