Takeaways: Colorado State basketball teams put on dominant show in doubleheader
A basketball extravaganza saw the home teams dominate at Moby Arena on Saturday.
For the second time this season there was a women's-men's doubleheader at Colorado State.
Both CSU teams won double-digit victories that were never really in doubt, with the women beating New Mexico and the men beating Fresno State.
Below are takeaways from the games.
CSU men 79, Fresno State 57
Much-needed victory
CSU (9-8, 1-3 Mountain West) really needed this one. Forget any of the X’s and O’s for a moment and just consider the momentum of the season.
The Rams were winless in league play, with each defeat ugly in its own way.
The Rams simply needed a victory to get a feel-good factor back after four losses in a row (one was nonconference).
CSU was pretty much in control throughout. Fresno State had the first bucket of the game but never led again. CSU was up by 13 at half and the lead only once dipped below double-digits (nine points) in the second half.
Bad offense vs. bad defense battle
This game pitted, statistically, the worst offense in the Mountain West (Fresno State) against the league’s worst defense (CSU).
The Rams came out on top with one of the more efficient offensive performances of the season. CSU’s ball movement was top-tier.
After starting slow on the deep ball (CSU missed its first six 3-pointers) the Rams caught fire. CSU hit its next five and ended the game with 14 makes from 3-point land. The Rams also outscored Fresno State 24-14 in the paint.
The Rams have dealt with injuries this season and now know Kyle Evans (thumb), Josiah Strong (illness) and Jacob Jennissen (ACL) will be out longterm. What that does is gives CSU the nine-man rotation that they’ll have (barring further injuries).
If nothing else, it provides cohesion, which has been nonexistent. Saturday saw CSU use its eighth different starting lineup in 17 games.
This was the formula for success for the guard-heavy rotation: Solid defense, lots of ball movement and scoring depth up and down the lineup.
CSU had 26 assists on 29 made buckets against a team that just handed then-unbeaten New Mexico its first loss of the season earlier in the week. All nine Rams in the rotation scored, led by 16 each from Patrick Cartier and Isaiah Stevens. John Tonje had 13 and Jalen Lake had 11.
Stevens recorded six assists in the game, his first putting him at 500 for his career. He's the second Ram to ever hit 500 and he's now 25 short of tying CSU's all-time record (530, Ryan Yoder) for assists.
Fresno State (6-9, 2-2 MW) only allows 62 points per game and this was the most points allowed by the Bulldogs all season.
CSU women 76, New Mexico 65
Not just Hofschild
CSU (10-5, 3-1 MW) star guard McKenna Hofschild lives up to the billing every game and did again in this one, scoring 24 points to go with eight assists and just one turnover.
What makes this team so dangerous is the pieces around her to make the depth of the team. Cailyn Crocker scored 16 points. Cali Clark played excellent interior defense and notched eight points and eight rebounds. Destiny Thurman had seven points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Hofschild is the spark, but far from the lone weapon.
CSU has one of the most efficient offenses in the nation and is the top scoring team in the Mountain West.
Huge homestand ahead
Saturday’s game moved the Rams to 8-1 at Moby Arena, where CSU is averaging 78 points per game.
CSU will need that to continue soon with a huge homestand upcoming. The Rams play at Boise State Jan. 11, but then have three in a row at home.
That stretch includes Jan. 16 (6:30 p.m.) against current second-place San Diego State and Jan. 21 (1 p.m.) against defending champion UNLV.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado State basketball teams dominant in doubleheader
