CSU - CU: For Rams to win today, defense must be name of the game

Defense. Defense. And more defense.

On one hand, Larry Eustachy could be one of the least fun coaches to play for. Certainly, to practice with. All day in practice the players run their hearts out and play defense. There’s no shooting, no constructing of plays on the offensive end.

On the other hand, players must love playing for Eustachy because they have basically absolute freedom on the offensive end of the floor in games.

Eustachy doesn’t believe in bad shots, but you better know he believes in bad defense as well as poor effort on the glass.

This message has gotten through to the leaders of this 2015-16 Colorado State Rams men’s basketball team, as Gian Clavell talked of the importance following the team’s 83-77 loss to Long Beach State Thursday night.

“We play hard, but we’re not playing defense,” Clavell said. “We ain’t getting stops. We ain’t going to out-score every team.”

The Rams ran off five straight wins to start the season by out-scoring teams, barely holding on in double-overtime against Abilene Christian, before losing to UTEP last Saturday and then falling to LBSU Thursday.

While CSU’s 89.6 scoring average is No. 8 in the nation, their defense is ranked 335th, as the Rams allow opponents to score far too much at 85.4 per contest.

On Thursday night, the smallish Long Beach State 49ers out-scored CSU 32-14 in the paint as the Rams were beaten time and time again by cutters to the hoop. And while the green (grey) and gold won the rebounding battle 44-36, they didn’t grab the much-needed boards.

Simply, rebounding and defense are about selling out, giving 100 percent effort to stopping your man, drawing a charge or diving on the floor for loose basketballs. The Rams haven’t done any of it, at least not consistently, which is why they’ve now lost two straight games. And now they are staring at a physical test in Colorado today.

The Buffs’ star Josh Scott told BSN Denver he expects a physical game, which could give CU the advantage.

“I’m expecting to be bruised, but I expect to be doing some bruising myself,” Scott said. “Banged up, tired but in the end, that’s just CU-CSU. In the end, I actually enjoy it, it’s how the game is supposed to be played in terms of a rivalry game, it’s supposed to be tough and hard.”

“Expect a physical game,” he added. “This game, year in and year out, is always physical and it’s really about who’s tougher, who has the will to rebound and make plays… It’s a war zone.”

Sure, that’s how these games have gone in the recent past, but the big, looming question is this: Does this Rams team have what it takes to go toe-to-toe and win a physical battle?

They haven’t yet. They’ll need to today.

Colorado State (5-2) and the University of Colorado (6-1) tip off at Moby Arena at Noon MT. The game is close to a sellout, with 600 tickets remaining as of 4:30 p.m. MT Saturday, and the Whale should definitely be rocking today.

The Rams will need to feed off that emotion and generate some of their own on the hardwood to win what would be a hard-fought game.