CSU Rams take down Air Force on the road, move one step closer to NCAA Tournament bid

Colorado State moved one step closer to securing an NCAA Tournament bid with a 82-73 victory over Air Force on Saturday. 

The Rams trailed by as much as 10 in the first half and 5 in the second, but behind a 29-point performance from Isaiah Stevens and a combined 31 from Joel Scott and Nique Clifford, CSU was able to secure a much-needed road win in Colorado Springs. 

CSU shot a season-high 66 percent from the floor against the Falcons, including an impressive 21-of-24 from inside the arc. It would have been easy to get roped into a 3-point shootout, especially with Air Force hitting 6-of-8 threes over the first 20 minutes. As the Falcons cooled off in the second half, though, CSU’s consistent effort to attack inside proved to be a major factor. 

The Rams scored 34 points in the paint and made 22 free throws in the win. On a day where there were a combined 43 personal fouls and three technicals, they adjusted to the whistle well and put a lot of pressure on the home team, especially as CSU took control of the game down the stretch. 

The Falcons, led by Rytis Pertraitis, never made things easy for the Green & Gold. His 27 points allowed Air Force to remain within striking distance — even after CSU stretched the lead to double-digits a couple of times. 

With all of the pressure on CSU to avoid a bad loss, though, the Rams found a way to grind out a gritty victory away from home. 

Here are the other takeaways from the win. 

Clifford, Scott stand out in return to Colorado Springs

It was a homecoming of sorts for a handful of players on the roster. In their return to Colorado Springs, Nique Clifford and Joel Scott had standout performances. 

Clifford scored 15 points on an efficient 4-of-5 from the floor. He did a nice job of getting to the line consistently and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, too. His efforts on the glass were particularly crucial with Air Force causing some trouble with offensive rebounds. Rounding out a solid day, Clifford paced CSU with four assists to finish a team-best +14 in 34 minutes of action. 

Scott had some troubles knocking down free throws. The big man made only eight of the 16 he attempted in this one. That said, his mentality to work the paint and force the Falcons to foul him made it really tough for them to string together multiple possessions without allowing points. He led CSU with 10 points in the second half and finished second on the team with 16 points. 

Over his last six games, Scott has averaged 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. The former Division II Player of the Year has played some of his best basketball as we’ve gotten closer to the postseason. 

Headband Joe had a block party 

Along with the aforementioned, Joe Palmer scored 7 points off the bench to lead the rotation. He attacked the hoop successfully a couple of times and made all three of his free throws. 

While he and Jalen Lake combining for 13 points provided a nice boost, Palmer had a pair of blocks in the game and each was a great example of how making the extra effort can make all the difference. 

His 3-point shooting has not been the same of late. The crowd favorite is just 3-of-19 from deep since the start of February. It’s been encouraging to see Palmer adjust and continue to find ways to positively impact the floor. 

Killer instinct 

The Rams closed the game by making their final 10 field goal attempts. And what was especially encouraging was that seven different players contributed in the closeout effort. 

After taking control of things in the second half, CSU executed to perfection to secure an important conference road win. After suffering a few heartbreakers in recent weeks, it was great to see the Rams take one without any headaches.

Closing in on NCAA Tournament bid 

By winning on Saturday, CSU’s resume on paper is good enough to make the NCAA Tournament.

That said, in order to avoid an uncomfortable Selection Sunday or the potential of going to Dayton for a play-in game, the Rams would greatly benefit by winning at least one game in the Mountain West Tournament. 

If CSU were to win multiple games in Las Vegas it could really help CSU’s seeding. The league is getting a ton of respect across the country right now, but you want to do everything in your power to strengthen your position.