Rams complete the sweep with another smothering victory over Fresno State

FORT COLLINS, CO. — Happy trails, Fresno State! 

After taking down the Bulldogs in Monday night’s conference opener, Colorado State men’s basketball completed the two-game sweep with a 81-59 victory over Fresno State Wednesday afternoon. 

In the dominant showing, the Rams trailed just once. Fresno State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening minutes and held it for a total of 24 seconds. From there, though, CSU was firmly in control as the Rams put a hurting on their conference foes.  

From the opening tip, CSU just looked like the team that wanted it more. The Rams played with relentless intensity on defense, attacked ferociously on offense and generally just overwhelmed the visiting Bulldogs in every facet of the game. There were definitely moments where the action lulled — in particular the first 10 minutes of the second half and closing minutes of the win— but ultimately this was a matchup that was never in question for the home team. 

The Rams shot 52 percent from the floor compared to just 32 percent from the Bulldogs. CSU was more efficient from beyond the arc (41 percent) and the charity stripe as well (81 percent).  

Heading into a difficult matchup with San Diego State, the coaching staff will certainly want to limit the amount of offensive rebounds allowed — 14 was simply way too many on Wednesday afternoon. That said, it’s tough to complain too much considering the final results. 

Leading the way for the Green & Gold was sophomore forward David Roddy. The rising star recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds — both of which paced the squad. Beyond his play on the offensive end, though, what really stood out was his stellar showing defensively. Going up against a talented big man in Orlando Robinson, Roddy was effective as the four and five depending on the lineup that the Rams had on the floor. Obviously the Bulldogs are one of the less talented teams in the Mountain West but it was encouraging to see Roddy consistently handle the matchup well over the two games. We’ll see how he handles an even tougher draw in the Aztecs on Saturday afternoon.

In addition to Roddy’s 17 points, the Rams also picked up a crucial 14 points off the bench from P.J. Byrd. With Kendle Moore getting into early foul trouble, Byrd saw a season-high 21 minutes and really made the most of his opportunity. Byrd went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. It was a really excellent showing from a guy that’s still trying to establish his role in the rotation and a strong indication of the type of depth this roster possesses.

Next Up: An even tougher test at San Diego State on CBS this Saturday.