Rams takeaways: CSU stormed back in the second half to earn an important win against Nevada

FORT COLLINS — It’s not always about how you start, it’s about how you finish. Colorado State proved this once again Tuesday night in a comeback victory over Nevada (77-66). 

The Wolf Pack led by 7 at halftime and held an advantage for 23:26 in total. After shooting just 33 percent from the floor in the first half, though, the Rams torched Moby Arena in the second half with 50 points on 68 percent shooting to take over the game and secure a home win over their foes from Reno, NV. 

The drama was not quite on par with the past two games between CSU and Nevada, both of which were decided at the buzzer, but the atmosphere felt closer to a postseason game than a random conference matchup in the middle of the 2021-22 campaign. There were NBA caliber shots hit by both teams, guys were going hard for loose balls and creating turnovers on defense with a little extra effort on both ends, it was everything you would expect in a game between two extremely talented rosters. 

Nevada was able to get 39 points out of its stellar backcourt combo of Desmond Cambridge Jr. (23) and Grant Sherfield (16). Those two combined for seven threes on the night and showed the Rams on multiple occasions that they can get a bucket even when there is a hand in their faces. Niko Medved said postgame that he felt like the Rams did okay guarding Sherfield, but they didn’t do a good enough job of limiting the easy opportunities for Cambridge and it allowed him to get in a rhythm. 

Unfortunately, for UNR’s dynamic duo, CSU’s backcourt happens to be pretty damn talented as well. The Rams got 30 points between Isaiah Stevens (16) and Chandler Jacobs (14). David Roddy had 18 points and six assists as well, to go along with his eight rebounds, all of which led the Green & Gold in the victory. Roddy drew a pair of key charges and picked up a steal on defense. He was here, he was there, he was everywhere for the Rams on Tuesday. 

Here are the other takeaways from CSU’s 16th win of the season (16-1, 6-1). 

James Moors stepped up in a major way 

James Moors has taken a backseat to Dischon Thomas for much of the season, but with ‘DT’ in foul trouble against Nevada, the Rams needed the big man from Auckland, New Zealand to play a much bigger role and he delivered in a major way. 

Prior to Tuesday night, the most minutes Moors had received in any game was 16 against Arkansas Little-Rock back on Dec. 1. He recorded 26 against the Wolf Pack. And what’s more, they weren’t just filler minutes, Moors was productive.  

On offense Moors was a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor, finishing the victory with 8 points and four rebounds. A pair of those boards came on the offensive glass and Moors was able to make the Wolf Pack pay with putbacks or by drawing a foul to get to the free throw line. He dished out three assists as well, so his vision and decision making skills were on display. 

Getting the solid play down low was huge for CSU, especially after Nevada did a nice job of limiting the Rams’ post production early, but where Moors really shined was on the defensive side. Nevada ran a ton of ball screens, but Moors did a really good job of being disruptive without racking up ticky tack fouls. Following the win, Niko Medved had high praise for Moors and his ability to come into the matchup and make an impact. 

“There’s an old saying. When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare. And a guy like James Moors, who started last year for us and hasn’t played as many minutes —  but the fact that he has such a great attitude and stays prepared, we don’t win the game without his defense.”

“A lot of it I think a lot of it had to do with mindset,” Moors added. “I had to be prepared and stay locked in because you never know when something like this could happen. And you gotta be ready to step up.”

Moving forward it will be interesting to see if Moors can build off of his strong showing against UNR. Thomas’ ability to stretch the floor makes him incredibly valuable and it’s why he has taken over a spot in the starting five this season. As we saw on Tuesday, though, what Moors brings to the table can be beneficial in a different way. He’s more of a traditional five, a bruiser, or a guy that can bully an opponent right back when they attempt to play physically. I’ve said all year that the Rams are going to have to lean on both of these guys, as CSU just doesn’t have a ton of size, so hopefully this was the beginning of a new trend. (minus the foul trouble for DT)

“As the game went on, it just helped my confidence a lot, which allowed me to play my game a little bit,” Moors said. 

The Rams dominated when it mattered most

Medved would most certainly prefer for his team to not have to keep making these dramatic comebacks. Between Bradley, Northeastern, Northern Colorado, etc, a guy can only take so much drama. If we’ve learned anything about this Rams team, though, it’s that they rise to the occasion. 

CSU looked sluggish offensively in the first half. The Rams forced jump shots, dribbled into the defense with no apparent plan, they tried to squeeze tight passes that never had a chance. It was just sloppy all around and it showed on the scoreboard. 

Then, at halftime, CSU flipped a switch. The Rams, led by Roddy and Stevens, came out of the break and played like the offensive unit we’ve all grown to love this season. 

Would it have been less stressful if the Rams played this way for all 40 minutes? Most certainly. But even the best teams in college basketball have tough stretches, so it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you close. And when the game was on the line, CSU played winning basketball on both ends of the floor. 

“Coach said the team spirit was a little bit low,” Roddy said. “We’re not really picking each other up and getting frustrated. So, coach reminded us at halftime like, hey, it’s seven points at halftime, we’re gonna knock down shots, we’re gonna execute and we’re going to get back in this game. And we did, so I’m so proud of this team.”

“In the first half we had some things not go our way. I thought we weren’t emotionally where we needed to be,” Medved said. “But man, we came out of that locker room in the second half. And we talked about having a great spirit, picking each other up, and trusting what we were doing. Man, the guys just stepped up like crazy.”