24-10; 10-8, Sixth in the Mountain West Conference
It’s been quite a journey for the Rams this year, from starting 13-1 and ranked to finishing 10-8 in their own league. In the end, they have made it back to the Madness – sort of. Mostly. Now, can their extraordinary point guard send himself – and the team he’s spent five years with, authoring a legend – off into the sunset with a Shining Moment to remember?
The only five-time All-Mountain West Player in history, Isaiah Stevens has also this season become Colorado State’s all-time leader in both assists and points. His current total of 855 helpers is also this highest total in conference history. Stevens is as much an institution in Fort Collins as David Roddy or any other star, and despite being stuck in a First Four game, the Rams are ready to charge behind their star.
Stevens may be little but he’s electric, a shifty and slippery scorer who darts and weaves between defenders to make everything happen for CSU. And sometimes, he’ll tell the opposition exactly how good he is after he sticks a shot in their collective faces. He’s a silky jump shooter and can play at any pace before accelerating into the lane to manufacture a basket. There’s very little which Stevens doesn’t do well, and his playmaking creates an immense number of offensive opportunities which some of teammates simply wouldn’t be able to create for themselves. He gives the Rams their confidence, and as much or more than any player in the nation, Stevens is the straw that stirs Colorado State’s drink.
Stevens got a new co-star this year, as former 4-star recruit Nique Clifford arrived to add an impact presence on the wing. Clifford formerly played for a Colorado team. He still does, but he used to, too. The former Buff enjoyed a serious breakout season for head coach Niko Medved, stuffing the stat sheet like few players in the MWC. Clifford shot 52.3% from the floor while leading the team in rebounding and throwing down some highlight-reel dunks. He is always a strong positional and on-ball defender, and there are times when Clifford is more of a one-man offense-wrecker with his long arms and explosive quickness.
The Rams have a complementary pair of forwards who this year combined with Clifford to shore up what had been a dreadful anchor on the team’s success. For years, CSU has not been a strong rebounding team. While they still ranked among the worst offensive rebounding teams in the country this year, the Rams were somewhat improved; and what’s more, CSU ended up slightly above average nationally at cleaning the defensive boards. Much of the credit for that improvement goes to Joel Scott, a Colorado native and former All-American star at the Division II level. Scott provides energy, effort, and some attitude around the lane, and he finished as the Rams #2 scorer in this, his one and only season in Fort Collins. Patrick Cartier played for CSU last year, and while more of an offensive-minded post player, adds plenty of value in his own way. Cartier is decisive with everything that he does, uses his hips well to establish position, and scores with garrulous precision around the basket. He uses his dribble well to work around defenders, and Cartier’s footwork is clean and quick. Scott is more explosive than Cartier, and he goes up aggressively with the ball when he gets hold of it in close, looking to dunk, get fouled; or both. Each of the veterans present Stevens with great options when they set a pick and then either pop for a jumper or roll to the rim.
Well-traveled veteran scoring guard Josiah Strong leads a cast of perimeter players who occupy varied roles in Medved’s backcourt. Though the three-ball seems to have largely deserted him since his arrival in Fort Collins, Strong had long been a solid outside threat. His savvy at both ends of the floor helps any lineup – as does that which Joe Palmer brings. ‘Headband Joe’ provides all sorts of energy and is a crowd favorite with the abandon he brings with him while crashing the boards or crashing through screens in pursuit of his defensive assignment. Jalen Lake is a larger combo guard who can spell Stevens at the point, while Kyan Evans may be the team’s heir to that position. Rashaan Mbemba, a big, wide, rambunctious rookie from Austria, has filled a Roddy-esque role as a big fella with genuine perimeter skill, and Rams fans are excited to chart his continued development.
Colorado State ran out to a 13-1 start this season on the strength of an incredibly efficient offense which shared the ball so well that they dazzled the opposition into leaving someone open. Lately, the Rams haven’t shot it as well from the outside, but they still rank top ten nationally in 2FG% and assists. Virginia is a tough matchup because the Hoos are only rarely not organized or locked-in defensively. Still, exceptional offense can beat exceptional defense, and CSU has been exceptional at times. Stevens has made a career out of doing heroic things, and now that his team’s next loss will be the end of that run, expect nothing but sheer brilliance from one of America’s best players.
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