Fort Collins – It’s official. Colorado State’s annual midseason swoon has begun.
Despite New Mexico missing its first nine shots and leaving starting point guard Jamaal Smith home because of a suspension, all the Lobos needed Saturday was nine offensive rebounds from Aaron Johnson and a 3-pointer from Chad Toppert with 37.4 seconds left to seal CSU’s fate, 70-66.
Instead of CSU (14-7, 4-5 Mountain West Conference) claiming its first season sweep over New Mexico (14-10, 3-6) since 1993, the Lobos won for the first time this season on the road. Moreover, a CSU team that had looked to avoid its usual midseason MWC slump has dropped three in a row, including the past two at home. CSU has dropped seven straight league games every year since 2003 except for 2005, when the string went to eight losses.
“We’re probably treading water right now,” CSU coach Dale Layer said. “I don’t think we’re getting worse. We’re not getting better.”
The Rams had made steady progress all season, peaking with a nearly flawless game two weeks ago against BYU. Confidence was rattled at Wyoming and then by a superior UNLV team.
“We need to get our focus back,” said CSU forward Jason Smith, who again saw playing time diminished by foul trouble. “We are struggling, but all teams struggle. We need to come back from this and I know we will come back.”
Smith, despite playing only 20 minutes and finishing with four fouls, was the most productive Ram with 16 points. But he pulled down five rebounds, a little more than half his league-leading average. His dunk with 7:29 left for a 56-54 lead was CSU’s final field goal of the game. He was perfect at the line to score all but two of the Rams’ remaining points.
Smith gave the Rams their final lead, 60-58, at the foul line with 3:56 left.
Then Toppert hit a 3-pointer to start a 7-0 Lobos run. He hit a shot over Smith for a 65-60 lead with 1:45 remaining.
The Rams were able to stay within a point at the foul line before Toppert made his decisive 3-pointer for a 68-64 edge with 37.4 seconds to play.
“I was at the right spot at the right time,” Toppert said. “I kind of struggled early and I was hearing it (about an early airball) from the crowd.”
In the first round of league play, Smith scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds as CSU won in Albuquerque 88-79.
But the Lobos didn’t have Kansas transfer J.R. Giddens in that game. Giddens, in and out of New Mexico’s lineup during January with a foot injury, is back and he contributed 14 points.
New Mexico was led by Tony Danridge’s 24 points.
CSU couldn’t take advantage of New Mexico’s early dry spell, leading only 6-1 before Darren Prentice scored the first Lobos basket with 13:08 left in the first half. With Johnson leading the way on the offensive boards, New Mexico pulled away to 24-17 first-half lead before settling on a 28-22 advantage at halftime.
The Rams came out with more determination in the second half and guard Tyler Smith emerged from his shooting slump for CSU’s first lead, 45-44, with 12:45 left. The Rams couldn’t sustain any runs to pull away.
NEW MEXICO (14-10, 3-6 MOUNTAIN WEST)
Johnson 1-7 3-4 5, Danridge 10-17 2-2 24, Giddens 5-13 1-2 14, Prentice 1-5 2-2 5, Toppert 3-9 2-2 11, Kanyinda 0-0 0-0 0, Henfield 0-0 0-0 0, Kersten 4-10 0-1 11, Martinez 0-1 0-0 0, Walter 0-1 0-0 0, Faris 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 10-13 70.
COLORADO STATE (14-7, 4-5)
Jas. Smith 4-6 8-8 16, Creason 3-6 2-2 8, Lewis 3-10 4-4 10, Denson 4-7 4-5 12, Gilling 4-6 0-1 10, Kilby 1-3 0-0 2, T. Smith 3-9 0-0 8, Surratt 0-0 0-0 0, F. Robinson 0-0 0-0 0, Aguilar 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-48 18-20 66.
Halftime – New Mexico 28-22. 3-point goals – New Mexico 12-28 (Kersten 3-6, Giddens 3-7, Toppert 3-8, Danridge 2-2, Prentice 1-4, Walter 0-1), Colorado St. 4-13 (T. Smith 2-3, Gilling 2-4, Jas. Smith 0-1, Denson 0-2, Lewis 0-3). Fouled out – None. Rebounds – New Mexico 36 (Johnson 13), Colorado St. 34 (Lewis 7). Assists – New Mexico 13 (Prentice 6), Colorado St. 10 (Lewis 5). Total fouls – New Mexico 21, Colorado St. 17. A – 5,796.
