FORT COLLINS — Colorado State has six more chances to avoid becoming only the second men’s basketball team in Mountain West Conference history to finish a season without a league victory.
Brigham Young, the MWC leader, pushed CSU closer to joining the 1999-2000 San Diego State squad in conference futility with a 79-65 victory over the outmanned Rams on Wednesday night at Moby Arena.
It was the 11th consecutive loss for the Rams (6-18, 0-10).
“I think our team is still out there scrapping,” said CSU’s Stuart Creason, a 7-foot senior who led all scorers with 24 points in his first start since injuring his foot in early January.
There was no matching the pace established by BYU wing Lee Cummard, whom CSU coach Tim Miles rated this week as the league’s top player. Cummard scored 22 points to lead BYU’s five starters in double figures. He also had eight rebounds and five assists.
BYU center Trent Plaisted, who drew at least one NBA scout, added 21 points and shot 9-for-9 from the field.
CSU played the Cougars (19-5, 8-1) with only six scholarship players. Although Creason returned to the starting lineup, his replacement, Ronnie Aguilar, took Creason’s seat on the bench in street clothes. Aguilar has a foot injury similar to Creason’s stress fracture.
Also out with injuries to both shoulders was starting point guard Willis Gardner. He may be out the rest of the season and Aguilar at least a week while he wears a walking boot.
In their absence, CSU suddenly became a balanced scoring team against the most balanced talent in the MWC.
CSU had just one point from the starting lineup besides league scoring leader Marcus Walker’s 24 against Nevada-Las Vegas last weekend.
“Marcus kept asking me to shoot more and I wanted to find a rhythm,” said freshman forward Andre McFarland, who finished with 15 points.
Walker missed 16-of-18 shots and was held to a season-low seven points. He had to take over some of Gardner’s duties at point guard, but refused to use it as an excuse.
“I rushed some shots. I took bad shots,” Walker said.
Said Miles, “Good players can have bad nights.”
The Rams overcame an early 14-point deficit to twice get within three points before halftime. The Cougars gradually pulled away in the second half.
BRIGHAM YOUNG (19-5, 8-1 MWC)
Tavernari 2-6 4-4 10, Plaisted 9-9 3-7 21, Burgess 4-10 0-0 10, Murdock 5-9 1-4 13, Cummard 9-15 2-3 22, Loyd 0-0 0-0 0, Martineau 0-0 0-0 0, Fredette 0-1 0-0 0, Collinsworth 1-4 1-1 3, Miles 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-55 11-19 79.
COLORADO STATE (6-18, 0-10)
McFarland 5-7 2-2 15, Creason 7-13 10-10 24, Walker 2-18 2-3 7, Nigon 0-0 0-0 0, Woodard 1-2 1-2 4, Clayman 2-6 0-0 4, Cohen 1-2 0-0 3, Simmons 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 22-54 15-17 65.
Halftime — BYU 34-31. 3-point goals — BYU 8-23 (Tavernari 2-5, Cummard 2-5, Burgess 2-6, Murdock 2-6, Fredette 0-1); Colorado State 6-16 (McFarland 3-3, Woodard 1-1, Cohen 1-1, Walker 1-7, Simmons 0-1, Clayman 0-3). Fouled out — Clayman, Creason, Miles. Rebounds — BYU 38 (Tavernari 10), Colorado State 26 (Creason 6). Assists — BYU 16 (Murdock 6), Colorado State 12 (Simmons 3). Total fouls — BYU 15, Colorado State 23. A — 2,728.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
