FORT COLLINS — Warren Creason, wearing a green ball cap with the gold lettering “Stuart’s Dad,” burst with pride as he accompanied his son, Colorado State’s 7-foot center Stuart Creason, for Senior Night introductions.
Some time after fans and school officials shook hands with the elder Creason, father and son left Moby Arena for the last time. The son was limping again, the souvenir of diving for a loose ball early in the second half.
Typical of a season of worsts, CSU couldn’t even execute Senior Night without mishap. For the first time in Mountain West Conference play, the Rams had all eight available scholarship players. By the time New Mexico finished off the Rams’ misery with a workmanlike 71-52 victory, CSU was back to six scholarship players, with both Creason and his 7-foot sub Ronnie Aguilar out with foot injuries.
It left 6-6 freshman forward Andre McFarland, who has become the Rams’ steadiest 3-point shooter, to defend opposing centers.
“The thing I’m proudest of is, at the end of last year if anyone had reason not to come back, it was Stuart,” his father said of his son’s graduation last May. “CSU made a commitment to him and he honored back his commitment. It’s been a tough one.”
And to think a year ago when the Rams throttled Wyoming on Senior Night, forward Jason Smith declared in the emotion of the moment that he would return for his senior season.Smith is winding down his rookie year with the Philadelphia 76ers.
CSU (6-24, 0-16) will play in the MWC Tournament play-in game Wednesday with the prospect of losing three times in one season to Wyoming.
Besides extending the losing streak to 17 games, becoming the first 0-16 MWC team and matching 1981’s 24 losses, CSU hit more lows. The 31.1 percent shooting percentage was the worst of the season. With a season-low six points, CSU guard Marcus Walker lost his grip on the MWC (conference games only) scoring title to New Mexico’s J.R. Giddens.
It started well enough for the Rams, with Giddens saddled with three first-half fouls. The Rams were competitive in the first half until Darren Prentice broke a 27-all tie with 2:51 left to open a 12-3 run until halftime.
The 3,318 in the stands, including a section of New Mexico fans, barely exceeded the season average.
NEW MEXICO (24-7, 11-5 MWC)
Martinez 4-8 0-0 9, Faris 5-12 5-6 15, Wills 1-4 1-2 4, Gary 2-4 0-0 5, Giddens 6-11 1-2 13, Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 2-7 0-0 6, Pegues 0-0 0-0 0, Prentice 1-3 2-3 5, Toppert 4-6 2-2 14. Totals 25-55 11-15 71.
COLORADO STATE (6-24, 0-16)
McFarland 4-7 0-0 10, Creason 2-4 4-5 8, Walker 1-7 4-8 6, Simmons 1-3 10-10 12, Gardner 2-6 0-0 5, Clayman 1-3 1-1 3, Cohen 0-1 0-0 0, Nigon 0-2 0-0 0, Woodard 3-9 0-0 8, Aguilar 0-3 0-0 0, Van Tassel 0-0 0-0 0, McGinley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-45 19-24 52.
Halftime — New Mexico 39-30. 3-point goals — New Mexico 10-17 (Toppert 4-5, Smith 2-4, Martinez 1-1, Wills 1-2, Gary 1-2, Prentice 1-3), Colorado St. 5-18 (McFarland 2-2, Woodard 2-6, Gardner 1-3, Simmons 0-1, Cohen 0-1, Nigon 0-1, Walker 0-4). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — New Mexico 33 (Faris 8), Colorado St. 33 (McFarland 10). Assists — New Mexico 19 (Prentice 6), Colorado St. 8 (Gardner, Walker 2). Total fouls — New Mexico 19, Colorado St. 18. A — 3,318.
