FORT COLLINS — Colorado State was schooled in the pick-and-roll Sunday night by Stanford, a 74-63 victor before 2,933 at Moby Arena.
The Cardinal (5-0) repeatedly scored off uncontested dunks and layups in its first game since a Nov. 29 victory against Colorado.
It was the fifth straight loss for the Rams (3-7) under second-year coach Tim Miles.
After trailing by one at halftime, the porous pick-and-roll defense and a rash of unforced turnovers — off-target passes and dropped balls — allowed Stanford to take control. If Anthony Goods wasn’t hitting jumpers en route to a game- high 23 points, he was feeding open teammates rolling to the basket, particularly Josh Owens, who threw down three dunks and dropped in two layups as Rams defenders stayed with Goods.
“We didn’t get weakside help,” Miles said. “It takes the entire team to defend screen- and-roll, and we didn’t have help-side guys.”
Getting a mix of players with various basketball IQs on the same page takes time, a commodity lacking amid CSU’s constant rebuilding mode.
“I think some of it is lacking a sense of the game, and being in constant communication is something we struggle at,” Miles said.
On the offensive end, the Rams realized after a cold- shooting start that they could power inside against Stanford, which lacked size and a shot blocker.
That commitment contributed to a 10-2 run, a 21-20 lead and only a 33-32 halftime deficit.
Four turnovers, leading to Stanford fast-break baskets, thwarted CSU in the opening three minutes of the second half as the Cardinal took a 45-35 lead.
“We got away from going inside because we turned it over, like seven of our first 12 possessions of the second half,” Miles said.
Marcus Walker scored a team-high 15 points for CSU, followed by Andy Ogide (13) and Willis Gardner (11).
After trailing by as many as 14, the Rams went on a 10-0 run, with Gardner scoring on a driving layup, Andre McFarland canning consecutive 3-pointers and Ogide dunking off a feed from Josh Simmons to cut the lead to 58-54 with 6:47 left.
But the Rams’ defense faltered again.
“We worked on it (pick-and-roll defense) all week, but they have such good shooters like Goods,” center Dan Vandervieren said. “You have to show (pretend you’re staying with him) because he can make a 3, and sometimes you get back to the roll guy and sometimes not.”
STANFORD (5-0)
Fields 3-12 4-6 11, Hill 4-11 2-2 10, Owens 7-11 0-0 14, Johnson 2-4 0-0 4, Goods 8-14 3-5 23, Green 2-6 2-2 7, Shiller 2-2 0-0 5, Brown 0-2 0-1 0, Paul 0-1 0-0 0, Bullock 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-63 11-16 74.
COLORADO STATE (3-7)
McFarland 2-7 0-0 6, Ogide 5-9 3-6 13, Vandervieren 2-6 2-2 6, Walker 6-12 2-2 15, Gardner 5-12 0-0 11, Franklin 1-2 0-1 2, Carr 3-4 0-0 7, Perry 0-1 0-0 0, Simmons 0-5 0-0 0, Bocar Ba 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 25-60 8-13 63.
Halftime — Stanford 33-32. 3-point goals — Stanford 7-19 (Goods 4-8, Shiller 1-1, Fields 1-3, Green 1-3, Paul 0-1, Hill 0-1, Brown 0-1, Johnson 0-1), Colorado St. 5-14 (McFarland 2-5, Gardner 1-2, Carr 1-2, Walker 1-3, Simmons 0-1, Perry 0-1). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — Stanford 37 (Fields, Hill 9), Colorado St. 41 (Ogide 10). Assists — Stanford 6 (Goods, Hill, Johnson, Owens, Paul, Shiller 1), Colorado St. 7 (Gardner 3). Total fouls — Stanford 14, Colorado St. 19. A — 2,933.
