FORT COLLINS — Colorado State stood only 13 seconds from a major upset. As Rams exchanged grins at midcourt, and normally tame Moby Arena turned up the decibel count, there was no way New Mexico could overcome a five-point gap.
But an improbable Roman Martinez reverse layup just before the buzzer stretched the Mountain West Conference game to overtime. And an equally artistic layup by CSU’s Marcus Walker forced another overtime.
And just as the Rams failed a week and a half ago in regulation against Utah as well as Wyoming last Wednesday, they couldn’t find just one more basket. New Mexico (19-10, 10-4 MWC) exhaled with an 81-79 victory in double overtime Saturday.
“If you’re a Ram fan, this has been a week of torture,” said totally drained CSU coach Tim Miles. “How many times can you have a game in order and find a way to muck it up?”
Walker, who celebrated his senior farewell to Moby Arena with a season-best 33 points, limped off the court with a deep leg bruise. “It’s pretty emotional anytime you say goodbye to something that has been so good to you,” Walker said of a prolific two-year career with the Rams.
Try as they did, the Rams (9-20, 4-11) couldn’t stave off a second straight 20-loss season.
For what it’s worth, the Rams’ most intense effort of the season at least won some respect, which was in short supply around the MWC a year ago when CSU didn’t win a conference game.
“He had a great senior night,” Lobos coach Steve Alford said of Walker. “CSU has improved the most of any team in the league since the first time we played them (a 68-50 win for New Mexico in Albuquerque).”
Walker also had two steals and four assists. But his six turnovers, after none against Wyoming, proved costly. He lost the handle on an inbound pass with 5.3 seconds left in regulation, allowing New Mexico time to tie when all CSU had to do was dribble out the clock. A more fatal flaw came when the Rams couldn’t inbound the ball within five seconds during the final minute of the second overtime.
“Marcus is going to try to make plays. That’s what I love him for,” Miles said. “He gets going 1,000 miles per hour, and sometimes that can work against him.”
CSU trailed by 14 points in the first half, but Walker provided a 53-45 lead with 5:01 left in regulation.
“If we’re going to win, these are the types of games we need,” Miles said. “We’re not going to beat anyone in the Mountain West by 15 points.”
NEW MEXICO (19-10, 10-4 MWC)
Martinez 6-12 0-0 15, Danridge 4-13 4-6 12, Faris 1-7 4-6 6, Gary 5-9 8-11 18, McDonald 0-2 0-0 0, Hardeman 2-3 0-0 4, Wills 1-1 0-0 3, Garth 1-2 0-0 3, Brown 0-0 1-2 1, Toppert 6-13 2-4 19. Totals 26-62 19-29 81.
COLORADO STATE (9-20, 4-11)
McFarland 2-7 5-5 11, Ogide 2-5 0-0 4, Walker 12-26 8-11 33, Perry 4-8 5-7 13, Gardner 1-9 3-4 6, Franklin 1-5 5-7 7, Nigon 0-0 0-0 0, Dunn 1-1 0-0 3, Bocar Ba 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 23-62 28-36 79.
Halftime — New Mexico 30-23. End of regulation — 62-62. End of first overtime — 71-71. 3-point goals —New Mexico 10-23 (Toppert 5-11, Martinez 3-7, Wills 1-1, Garth 1-1, McDonald 0-1, Gary 0-2); Colorado State 5-19 (McFarland 2-6, Dunn 1-1, Gardner 1-3, Walker 1-6, Perry 0-3). Fouled out —Faris, Gary, Ogide. Rebounds — New Mexico 43 (Martinez 13), Colorado State 44 (Perry 10). Assists — New Mexico 15 (Gary 8), Colorado State 9 (Walker 4). Total fouls —New Mexico 26, Colorado State 23. A — 3,023.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
