FORT COLLINS — Adam Nigon, who started his Colorado State career as a walk-on, won’t complain if tonight’s regular-season home finale against Utah is his last game at Moby Arena.
It’s not about sentimentality. It’s about practicality.
“I hope it is my last home game,” said Nigon, who will start his 80th game tonight. “I really want it to be my last home game — and that would mean us in the NCAA Tournament. That’s our goal.”
If CSU (18-10, 8-6 Mountain West) doesn’t pull out a longshot NCAA bid, a home NIT game is likely.
CSU was driving for an at-large NCAA berth, with an RPI in the high 30s, until hitting the wall the past three games. A home loss Feb. 19 to UNLV was followed by a loss at BYU. Then the wheels came off Saturday at Air Force with a 17-point loss.
“The way we played Saturday is not who we are as a basketball team,” Nigon said. “We still have games to play, and with our league as good as it is, we still have a chance to make the NCAA. Everyone is kind of counting us out now, but who knows if we win the next two games (Utah and Saturday at No. 9 San Diego State)?”
After joining the team to help fill out new coach Tim Miles’ bench in 2007, the 6-foot-3 guard gives the effort, scraps for every ball and rallies his teammates.
“Adam is a spark for us,” Miles said. “He’s an excellent teammate. He’s got a lot of fire; he has no fear.”
And Nigon sees the big picture, sometimes texting Miles at all hours.
“It’s a pretty good relationship,” Nigon said.
Nigon was a decent player at Broomfield High School who never imagined playing beyond college intramurals. He grew up playing with and against current Northern Colorado standout Devon Beitzel. Although Beitzel redshirted as a freshman, Nigon went to the UNC-CSU game to see him and discovered Division I ball was quicker and more athletic but said, “I felt I could hang with them a little bit.”
With a coaching change and roster clearing at CSU in the spring of 2007, Nigon decided it was his time.
“They only had two guys coming back,” he said of the 2007-08 CSU roster. His high school coach talked to Miles and his new staff. Nigon remained persistent.
“He was like a cat you give a little bit of milk,” Miles said. “He wouldn’t go away.”
Natalie Meisler: 303 954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
