LAS VEGAS — Take it from Colorado State’s Pierce Hornung, the best sixth man in Mountain West Conference men’s basketball this season: No one has leadership skills to match CSU star Andy Ogide’s.
“Andy’s very down to earth. He doesn’t let his success get in the way of his work ethic,” said Hornung, a sophomore forward from Ralston Valley High School who was honored this week as the MWC’s top player off the bench. “He’s very humble, just an ultimate leader.”
Ogide’s influence will carry on long after he leaves Fort Collins to pursue a pro career. His teammates hope to make the all-MWC senior forward’s college career last as long as possible.
But the Rams (19-11, 9-7 MWC) will need the best out of Ogide and a bigger contribution from the rest of a slumping starting lineup when they play New Mexico (20-11, 8-8) today at the MWC Tournament.
“We’ve been pretty good since I’ve been here on neutral floors,” Ogide said of the Rams winning a holiday tournament in Cancun, Mexico, this season and coming within a buzzer-beater of another tournament title in San Francisco. “The main thing is we have to play like we want it more. If we play like that, we’re very tough to beat. We have to play that way for the whole tournament and if we can bring that three days, I like our chances of bringing home that MWC trophy.”
In another game today, No. 6-seeded Air Force (15-14, 6-10) has the tough task of playing No. 3 Nevada-Las Vegas (23-7, 11-5) on the Rebels’ court at the Thomas & Mack Center.
This is the second consecutive year CSU is in the tournament’s No. 4 vs. No. 5 game. Last season, fifth-seeded CSU lost to San Diego State 72-71.
“The 4-5 game is always a game that has teams on the cusp of needing something to happen,” CSU coach Tim Miles said. “We need to go out (and play) with the idea we need to prove our doubters wrong. We do have something to prove.”
The Rams likely will play in the NIT if they don’t win the MWC Tournament and play in the NCAA Tournament. Considering the Rams were slotted into most NCAA mock brackets until a few weeks ago, Miles and his team aren’t talking about anything but winning their MWC Tournament opener against New Mexico.
While the Lobos’ mostly young team has developed, CSU has stumbled with three seniors in the starting lineup. The Rams have lost five of their last six games.
“The only way to get your mojo back is to go out and compete and have success while you’re doing it,” Miles said.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
Colorado State vs. New Mexico
3:30 p.m. today, The Mtn., CBS College Sports
Spotlight on Drew Gordon: New Mexico’s 6-foot-9 junior forward earned MWC newcomer of the year honors as a transfer from UCLA. Gordon made the all-MWC second team by averaging 12.6 points and 10.5 rebounds. He grabbed 16 rebounds in the first meeting with the Rams this season but fouled out in the second meeting with 12 points and three rebounds.
Colorado State: The No. 4-seeded Rams will be looking to regain the form they showed the first half of the season. The Rams have lost five of their last six games, including the two biggest margins of the year at Air Force (74-57) and at San Diego State (64-48). It’s been the same story for three weeks: CSU needs more production from its guards to spread out defenses and let Andy Ogide and Travis Franklin work the baseline. . . . CSU had 19 wins when the Rams won the MWC Tournament and made the NCAA field in 2003. CSU hasn’t had a 20-win season since going 20-9 in 1996-97 and 1997-98.
New Mexico: The Lobos were 12-2 in nonleague play and then started 1-4 in the MWC. New Mexico’s season highlight was sweeping league co-champ BYU. The Lobos lost twice to No. 7 seed Utah. . . . An NCAA team a year ago, New Mexico would probably have to beat BYU a third time to move up in the RPI enough for another bid. . . . Dairese Gary will make his 129th consecutive start today, the longest active streak in the country. Gary, a repeat first-team all-MWC selection, was shut out by CSU in the first meeting.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
