CSU Runs Record to Program Best 15-1 With 73-53 Win At Air Force
USAFA, Colo. – No. 23 Colorado State put together a solid performance on both ends of the floor and handily defeated in-state rival Air Force, 73-53, Saturday afternoon in Clune Arena. With their fourth consecutive win, the Rams improved to a program 16-game best 15-1 overall and 5-1 in the Mountain West, while the Falcons slipped to 9-8 and 2-4 in the conference.
Air Force played the pace they wanted for the early part of the game, keeping it close at 16-15 Rams. However, CSU's defense stepped up and the offense hit shots in the final 5:43 for a 15-2 run that pushed the lead to 14 at the intermission, 31-17. Air Force cut it to 11 with just over 18 minutes to play, but CSU never let it below that the rest of the way, extending the lead to as many as 23 in the road win.
Colorado State finished the game hitting 57.4 percent (27-of-47) from the floor, including 35.3 percent (6-of-17) on threes. Air Force was held to just 33.3 percent (18-of-54) from the field and 34.6 percent (9-of-26) from the arc. CSU won the battle of the boards, 39-26, and outscored the Falcons 40-16 in the paint.
CSU had three players in double figures, led by junior guard Isaiah Stevens with 18 points on 8-of-10 from the floor. Junior forward David Roddy had a double-double with 14 points (5-of-6 from the field) and 10 rebounds, while junior guard John Tonje added 15 off the bench. Air Force also had three in double digits, led by Jake Heidbreder with 16.
STAT OF THE GAME
• CSU shot a stellar 69.6 percent from the field (16-of-23) in the second half to pull away in the final stages
NOTES
• Colorado State holds a very definitive 86-33 advantage in the series, including 35-18 in Colorado Springs.
• CSU has won the last eight meetings and 20 of the last 22, with the only losses in that time both occurring in the 2017-18 season.
• Head coach Niko Medved is 8-0 all-time against Air Force.
• This was the first time that CSU has shot better than 52 percent from the field since the 24-day COVID pause, where the Rams had done it seven times in the first 10 games.
• This was the ninth time in the last 14 games that the Rams held an opponent to 63 points or less.
• For Roddy, the double-double was the fifth of the season and 19 of his career (CSU is 17-2 when he has a double-double)
• Stevens moved up to 20th on the all-time scoring list at CSU with 1,094 points, moving ahead of Chuck Newcomb (1957-60) with 1,085.
NEXT UP
• The Rams will return to Moby Arena for the next two games starting with Nevada on Tue., Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. (note the time change moved up from 9 p.m.)
• The game will be broadcast on FS1.
• The audio will be on the Colorado State Sports Radio Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon handling the broadcast.
• CSU Sports Network broadcasts can be also accessed on mobile devices through the Varsity Network app (free on all Apple and Android devices).
