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CSU Sprints to 106-80 Victory Over UCCS Six Rams Hit Double Figures Led by Jason Smith with 19.
Dec. 28, 2005
Colorado State used an 18-5 run to end the first half and blow the game open en route to a 106-80 win over visiting UC-Colorado Springs in men's basketball action Wednesday night. Playing at home for the first time in 18 days, the Rams' lead was cut to five, 40-35, on a basket by UCCS' P.J. Forest. From that point, Rams' forward Jason Smith keyed the 18-5 run by scoring the team's next 10 points - including a pair of three-pointers, and CSU led 58-40 at intermission. "What a good offensive performance," said Rams' coach Dale Layer following the game, "and a very poor defensive performance. There we lots of positives, but certainly we have to get better defensively." Smith, the team's 7-foot sophomore from Kersey, Colo., scored a game-most 19 points. He helped CSU put the game away in the second half during a 10-2 run in the first three minutes of the final frame with four more points. Smith had scored only one point prior to breaking loose for 10 in a row. He had a free throw a minute and a half into the game, then went silent until the five minutes of the half. Smith was one of six scorers in double figures for the Rams. Guard Sean Morris came off the bench to score 15 points, while forward Michael Harrison added 14 and Stephan Gilling had 13 points.. Andrew Patterson and Ryan Brown had 10 apiece UCCS, behind the play of guard Patrick Hannaway, narrowed the lead to 17 points with just under five minutes remaining, 91-74. From that point, the Rams outscored the Mountain Lions, 15-10 the rest of the way and at one point late in the contest led by 30.
The game marked the first time in nearly four full seasons a CSU team passed the century mark. The 106 points stands as the eighth highest point total in school history, and the 20th time in school history the Rams have scored 100 or more points in a game. Playing for the first time since Dec. 23 when CSU lost in the finals of the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu to Iowa State, CSU used a deadly outside game to free Smith and Harrison inside. CSU finished the night making 14-of-23 three-point goals, including four by Morris and three by Gilling. "If they are going to jam up the lane, someone has to knock down three's," Layer said. In the game, 10 of the 11 players to appear for CSU scored. The Rams finished the game shooting 66 percent from the field, making 37-of-56 shots overall. UCCS shot 46 percent, making 31-of-68 shots. CSU won the rebounding battle, 33-31, but committed 17 turnovers. UCCS turned the ball over 19 times in the game. Colorado State will waste little time in returning to the court. The Rams play host to Arkansas Tech Friday night at 7 p.m. in Moby Arena. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-491-RAMS, or on line at CSURAMS.com. Tickets are also available at all King Soopers and City Market grocery store locations throughout the state of Colorado. |
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