GETTING INSIDE

Short-term success could help with long-term results when it comes to Colorado State’s 7-3 start.

The Rams are playing their best basketball in coach Tim Miles’ three seasons at the school, and a three-game winning streak in mid-December was tied for the longest winning streak of Miles’ tenure. Colorado State also started perfect at home (5-0) this season.

The 7-3 start is Colorado State’s best start since the 2006-07 squad began 10-2 and provides hope that a team not starting a single senior will soon be on the upswing.

Freshman guard Dorian Green has stepped in to lead the team in scoring (14.8 points per game) and appears to be a future all-conference caliber player. Juniors Andy Ogide (12.4 points per game) and Travis Franklin (11.1) play hard every night and crash the boards (both averaging just more than six rebounds per game), and junior Adam Nigon (8.9 points per game) has emerged as a solid outside shooter.

Junior forward Andre McFarland (9.9 points per game) has hit a temporary bump in the road with back troubles but combines with Green and Nigon to give the Rams three good 3-point shooting options.

It may be hard for Colorado State to jump up to contending status this season, but the stage is certainly set for the Rams to be a much better squad in the near future.

And based on the way the Rams are playing in early December, they might surprise a few teams during the Mountain West Conference portion of their schedule.

NOTES, QUOTES

• Colorado State’s 3-point defense has been among the best in the nation. The Rams are holding opponents to just a 27 percent success rate.

• The Rams don’t have any rebounders flirting with double-digit stat numbers but their rebounding-margin (plus-6.6) is second best in the Mountain West. Travis Franklin (6.2), Andy Ogide (6.1) and Pierce Hornung (5.6) all average more than five boards per game.

January At A Glance:   Confidence is a trait that has been lacking with recent Colorado State teams and this season’s nice start can only help it improve. The Rams don’t have the overall talent to match up with the Mountain West’s upper-tier teams but the belief that they can compete with any team on any night is growing. Developing that confidence with a few late-December wins can only help.

Quote To Note:   “Coach (Tim Miles) told me at the end of last year I need to find ways to get on the floor. I felt that with a jump shot threat I could find more minutes for myself. … It’s starting to work out for me.”—Junior guard Adam Nigon, on his recent emergence that included scoring a career-high 17 points against Montana.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Season Recap:   Colorado State had a rabid homecourt atmosphere for the rivalry game victory over Colorado, and having that type of fanatical support more frequently would be a great help for the Rams. Expectations are low for Mountain West Conference play (predicted eighth-place finish) and having a raucous environment at Moby Arena could help the Rams surprise a team that visits Fort Collins anticipating a victory.

Player Rotation:   Usual Starters—F Travis Franklin, F Andre McFarland, C Andy Ogide, G Adam Nigon, PG Dorian Green. Key Subs—F Pierce Hornung, F Travis Busch, G Arin Dunn, F/C Mame Bocar Ba, F Greg Smith.

Game Review:  

Colorado State 64, Denver 59

Colorado State 77, Colorado 62

Colorado State 62, Montana 61

Game Preview:  

vs. Northern Arizona, Sunday, Dec. 20

at UCLA, Tuesday, Dec. 22

at Fresno State, Monday, Dec. 28

vs. Yale, Thursday, Dec. 31

at Wyoming, Wednesday, Jan. 6

In Focus:   Colorado State has a chance at posting its 10th win before conference play starts, which would rate as a big achievement. To do would require winning at least one game on a California road trip to play UCLA and Fresno State. The Bruins are in disarray this season and Fresno State is a team the Rams should be able to compete with, although the Bulldogs have a top-notch talent in sophomore Paul George.

Roster Report:  

• Senior F Travis Busch is back in action after summer knee surgery forced him to miss Colorado State’s first seven games. Busch averaged 4.0 points over his first three games, making just 2-of-11 field-goal attempts.

• Junior F Andre McFarland missed two games because of back stiffness. McFarland (9.9 scoring average) had played in 71 consecutive games before missing back-to-back contests against Colorado and Montana.

• Senior F Harvey Perry continues to serve an indefinite suspension for academic reasons. Perry started Colorado State’s first four games.