Rams Narrowly Edged Out by Lobos in a Tense Showdown at The Pit
The Colorado State Rams, ranked 22nd, faced off against the New Mexico Lobos in a conference game that ended with a nail-biting 66-68. The Rams now stand with an overall season record of 22-5, while the Lobos improved to 18-9. In front of a packed crowd at The Pit in Albuquerque, fans witnessed an intense battle where the lead changed hands nine times and the score was tied on eight occasions.
The Colorado State Rams started strong, ending the first half tied at 30 points each with their opponents. However, despite their efforts and maintaining a close score throughout the game, they fell just short as time expired. The Rams' offense was led by impressive shooting from beyond the arc and within the paint. They sank six three-pointers at a rate of thirty percent and scored thirty points from inside.
Defensively, Colorado State showcased their ability to disrupt plays by accumulating three blocks and two steals over the course of play but couldn't capitalize on turnovers as much as they might have hoped to. They managed only five points off turnovers compared to nine for New Mexico.
On offense, Colorado State's field goal percentage stood at forty-one percent after making twenty-four out of fifty-eight attempts. Their free throw performance was notably efficient with an eighty percent completion rate—sinking twelve out of fifteen attempts—which kept them in contention until the final buzzer.
Rebounding played a significant role for both teams; however, it was here that Colorado State demonstrated superior control by grabbing forty rebounds—thirty-four defensive and five offensive—compared to New Mexico's thirty-nine total rebounds.
Despite this edge on boards and having more fast break points (nine), personal fouls seemed to plague both teams equally; eighteen for Colorado State against fifteen for New Mexico.
Looking ahead after this tough loss on enemy territory, fans can mark their calendars for when Colorado State Rams take on UNLV Runnin' Rebels next. This matchup is scheduled for February 24th at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas at 6:00 PM local time (Mountain Time Zone). Followers eager not to miss any action can tune into CBS Sports Network for live coverage of what promises to be another exciting contest.