2020–21 Colorado State Rams men's basketball team

The 2020–21 Colorado State Rams men's basketball team represented Colorado State University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was coached by Niko Medved in his third season. The Rams played their home games at Moby Arena on CSU's main campus in Fort Collins, Colorado as members of the Mountain West Conference. They finished the season 20-8, 14-4 to finish in 3rd place. They defeated Fresno State in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament before losing in the semifinals to Utah State. They received an invitation to the NIT where they defeated Buffalo and NC State to advance to the semifinals where they lost to Memphis. They played the third-place game where they lost to Louisiana Tech.

2020–21 Colorado State Rams men's basketball
NIT, Fourth place
Conference	Mountain West Conference
Record	20–8 (14–4 MW)
Head coach	Niko Medved (3rd season)
Assistant coaches	Dave Thorson JR Blount Ali Farokhmanesh
Home arena	Moby Arena
Seasons ← 2019–20 2021–22 →

2020–21 Mountain West Conference
men's basketball standings

	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
No. 16 San Diego State†	14	–	3		.824			23	–	5		.821
Utah State	15	–	4		.789			20	–	9		.690
Colorado State	14	–	4		.778			20	–	8		.714
Boise State	14	–	6		.700			19	–	9		.679
Nevada	10	–	7		.588			16	–	10		.615
Fresno State	9	–	11		.450			12	–	12		.500
UNLV	8	–	10		.444			12	–	15		.444
Wyoming	7	–	9		.438			14	–	11		.560
San Jose State	3	–	13		.188			5	–	16		.238
Air Force	3	–	17		.150			5	–	20		.200
New Mexico	2	–	15		.118			6	–	16		.273
† Conference tournament winner Rankings from AP poll

Previous season

Main article: 2019–20 Colorado State Rams men's basketball team

The Rams finished the 2019–20 season 20–12, 11–7 in Mountain West play to finish in a tie for fifth place. They lost in the first round of the Mountain West tournament to Wyoming.

Offseason

Departures

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Reason for departure
Hyron Edwards	0	G	6'0"	165	RS Senior	East Chicago, IN	Graduation
Kris Martin	1	G	6'4"	190	RS Senior	Frisco, TX	Graduation
Nico Carvacho	32	F/C	6'11"	245	RS Senior	Frisco, TX	Graduation
Teyvion Kirk	2	G	6'4"	185	Junior	Joliet, IL	Transferred to UIC

2020 Recruiting Class

College recruiting information

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Isaiah Rivera SG	Geneseo, IL	Geneseo High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Nov 13, 2019
	Star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Jacob Jennissen C	Sauk Centre, MN	Sauk Centre Secondary	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)	232 lb (105 kg)	Unknown
	Star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Trace Young G	Austin, TX	Dripping Springs High School	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Feb 10, 2020
	Star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: –   Rivals: –
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Colorado State Commit List for 2020". Rivals.com. "Men's Basketball Recruiting". Scout.com. "ESPN – Colorado State Rams Basketball Recruiting 2020". ESPN.com. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

Roster

2020–21 Colorado State Rams men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown G 0 Trace Young 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 176 lb (80 kg) Fr Dripping Springs HS Austin, TX G 1 John Tonje 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 222 lb (101 kg) So Omaha Central HS Omaha, NE G 3 Kendle Moore 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 151 lb (68 kg) Jr Danville HS Danville, IL G 4 Isaiah Stevens 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) So Allen HS Allen, TX G 5 P. J. Byrd 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Jr Bush HS VCU Houston, TX F 10 James Moors 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 239 lb (108 kg) RS Fr Westlake Boys HS Auckland, New Zealand F 11 Dischon Thomas 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 232 lb (105 kg) So Hillcrest Prep Phoenix, AZ G/F 21 David Roddy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 252 lb (114 kg) So Breck School Minneapolis, MN G 22 Nick Bassett 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 193 lb (88 kg) So Cheyenne Mountain HS Nebraska Wesleyan Colorado Springs, CO G 23 Isaiah Rivera 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 209 lb (95 kg) Fr Geneseo HS Geneseo, IL F 31 Adam Thistlewood 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 212 lb (96 kg) Jr Golden HS Golden, CO C 35 Jacob Jennissen 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 232 lb (105 kg) Fr Sauk Centre Secondary Sauk Centre, MN	Head coach Niko Medved (Minnesota) Assistant coach(es) Dave Thorson (Hamline) JR Blount (Loyola Chicago) Ali Farokhmanesh (Northern Iowa) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster Last update: December 30, 2020

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	Site (attendance) city, state
Regular season
December 12, 2020* 2:30 0m, MWN		CSU–Pueblo	W 89–77	1–0	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
December 14, 2020* 6:00 pm, MWN		Northern Arizona	W 91–52	2–0	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
December 19, 2020* 6:00 pm, WCCN		at Saint Mary's	L 33–53	2–1	University Credit Union Pavilion  Moraga, CA
December 22, 2022* 2:00 pm, WCCN		vs. Santa Clara	W 70–57	3–1	Kaiser Permanente Arena  Santa Cruz, CA
December 28, 2020 6:00 pm, MWN		Fresno State	W 75–53	4–1 (1–0)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
December 30, 2020 2:00 pm, MWN		Fresno State	W 81–59	5–1 (2–0)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
January 2, 2021 2:00 pm, CBS		at San Diego State	W 70–67	6–1 (3–0)	Viejas Arena  San Diego, CA
January 4, 2021 7:00 pm, FS1		at San Diego State	L 65–78	6–2 (3–1)	Viejas Arena  San Diego, CA
January 7, 2021 6:00 pm, CBSSN		UNLV	W 74–71	7–2 (4–1)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
January 9, 2021 2:00 pm, FS1		UNLV	W 83–80	8–2 (5–1)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
January 14, 2021 7:30 pm, MWN		vs. San Jose State	W 90–57	9–2 (6–1)	Ability360  Phoenix, AZ
January 16, 2021 4:00 pm, MWN		vs. San Jose State	W 88–61	10–2 (7–1)	Ability360  Phoenix, AZ
January 19, 2021 7:00 pm, CBSSN		at Utah State	L 64–83	10–3 (7–2)	Smith Spectrum (1,553) Logan, UT
January 21, 2021 9:00 pm, FS1		at Utah State	W 84–76	11–3 (8–2)	Smith Spectrum (1,592) Logan, UT
January 27, 2021 7:00 pm, CBSSN		Boise State	W 78–56	12–3 (9–2)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
January 29, 2021 9:00 pm, FS1		Boise State	L 77–85	12–4 (9–3)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
February 4, 2021 7:00 pm, MWN		at Wyoming	W 74–72	13–4 (10–3)	Arena-Auditorium (1,807) Laramie, WY
February 6, 2021 4:00 pm, CBSSN		at Wyoming	W 68–59	14–4 (11–3)	Arena-Auditorium (2,000) Laramie, WY
February 16, 2021* 7:00 pm, MWN		Northern Colorado	Cancelled due to Covid-19		Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
February 27, 2021 2:00 pm, MWN		Air Force	W 72–49	15–4 (12–3)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
March 1, 2021 8:00 pm, CBSSN		Air Force	W 74–44	16–4 (13–3)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
March 3, 2021 6:00 pm, CBSSN		New Mexico Previously scheduled for Feb. 9	W 87–73	17–4 (14–3)	Moby Arena  Fort Collins, CO
March 5, 2021 7:00 pm, CBSSN		at Nevada Previously scheduled for Feb. 20	L 82–85	17–5 (14–4)	Lawlor Events Center (100) Reno, NV
Mountain West tournament
March 11, 2021 9:30 pm, CBSSN	(3)	vs. (6) Fresno State Quarterfinals	W 72–62	18–5	Thomas & Mack Center  Las Vegas, NV
March 12, 2021 9:59 pm, CBSSN	(3)	vs. (2) Utah State Semifinals	L 50–62	18–6	Thomas & Mack Center  Las Vegas, NV
NIT
March 19, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN2	(1)	vs. (4) Buffalo First round – Colorado State bracket	W 75–73	19–6	The Super Pit  Denton, TX
March 25, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN	(1)	vs. (3) NC State Quarterfinals – Colorado State bracket	W 65–61	20–6	Comerica Center  Frisco, TX
March 27, 2021 9:00 am, ESPN	(1)	vs. (1) Memphis Semifinals	L 67–90	20–7	Comerica Center  Frisco, TX
March 28, 2021 12:00 pm, ESPN	(1)	vs. (4) Louisiana Tech Third-place game	L 74–76	20–8	Comerica Center  Frisco, TX
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Mountain Time.

Source^[1]

Notable games

Regular season

• January 2, 2021 at Viejas Arena: Colorado State came back from a 26-point deficit to beat San Diego State 70–67, the largest comeback in Mountain West history.^[2]

2021 Mountain West tournament

Main article: 2021 Mountain West Conference men's basketball tournament

• Quarterfinals: March 11, 2021 at Thomas & Mack Center: No. 3 seed Colorado State beat No. 6 seed Fresno State 72–62 in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Mountain West Conference men's basketball tournament.^[3]
• Semifinals: March 12, 2021 at Thomas & Mack Center: No. 3 seed Colorado State was beaten by No. 2 seed Utah State 62–50 in the semifinals of the tournament.^[4] Utah State would continue on to lose to San Diego State in the tournament championship.

2021 National Invitation Tournament (NIT)

Main article: 2021 National Invitation Tournament

• First round: March 19, 2021 at UNT Coliseum: No. 1 seed Colorado State beat No. 4 seed Buffalo 75–73 on a game-winning layup by Isaiah Stevens in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.^[5]
• Quarterfinals: March 25, 2021 at Comerica Center: No. 1 seed Colorado State beat No. 3 seed NC State 65–61. Isaiah Stevens led scoring for the Rams, recording 18 points on 6 of 13 shots and four free throws.^[6]
• Semifinals: March 27, 2021 at Comerica Center: No. 1 seed Colorado State was beaten by No. 1 seed Memphis, 90–67.^[7] Memphis would continue on to win the 2021 National Invitation Tournament.
• Third-place game: March 28, 2021 at Comerica Center: No. 1 seed Colorado State was beaten by No. 4 seed Louisiana Tech 76–74 on a buzzer beater shot by Louisiana Tech star Kenneth Lofton Jr.^[8]

References

1. Colorado State University Official Athletic Site – Men's Basketball
2. "CSU seizes largest comeback victory in Mountain West history at San Diego State". Loveland Reporter-Herald. January 2, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
3. "Colorado State holds on against Fresno State". MW Connection. March 12, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
4. "Utah State gets defensive, suffocates Colorado State to advance to Mountain West championship game for 3rd straight year". Deseret News. March 13, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
5. "Colorado State basketball earns last-second win in first round of the NIT". 9News. March 19, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
6. "Player Stats: NC State vs. Colorado State". ESPN. March 25, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
7. "Hot shooting Memphis Tigers roll past CSU in NIT semifinals". The Denver Post. March 27, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
8. "Louisiana Tech edges Colorado State in NIT consolation game on last-second shot". The News Star. March 28, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.