“Stick to what we know. And be the Rams”
– Kendle Moore
So here we are ready to to begin tournament season. And the first game is Fresno State tonight.
I decided to stop writing game previews early in the season. The first one I wrote was prior to the CSU-St Mary’s game to start the season in December. We know how that one turned out. I took full responsibility for the loss. Didn’t have anything to do with the team not being able to throw the ball into the San Francisco Bay.
Yes, tournament season is all about Win and Advance. Style points take on a secondary nature to the team totals on the scoreboard. But its really not that simple.
Because in order to deliver post-season wins, a team has to focus on who they are and what they do best. Or in the words of Head Coach Niko Medved, its about “Us being the best versions of ourselves”.
And who are these Rams?
The highest offensive efficiency team in the Mountain West Conference. Thats is fueled primarily you their great shooting, whether its in the paint, on the perimeter, or from the free throw line. They do it by creating open shots quickly in transition and, when those aren’t available, executing a half court offense full of ball movement, screening, sharing the ball. When they perform without unforced turnovers, they are a juggernaut.
On the defensive side, they are a connected group that plays mostly man-to-man defense, keeping the ball in front of them. They double the post regularly, relying on quickness and intelligence to rotate to take away open looks potentially created by the double teams. They defend the three-point line well and don’t foul very much.
Every opponent in the Mountain West Tournament has improved over the course of this strange pandemic-influenced season. In the case of Fresno, they were a new squad that was shot down by COVID in December.
CSU scored easy 22-point victories over Fresno State to start the season but the Bulldogs are much improved since then. As Head Coach Justin Hutson has learned more about his players and put together more effective player rotations, they have become a much better defensive team that plays with a lot of energy. And they are a much better three-point shooting team, going from 20% early in the season to roughly 40% currently.
The Bulldogs are the only team to win on Boise this year and they nearly upset Utah State in Fresno to finish the season. They are certainly a dangerous team.
But lets make this perfectly clear.
This is all about the Rams.
They are rested and rejuvenated.
In the words of David Roddy, “feeling 10 times better than last year”.
Its not about playing to win, its not about playing not to lose.
It’s about playing to be your best.
”...and be the Rams”
Let’s go!
