Colorado State Rams men's basketball

Team history

Early years (1901-1954)

Colorado State University's men's basketball program began during the 1901–02 season, when the school was known as Colorado Agricultural College. In 1910–11, the team joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The institution was renamed Colorado State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, commonly known as Colorado A&M, in 1935. During the 1938–39 season, the school followed several larger conference members in moving from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to the Mountain States Conference, where it remained through the 1961–62 season. The program achieved its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1954, reaching the Sweet 16 under head coach Bill Strannigan. From 1901 through 1954, the men's basketball team compiled an overall record of 284–409.

The Jim Williams era (1954-1980)

Jim Williams arrived at Colorado State in 1954 after replacing Strannigan, who left for Iowa State University. In 1957, the institution officially became Colorado State University, although the “Aggies” nickname remained in use until 1966, when it was formally abolished and the Rams became the university's sole identity.

The 1960s marked the most successful decade of Williams’ tenure. Under his leadership, CSU earned four NCAA Tournament appearances and captured a conference championship in 1961. Williams guided the Rams to the NCAA Tournament in 1963, 1966, and 1969. The program's best postseason performance came in 1969, when CSU reached the Elite Eight after defeating in-state rival Colorado in the Sweet 16. This remains the deepest NCAA Tournament run in program history.

In 1965, following the death of Athletic Director Bob Davis, Williams assumed the role of athletic director while continuing to coach the basketball team. During this period, he oversaw the construction of Moby Arena and Hughes Stadium. Williams returned to full-time head coaching duties at the start of the 1968 school year. The following season, 1969–70, Colorado State joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

Williams was dismissed in 1980 but remained a visible presence at CSU basketball games, where he was honored with a special courtside seat. He was also among the first inductees into the CSU Sports Hall of Fame. Over 26 seasons as head coach, Williams recorded 352 wins, the most by any men's basketball coach in school history, solidifying his legacy as the greatest coach in the program's history.

The later WAC years (1980-1999)

In 1988, Boyd Grant—a former standout player under Jim Williams—returned to Colorado State as head coach. That season, the Rams made their first postseason appearance in more than two decades, finishing third in the 1988 NIT. The program's success continued over the next two seasons, as CSU won consecutive Western Athletic Conference titles in 1989 and 1990 and earned NCAA Tournament berths both years.

Over four seasons, Grant compiled an 81–46 record (.638 winning percentage). He retired from coaching following the 1991 season. In the years that followed, CSU returned to the NIT in 1996, 1998, and 1999. The Rams advanced to the quarterfinals of the 1999 NIT, which marked their final season competing in the Western Athletic Conference.

The Mountain West era (1999-present)

After 20 seasons in the WAC, Colorado State then moved to the Mountain West Conference (MWC) for the 1999–00 season. Colorado State was an inaugural member of the MWC. In 2003, the Rams reached their first NCAA tournament in over a decade after winning the Mountain West tournament after grabbing sixth place in the Mountain West regular season.

Tim Miles served as Colorado State's head men's basketball coach from 2007 to 2012, taking over a struggling program. His first three seasons produced modest results. However, a turning point came during the 2010–11 season, when the Rams posted a winning record and reestablished themselves as contenders in the conference. The peak of Miles’ tenure occurred in the 2011–12 season. CSU finished 20–12 overall and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament, the program's first since 1990. Although the Rams were eliminated in the first round, the appearance marked CSU's return to national relevance. Following the 2011–12 season, Miles left Colorado State to become the head coach at Nebraska. He was succeeded by Larry Eustachy, who led the program from 2012 to 2018.

Eustachy led Colorado State to an outstanding 2012–13 season, finishing 26–9 and earning another at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The team cracked the national top 25 for the first time since 1954 and set a program record for most wins. CSU defeated Missouri 84–72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, securing its first tournament win since 1989, before losing to top-seeded Louisville in the third round. The Rams again reached the top 25 during the 2014–15 season and set another program record for wins, finishing 27–7. Despite the historic regular season, CSU did not receive an NCAA Tournament bid that year. On February 3, 2018, Colorado State placed Eustachy on administrative leave pending the completion of an inquiry into his behavior. He resigned from his position on February 26, 2018, bringing his tenure as head coach to an end.

Niko Medved was named head coach of Colorado State on March 22, 2018. He led the Rams to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 during the 2021-2022 season. That season, CSU also finished ranked in the AP Top 25. The 2023–24 season marked another major step forward for the program. The Rams appeared in the Top 25 in nine different polls and reached No. 13 in early December, the highest ranking in school history. Medved guided CSU back to the NCAA Tournament, where the Rams defeated Virginia 67–42 in the First Four in Dayton before falling to Texas 56–44 in the Round of 64. During the 2024–25 season, Colorado State went 6–5 in non-conference play before finishing Mountain West conference play on a seven-game winning streak, concluding the regular season with a 22–9 record. The Rams would go on to win the 2025 Mountain West Tournament championship, led by tournament MVP and future NBA first-round pick Nique Clifford. The 69–56 Mountain West tournament championship over Boise State secured CSU's third NCAA Tournament berth under Medved. In the NCAA Tournament, Colorado State defeated Memphis 78–70 in the Round of 64, extending its winning streak to 11 games. The Rams’ season ended in the Round of 32 with a 72–71 loss to Maryland. Ali Farokhmanesh was named head coach of Colorado State after Medved left to take the head coaching job at Minnesota.

Colorado State has produced three first round picks while playing in the Mountain West, including Jason Smith, David Roddy, and Nique Clifford. Colorado State will be joining the Pac-12 for the 2026–27 season.

Coaches

The following is a list of Colorado State Rams men's basketball head coaches. There have been 21 head coaches of the Rams in their 122-season history.

Colorado State's current head coach is Ali Farokhmanesh. He was hired as the Rams' head coach in March 2025, replacing Niko Medved who had accepted a Head Coaching position for the University of Minnesota. Medved had led the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances in his seven seasons as head coach. Farokhmanesh spent those seven seasons as an assistant coach and associate head coach under Medved before taking over as head coach of the Rams. Medved departed CSU as the second-winningest coach in school history.

: ^ Colorado State did not field a basketball team for the 1908–09 season. : ^ Colorado State did not field a basketball team for the 1943–44 season. : * Eustachy was suspended pending an investigation into his conduct as head coach. Barnes was named interim coach for the remainder of the season. Eustachy later resigned. : * Barnes was suspended as part of the investigation into the behavior of Colorado State's coaching staff. Herl was named interim coach for the remainder of the season.

Players

Retired numbers

Main article: List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers

: * Mosley's number is retired across all CSU sports as of 2024.

Career leaders

Individual awards

All-Americans

Mountain West Player of the Year

• Gian Clavell – 2017
• David Roddy – 2022

Mountain West Rookie of the Year

• Jason Smith – 2005
• Isaiah Stevens – 2020

Mountain West Sixth Man of the Year

• Pierce Hornung - 2011
• Daniel Bejarano - 2013
• John Gillon - 2015

Mountain West Newcomer of the Year

• Marcus Walker - 2008
• Colton Iverson - 2013

Mountain West Tournament MVP

• Matt Nelson - 2003
• Nique Clifford - 2025

Mountain West All-Conference First Team

• Jason Smith - 2006, 2007
• Andy Ogide - 2011
• Wes Eikmeier - 2012
• Colton Iverson - 2013
• J.J. Avila - 2015
• Gian Clavell - 2017
• Emmanuel Omogbo - 2017
• Nico Carvacho - 2019
• David Roddy - 2021, 2022
• Isaiah Stevens - 2023, 2024
• Nique Clifford - 2025

Mountain West All-Conference Second Team

• Ceedric Goodwyn - 2000
• Brian Greene - 2002
• Matt Nelson - 2005
• Marcus Walker - 2008
• Andy Ogide - 2010
• Dorian Green - 2013
• Daniel Bejarano - 2014, 2015
• Antwan Scott - 2016
• Nico Carvacho - 2020
• Isaiah Stevens - 2021, 2022

Mountain West All-Conference Third Team

• Matt Nelson - 2003, 2004
• Marcus Walker - 2009
• Dorian Green - 2012
• Pierce Hornung - 2012, 2013
• J.J. Avila - 2014
• Isaiah Stevens - 2020
• Nique Clifford - 2024

Mountain West All-Conference Defensive Team

• Pierce Hornung - 2012, 2013
• Gian Clavell - 2017
• Emmanuel Omogbo - 2017
• Nico Carvacho - 2019
• J.D. Paige - 2019
• Nique Clifford - 2025

WAC Player of the Year

• Mike Mitchell - 1990

WAC Rookie of the Year

• Joel Tribelhorn - 1989

WAC All-Conference First Team

• George Price - 1972
• Gary Rhoades - 1973
• Alan Cunningham - 1977
• Eddie Hughes - 1979
• Rich Strong - 1986
• Pat Durham - 1988, 1989
• Mike Mitchell - 1990
• Keith Bonds - 1993
• Ryan Yoder - 1994
• David Evans - 1996
• Milt Palacio - 1999

WAC All-Conference Second Team

• Cliff Shegogg - 1971
• Rick Fisher - 1971
• Mike Childress - 1971
• Gary Rhoades - 1972
• Tim Hall - 1974, 1975
• Barry Sabas - 1975
• Lorenzo Cash - 1976
• Barry Young - 1978
• Alan Cunningham - 1978
• Eddie Hughes - 1980
• Mark Steele - 1983
• Rich Strong - 1984, 1985
• Mike Gray - 1985
• Pat Durham - 1987
• Joel Tribelhorn - 1989
• Bryan Christiansen - 1997
• Jameel Mahmud - 1998

WAC All-Conference Defensive Team

• Bobby Sellers - 1994
• Delmonte Madison - 1996

NBA

NBA Draft picks

Rams in the NBA

14 former Colorado State players have appeared in the National Basketball Association or American Basketball Association:

• John O'Boyle
• Lonnie Wright
• Bob Rule
• Dale Schlueter
• Rick Fisher
• Eddie Hughes
• Pat Durham
• Milt Palacio
• Jason Smith
• Stanton Kidd
• Gian Clavell
• David Roddy
• Isaiah Stevens
• Nique Clifford

Postseason results

NCAA tournament results

The Rams have appeared in 13 NCAA Tournaments, with a combined record of 6–14.

NIT results

The Rams have appeared in 10 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), with a combined record of 9–11.

CBI results

The Rams have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and lost the opener.

Notable games

• March 13, 1969, in the "Sweet 16" round of the NCAA tournament: Colorado State beat in-state rival and AP #18 Colorado 64–56.
• January 19, 1984, at Moby Arena: Colorado State beat AP #5 UTEP 63–51.
• December 29, 1989, at McNichols Sports Arena: Colorado State beat AP #24 North Carolina 78–67 in the Mile High Classic, a four-team tournament in Denver also featuring Colorado and Massachusetts. Colorado State beat Massachusetts the next night to win the tournament.
• December 22, 1999, at the Cannon Activities Center at Laie, Hawaii: In a Pearl Harbor Classic tournament game, Colorado State upset AP #18 UCLA 55–54. John Ford made a free throw with 23 seconds left that turned out to be the winning margin.
• December 30, 2003, at Moby Arena: Colorado State hosted AP #22 Purdue. Down 4 points with 7 seconds left, Colorado State committed a foul. In the double bonus, Purdue missed both free throws. CSU scored a three pointer with 0.7 seconds left. The ensuing Purdue inbound pass was tipped; the ball fell into the hands of Michael Moris who shot the game winning three pointer at the buzzer. The game was not televised. CSU was awarded the points and won the game by two points.
• March 21, 2013, in the "Round of 64" of the NCAA tournament: Colorado State beat #9 seed Missouri 84–72 to advance to the Round of 32.
• 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.
• November 22, 2021, at Sports and Fitness Center: After trailing Northeastern by 20 points early in the second half of the 2021 Paradise Jam tournament championship game, the Rams put together a comeback and outscored the Huskies 47–17 in the final 17 minutes to win the game — and the tournament — 71–61. David Roddy, who scored 27 points — and averaged 31 points a game — was named the MVP of the tournament.
• November 23, 2023, at T-Mobile Center: Colorado State upset AP #8 Creighton 69–48 in the Hall of Fame Classic championship game. It was the Rams first win over a top 10 opponent since upsetting AP #5 UTEP in 1984. Isaiah Stevens, who scored 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists – was named MVP of the tournament.
• March 15, 2025, at the Thomas & Mack Center: Colorado State won its first Mountain West Conference title since 2003 69-56. Slated to finish No. 7 in the conference at the beginning of the season, CSU ended up sweeping three of the six teams seated above it throughout the season (Boise State, Nevada and UNLV). Nique Clifford — the MVP of the tournament — scored 24 points.
• March 21, 2025, in the "Round of 64" of the NCAA tournament: Colorado State beat #5 seed Memphis 78–70 to advance to the Round of 32.

Rivalries

• Air Force: Colorado State has an in-state rivalry with the Falcons of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. As of the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, Colorado State leads the series 91–34.
• Colorado: This in-state rivalry known as the Rocky Mountain Showdown pits Colorado State against Colorado, a member of the Big 12 Conference. As of 2025, Colorado leads the series 90–41.
• Denver: Also in-state, this rivalry is against the Pioneers of the University of Denver, a member of The Summit League. Colorado State leads the all-time series 96–69 as of 2025.
• Northern Colorado: This rivalry pits Colorado State against the Bears of the University of Northern Colorado, a member of the Big Sky Conference in Greeley, another city in the Northern Colorado region. Colorado State leads the series 70–38 as of 2023.
• Utah State: Colorado State and the Aggies of Utah State University were rivals in the Mountain States Conference from the 1939–40 to 1961–62 seasons. Beginning in the 2013–14 season, the two schools began competing in the same conference, the Mountain West. The two schools will begin competing against one another in the Pac-12 Conference for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Utah State has a 60–45 lead in the series as of the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.
• Wyoming: In a rivalry dubbed the "Border War", the Cowboys of the University of Wyoming have a 138–103 series lead over Colorado State as of the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.

Moby Arena

The Colorado State men's basketball team plays at Moby Arena, an 8,083-seat arena on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. The arena was built to replace South College Gymnasium, which was built in 1926 and seated 1,500 people. The arena also serves as home to the Colorado State women's basketball team as well as Colorado State's volleyball team. The arena was opened on January 24, 1966.

References

References

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