Northern Colorado vs. Colorado State: Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction
The Rams host their in-state foe
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Can the Rams play their game?
WHO: Northern Colorado Bears (3-5) vs. Colorado State Rams (6-2)
WHEN: Saturday, December 3rd — 2:30 p.m. MST / 1:30 p.m. PST
WHERE: Moby Arena; Fort Collins, CO (8,083)
STREAMING: Mountain West Network
SERIES RECORD: This will be the 108th all time matchup between the two schools. CSU leads the series 70-37
LAST MEETING: Colorado State won 88-79 in Fort Collins last season.
ODDS: Colorado State -15.5
Just 35 miles separate these two schools. The Rams have nearly doubled up the Bears in the series record. Now it’s time for another matchup between the schools. The Rams are looking to gain some momentum heading into the challenging part of the non-conference schedule. The Bears are looking to get back on track.
This is usually a decently close game between the Bears and Rams. CSU controls series in Fort Collins with a 52-11 record. But like any rivalry, this game can take a turn at a moment’s notice. Last year the Bears were up 13 in the second half before Colorado State made a run to win by nine.
https://twitter.com/CSUMBasketball/status/1598814265959321600
Players to Watch
F Riley Abercrombie – Northern Colorado
Only the fifth leading scorer and plays just 18.6 minutes per game, but Abercrombie is just waiting to break out. He shoots 50% from deep and 48.7% from the floor overall. The Rams have a tendency to let one player go off and nail everything from the floor, this time it could be Abercrombie and it could be dangerous for CSU.
G Isaiah Stevens – Colorado State
The heart and soul of this Colorado State squad, Stevens is only playing in his second game of the season after suffering a foot injury in the preseason. In his first game back, he showed exactly why he’s the leader of this squad. Stevens runs this offense. He can get it back on track when it goes askew and he can push the pace when it starts to lag.
https://twitter.com/CSUMBasketball/status/1598486028125605888
Keys to the Game
Offensively
Play your game for the Rams. They have a tendency to play down, but against the Bears they cannont do that. They saw what happened last season. This year they need to jump out quickly and maintain that pressure throughout the entire game.
The Rams get clean looks, however in some games they just haven’t been falling. If they miss a shot, just get back down the court, play defense, and come back to try again. CSU can’t get into their own heads. It’s cost them a couple game already this season.
Defensively
The Bears average 26.5 three point attempts per game and they make just over 35% of those attempts. CSU has a tendency to let one player go off from behind the arc. They cannot do so against Northern Colorado. They went down last year because of this and made a comeback, but it’s no guarantee they do so again.
The Rams will also need to keep their hands in check. The Bears average just over 78% from the charity stripe. CSU plays a strong defensive style that forces some refs to call them on it a lot. Against UNC, they’ll need to be a bit more careful as a call at the wrong time could cost them.
Predictions
Northern Colorado allows 82 points a game, CSU scores at a 75 points per game clip. Colorado State allows 62 points a game, UNC scores at a 70 points per game clip. Something has to give. With the return of Isaiah Stevens, the Rams seem rejuvinated and will bring that along with them to finish off the Bears.
Final Score: Colorado State 84, Northern Colorado 72
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