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Colorado State at Wyoming: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More
Cowboys out for an upset in latest Border War matchup
Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire
GAME DETAILS
WHO: Colorado State (17-9, 8-5 MWC) at Wyoming (6-19, 1-12 MWC)
WHEN: 2:00 P.M. Mountain / 1:00 P.M. Pacific
WHERE: Arena-Auditorium, Laramie, Wyo.
WATCH: AT&T SportsNet; Get a free trial of FuboTV.
LISTEN: TuneIn
ALL-TIME: The Cowboys lead the series, 135-97.
ODDS: Colorado State -10, per KenPom
GAME PREVIEW
Niko Medved will look to keep his team up in the top half of the Mountain West standings, as the Rams head to Wyoming for this year’s second installment of the Border War.
Colorado State has outperformed their preseason projections this season, having been pegged as the league’s ninth-best team before the 2019-20 campaign began.
That initial ranking did not take into account just how impactful freshmen Isaiah Stevens and David Roddy would be to this club, though.
The rookie pairing has combined to average roughly 26 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists per night, providing cover for heralded senior big man Nico Carvacho. Add in the solid sophomore efforts from Adam Thistlewood and Kendle Moore, plus the veteran experience of Kris Martin off the bench, and this is a much-improved team from last year.
Seriously… you might be a liar if you believed Colorado State would be in 2nd place in the MW at this juncture of season. Coach Niko Medved’s rebuild has become a youth movement reload! WOW, what a year this young group is having!!
— Richie Schueler (@RichieSchueler) February 11, 2020
That improvement might eventually take Medved to greener pastures than the green and white of Fort Collins, but that is a conversation for another day. For now, the second-year head coach needs to focus on keeping his team in the race for a top-three seed in the Mountain West Tournament.
A big win in Laramie could help Colorado State shake off the disappointment of their home loss to Utah State earlier this week. A victory could have seen the Rams hold onto second place in the Mountain West, but it was instead the Aggies that left Moby Arena with an important road win.
Wyoming, on the other hand, doesn’t need a big win.
They just need a win.
The Cowboys have stumbled to a 1-12 start in league play, with their sole victory coming against San Jose State—one of the teams currently tied for the second-worst mark in the Mountain West. Wyoming is 6-19 overall, with one of those victories coming against Division III opponents Nebraska Wesleyan.
Sophomore guard Hunter Maldonado has been the only bright spot for Allen Edwards’ squad this year, though fellow underclassmen such as Hunter Thompson, Kwane Marble II, and Trevon Taylor have shown potential in flashes.
Still, even in the midst of a lost season, a rivalry is a rivalry. Wyoming may not have much to play for at this point, but pride and revenge can both be strong motivators.
Colorado State must keep their eye on the ball and take care of business ahead of an important road game on Tuesday against UNLV. If they lose the War, they’ll be facing an uphill battle to finish in the top three of the Mountain West.
Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.
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