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LAS VEGAS — Pharaoh Compton came charging down the line and soared high above everyone else.
Augustinas Kiudulas could only duck as Compton soared over him and hammered down a SportsCenter-worthy putback dunk.
It was a statement and a symbol for the game from the San Diego State men’s basketball player.
Compton and the Aztecs overpowered Colorado State in a 71-62 win over the Rams on March 12 at Thomas & Mack Center.
The victory sent San Diego State into the Mountain West quarterfinals and handed CSU a quarterfinal defeat.
It also signals CSU’s last game in the Mountain West as the Rams move to the Pac-12 (CSU could earn a postseason appearance where it would still be representing the MW).
Here are takeaways from the game
The first half was back-and-forth for the first 17 minutes, with six different lead changes. No. 2-seed San Diego State (21-10) had a 10-0 run earlier in the game, but the No. 7 Rams (21-12) had fought back to go up again.
It stayed close. With 3:16 until halftime Brandon Rechsteiner went to the free throw line with a chance to tie it with CSU down just two points (28-26).
He hit one of them and then San Diego State surged. Compton had six points in the final minutes, four of them coming off offensive rebounds. Magoon Gwath hit a late 3-pointer and it was an 11-0 run to end the half.
CSU went from right in it to in a hole far too deep to escape from in a matter of minutes.
San Diego State had a whopping 14-0 advantage in second-chance points in the first half.
Some of the stats reflecting San Diego State's overpowering of CSU (all numbers won by the Aztecs):
The Rams lurked in the second half, usually down in the 10-13 range but struggling to get closer.
A late push came, well, late on.
A Brandon Rechsteiner 3-pointer with 2:23 to go had the lead down to seven (62-55) for the closest CSU had been since before the late first-half run for the Aztecs.
The Rams did get one possession with the deficit at seven to cut it again and really make it a game, but another Rechsteiner 3-point attempt just missed.
From there San Diego State had enough stops and free throws made to salt it away with relative comfort.
This wasn’t the tournament rising CSU star Kyle Jorgensen was hoping for.
He was quiet in CSU’s first-round win over Fresno State, hitting four of his nine shots for eight points. Not a bad game by any means, but not game-changing either.
Against San Diego State he struggled mightily with the length and physicality of the Aztecs. Jorgensen hit just one of his first seven shots before nailing a couple deep 3-pointers late in the game with San Diego State up double-digits.
Jorgensen finished 3-10 shooting (2-7 from 3-point range) with 10 points against San Diego State.
It continued a trend of Jorgensen not being able to hit the highs of earlier this season. CSU coach Ali Farokhmanesh said recently that Jorgensen admitted to feeling off as teams built their game plans around stopping him. Earlier this season he wasn’t always leading the opponent scouting report as a sophomore with limited game experience.
Jorgensen’s first 10 games of the season were electric as he averaged 15.2 points per game, including 29- and 25-point outbursts.
Then he went down injured Dec. 20 in CSU’s first Mountain West game of the season (at Utah State). Jorgensen missed several weeks of action before returning.
He’s had some good moments in his return, but the numbers have dropped.
Jorgensen scored in double figures in eight of the 10 games he played before injury (not counting the game he was hurt in, which happened just minutes into the game).
He scored double figures in eight of the 16 games since. His point-per-game mark has dropped almost five to 10.5 since his injury.
There are layers of reasons to these numbers, but they do in part show the growing pains of a player huge in talent and potential but still learning young in his experience as a college player.
It’s too soon to say if this is the end of the season for the Rams.
There could be a chance to play in a postseason tournament such as the Crown or NIT.
CSU’s mini streak of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances ends. CSU did win 20 or more games for the sixth time out of the last seven seasons despite Niko Medved leaving for Minnesota, leading to Farokhmanesh's promotion.
Farokhmanesh’s 21 wins is third-most for a coach in their first season leading CSU. It is most among those coaches who were in their first head coaching job anywhere.
It was an up-and-down season, with some big wins (Colorado, San Diego State at home, to highlight it) and tough losses (led by home against Denver).
The Rams were riddled with injuries. Jorgensen missed significant time, fellow big Rashaan Mbemba did as well. Sharpshooter Josh Pascarelli missed several weeks late in the season.
The late-season eight-game winning streak suggests good signs of ability to learn and grow.
Most of this roster could return (could being a key word in today’s college sports world), with Jevin Muniz the only player out of eligibility.
It wasn’t the perfect season, but it was a head coaching debut year that showed plenty of potential.
Now the Rams will try to level up as they move into the Pac-12.
Sports reporter Kevin Lytle can be found on social media on X, Instagram and Threads @Kevin_Lytle and on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: San Diego State beats Colorado State in Mountain West tournament
Continue reading...
Augustinas Kiudulas could only duck as Compton soared over him and hammered down a SportsCenter-worthy putback dunk.
It was a statement and a symbol for the game from the San Diego State men’s basketball player.
Compton and the Aztecs overpowered Colorado State in a 71-62 win over the Rams on March 12 at Thomas & Mack Center.
The victory sent San Diego State into the Mountain West quarterfinals and handed CSU a quarterfinal defeat.
It also signals CSU’s last game in the Mountain West as the Rams move to the Pac-12 (CSU could earn a postseason appearance where it would still be representing the MW).
Here are takeaways from the game
San Diego State won it late in first half
The first half was back-and-forth for the first 17 minutes, with six different lead changes. No. 2-seed San Diego State (21-10) had a 10-0 run earlier in the game, but the No. 7 Rams (21-12) had fought back to go up again.
It stayed close. With 3:16 until halftime Brandon Rechsteiner went to the free throw line with a chance to tie it with CSU down just two points (28-26).
He hit one of them and then San Diego State surged. Compton had six points in the final minutes, four of them coming off offensive rebounds. Magoon Gwath hit a late 3-pointer and it was an 11-0 run to end the half.
CSU went from right in it to in a hole far too deep to escape from in a matter of minutes.
San Diego State had a whopping 14-0 advantage in second-chance points in the first half.
Some of the stats reflecting San Diego State's overpowering of CSU (all numbers won by the Aztecs):
- 43-31 rebounding
- 14-9 offensive rebounds
- 18-11 second-chance points
- 42-8 points in the paint
- 9-5 steals
Colorado State's late comeback attempt
The Rams lurked in the second half, usually down in the 10-13 range but struggling to get closer.
A late push came, well, late on.
A Brandon Rechsteiner 3-pointer with 2:23 to go had the lead down to seven (62-55) for the closest CSU had been since before the late first-half run for the Aztecs.
The Rams did get one possession with the deficit at seven to cut it again and really make it a game, but another Rechsteiner 3-point attempt just missed.
From there San Diego State had enough stops and free throws made to salt it away with relative comfort.
CSU star Kyle Jorgensen struggles
This wasn’t the tournament rising CSU star Kyle Jorgensen was hoping for.
He was quiet in CSU’s first-round win over Fresno State, hitting four of his nine shots for eight points. Not a bad game by any means, but not game-changing either.
Against San Diego State he struggled mightily with the length and physicality of the Aztecs. Jorgensen hit just one of his first seven shots before nailing a couple deep 3-pointers late in the game with San Diego State up double-digits.
Jorgensen finished 3-10 shooting (2-7 from 3-point range) with 10 points against San Diego State.
It continued a trend of Jorgensen not being able to hit the highs of earlier this season. CSU coach Ali Farokhmanesh said recently that Jorgensen admitted to feeling off as teams built their game plans around stopping him. Earlier this season he wasn’t always leading the opponent scouting report as a sophomore with limited game experience.
Jorgensen’s first 10 games of the season were electric as he averaged 15.2 points per game, including 29- and 25-point outbursts.
Then he went down injured Dec. 20 in CSU’s first Mountain West game of the season (at Utah State). Jorgensen missed several weeks of action before returning.
He’s had some good moments in his return, but the numbers have dropped.
Jorgensen scored in double figures in eight of the 10 games he played before injury (not counting the game he was hurt in, which happened just minutes into the game).
He scored double figures in eight of the 16 games since. His point-per-game mark has dropped almost five to 10.5 since his injury.
There are layers of reasons to these numbers, but they do in part show the growing pains of a player huge in talent and potential but still learning young in his experience as a college player.
Ali Farokhmanesh’s first season leading CSU
It’s too soon to say if this is the end of the season for the Rams.
There could be a chance to play in a postseason tournament such as the Crown or NIT.
CSU’s mini streak of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances ends. CSU did win 20 or more games for the sixth time out of the last seven seasons despite Niko Medved leaving for Minnesota, leading to Farokhmanesh's promotion.
Farokhmanesh’s 21 wins is third-most for a coach in their first season leading CSU. It is most among those coaches who were in their first head coaching job anywhere.
It was an up-and-down season, with some big wins (Colorado, San Diego State at home, to highlight it) and tough losses (led by home against Denver).
The Rams were riddled with injuries. Jorgensen missed significant time, fellow big Rashaan Mbemba did as well. Sharpshooter Josh Pascarelli missed several weeks late in the season.
The late-season eight-game winning streak suggests good signs of ability to learn and grow.
Most of this roster could return (could being a key word in today’s college sports world), with Jevin Muniz the only player out of eligibility.
It wasn’t the perfect season, but it was a head coaching debut year that showed plenty of potential.
Now the Rams will try to level up as they move into the Pac-12.
Sports reporter Kevin Lytle can be found on social media on X, Instagram and Threads @Kevin_Lytle and on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: San Diego State beats Colorado State in Mountain West tournament
Continue reading...
