@unco_mbb Drops Road Game to CSU 66-58

Sunday, December 7

Fort Collins, Colo.

12:00 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

4-3

Colorado State

8-0

UNCO

Colorado State

Photo by: Ed Navarro

12/7/2014 2:35:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Despite a hot first half, the Bears shooting went cold and they couldn't hang with the Rams in the second half.

By: UNCBears.com

FORT COLLINS, COLO. – The I-25 matchup between the Northern Colorado (4-3) men's basketball team and Colorado State (8-0) lived up to the hype on Sunday. Despite the 66-58 loss, the Bears played their best half of basketball all season against the Rams.

"I'm happy with the way we competed when we were ahead," said Head Coach B.J. Hill. "But I'm disappointed in the way we responded once they regained their focus and took the lead."

Senior guard and Colorado State transfer Dwight Smith started UNC's electric first half, hitting a shot from downtown for the Bears first points and lead of the game, 3-2.

The lead changed six more times until the first media timeout, but it was Northern Colorado taking the edge after a senior guard, Tevin Svihovec layup, giving the Bears a slight, 7-6 advantage over the Rams.

After trading three-pointers at the midway point of the half, senior forward Dominique Lee sparked a 10-0 run after powering his way in the paint for two. The run consumed the next two and a half minutes and included another Smith trey-ball.

Suddenly, Northern Colorado found itself up eleven, 24-13 over an undefeated Colorado State team with 7:15 left on the clock in the first half.

But as quickly as the lead was gained, it was taken away. The Bears shooting suddenly went cold, only making two of their last 11 attempts over the final seven minutes, giving the Rams the opening they needed to get back into the game.

After a five and a half minute field goal drought, CSU opened an 11-0 streak of its own that took over the next several minutes of the game, making it all square at 26 apiece with 2:34 to go.

A powerful bucket from senior forward Tim Huskisson slowed the Colorado State charge, putting the Bears back on top, but the score was quickly flipped back in the favor of the Rams after deep Joe DeCiman shot from beyond 22-feet.

UNC headed into the half down by one, 29-28.

"I'm not worried about our physical toughness, I'm worried about our mental toughness," Hill said. "When you start missing open shots and the free throws aren't falling for a team that shoots 77.0% on the year, it's a mental battle at that point. We have to learn to block out our frustrations on the court and stay focused, if we do that, we'll make shots and be hard to beat."

The story for the Bears was foul trouble in the first half. Northern Colorado committed 15 personal fouls, putting CSU at the line 17 times, good for nine free points.

Despite holding Colorado State to just 36.0% shooting and 25.0% from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes of action, UNC still trailed.

After their biggest lead of the first half being two, the Rams padded their extension up to eight points in the first six minutes of the second frame, forcing a Bears timeout.

Out of the 30-second meeting, sophomore guard, Jordan Wilson hit a step-back jumper to cut the UNC deficit back to within six with 14:23 left in the contest, but the bucket played little importance as the Rams scored four straight points, taking their first double-digit lead of the game.

Just before the media timeout, Michael ignited a comeback charge, drawing the foul and getting his two-pointer to fall. Michael's shot at the charity stripe was good and put Northern Colorado back within reach, 49-39 in favor of CSU.

Both teams played in the range of that 10-point difference over the next three minutes, until an offensive board and bucket from Huskisson, rallied six straight points from the Bears, making it a 57-51 Rams' lead with 6:08 reading on the clock.

After giving away three scores to the Rams, Northern Colorado again whittled the lead back down to six off a layup and a big three-ball from Svihovec to make it 62-56 with 3:30 remaining.

A runner from CSU's J.J. Avila pushed the lead back to eight, where it stayed for the next two minutes. Wilson was wide open from beyond the three-point line on two different attempts, but failed to convert either shot.

Lee laid the ball in off the glass on a bounce pass from Svihovec to make it two possession game with less than one minute to go.

The Rams would score on the ensuing trip down the court and that would be all they needed to solidify the , 66-58 victory over the Bears.

"I don't know what it was, what I called it in the locker room was selfishness brought on by pressure," Hill said. "We have to learn to trust each other more on the offensive end. It's disappointing to see that type of play with five seniors on the team."

Northern Colorado struggled from beyond the arc and the free throw line in the second half, shooting just 1-12 (8.3%) and finishing the game, 6-16 (37.5%) from the charity stripe.

McDavis led the Bears with 10 points, shooting a salty 5-7 from the field. Behind him was Smith and Michael who both ended the game with nine points. Michael also hauled in a career-high seven boards.

The men's basketball team continues its three game road streak heading to Boulder, Colorado next Saturday, Dec. 13 to take on the Buffaloes of Colorado.