Kyan Evans scored a game-high 23 points with six 3-pointers as No. 12 seed Colorado State increased its winning streak to 11 games with a 78-70 victory over fifth-seeded Memphis in an NCAA Tournament West Region first-round game Friday at Seattle.
Nique Clifford added 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Rams (26-9), who advanced to a second-round matchup Sunday against fourth-seeded Maryland.
Jalen Lake also chipped in 14 points for Colorado State and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson tallied 12.
Colorado State went 11 of 30 from 3-point range and limited one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country to 6 of 23 from behind the arc. The Rams also forced 16 turnovers to help overcome Memphis’ 41-34 rebounding advantage. Colorado State had 13 offensive rebounds.
Dain Dainja scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Tigers (29-6), who were eliminated in the first round for the second time in three seasons. Colby Rogers and PJ Haggerty each added 18 points. Haggerty, who averaged 21.8 points per game, made just 7 of 23 shots.
The Rams took charge midway through the second half with a 19-6 burst that saw Evans contribute three 3-pointers, the last one making it 64-54 with 8:38 remaining. Memphis never got within six points the rest of the way.
“Boy, did we respond in the second half,” Colorado State coach Niko Medved said. “Down the stretch in the last 8 to 10 minutes, we were the team that was getting the loose balls and the 50-50 plays.”
“When they packed the paint in the second half, we just didn’t make enough shots to open it back up,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said.
Tyrese Hunter (foot) and Dante Harris (ankle) were out for Memphis with Baraka Okojie getting his second start. The Tigers were able to overcome a slow start and control most of the final five minutes before halftime.
Colorado State opened a 15-9 lead when Evans drilled a 3-pointer but Memphis answered with eight straight points. The teams went back and forth until Crocker-Johnson hit a jumper to give Colorado State a 28-25 edge with 5:02 left.
Dainja’s jumper on the Tigers’ next possession initiated an 11-3 run to close the half. The Rams didn’t hit a field goal in that span and trailed 36-31 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
