Colorado State basketball just earned their second at-large bid in three seasons, and they are looking to maintain that level of success.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Colorado State basketball.
One of the major storylines of the 2023-24 college basketball regular season was the historic success of the Mountain West Conference. Colorado State joined San Diego State, New Mexico, Nevada, Boise State, and Utah State as teams that gave the MWC their highest NCAA Tournament bid total ever.
A lot of the conference’s players departed this offseason and the Rams are certainly more of the rule than the exception. They were not decimated by the transfer portal like some others but three double digit scorers have graduated, including the heart-and-soul of the offense, Isaiah Stevens.
Head coach Niko Medved did well with talent acquisition, adding transfers from the low and high-major levels as well as a couple freshman. In Medved’s tenure, Colorado State has been one of the better teams in the conference, albeit they are not immune to a down season here and there. Still, as they compete in a very deep yet ultimately weaker Mountain West, it is still hard to see this roster winning less than 20 games.
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach: Niko Medved (12th season overall, 7th at Colorado State)
2023-24 record: 25-11 (10-8)
2024 postseason finish: Lost to Texas (56-44) in Round of 64
Notable departures:
- Isaiah Stevens (16.0 PPG, 6.8 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 44.0 3P%)
- Joel Scott (13.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 56.9 FG%)
- Patrick Cartier (10.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 51.5 FG%)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Ole Miss (Nov. 16)
- vs. Washington (Nov. 28)
- vs. TCU OR Santa Clara (Nov. 29)
- at Colorado (Dec. 7)
- vs. VCU (Dec. 14)
Projected Rotation
PG: Bowen Born (5-11, 170, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 13.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG (Northern Iowa)
SG: Keshawn Williams (6-3, 175, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 1 GP (injury)
2022-23 stats: 17.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.4 APG (Northern Illinois)
SF: Nique Clifford (6-5, 175, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 37.6 3P%
PF: Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (6-8, 230, So.)
2023-24 stats: 9.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.6 APG (Little Rock)
C: Rashaan Mbemba (6-7, 250, So.)
2023-24 stats: 3.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.5 APG, 59.2 FG%
6: Ethan Morton (6-6, 215, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 0.6 PPG, 1.1 APG, 0.9 RPG (Purdue)
7: Nikola Djapa (7-0, 230, So.)
2023-24 stats: 6.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.4 APG, 56.8 FG% (LIU)
8: Jalen Lake (6-4, 185, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 5.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.4 APG
9: Kyan Evans (6-2, 175, S0.)
2023-24 stats: 1.7 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 51.1 FG%
Colorado State Basketball team MVP: Nique Clifford
Three of the Rams’ four double digit scorers last season are gone, which leaves Clifford as the main returner. He will be tasked with becoming the main option on the offense at the wing, and doing this without Isaiah Stevens as a facilitator.
Clifford has always been an explosive athlete who can get to the rim and finish. The recent development has been in his jump shot. All of his efficiencies improved significantly from one season to the next: 2-point percentage from 41.8% to 59.9%, 3-point percentage from 28.8% to 37.5%, and free throw percentage from 53.2% to 73.9%. Considering Clifford was a potential NBA Draft pick who went back to school to prove more, Colorado State fans should have the utmost confidence in their new leader.
Colorado State Basketball make-or-break player: Rashaan Mbemba
The difference in the Rams being another at-large NCAA Tournament candidate and having an underwhelming season may just be how much Rashaan Mbemba breaks out in his sophomore season.
While the Austria native was not highly sought after as a recruit, what he showcased in his 10.9 minutes per game in his freshman season was intriguing. The big man is an extremely physical presence and got to the free throw line at a high rate. The next step for Mbemba is to expand his offensive game beyond a rim-runner and become a threat when isolated on the block, like Joel Scott was. He certainly has the ceiling of consistent double-double guy.
There are tons of questions when the Rams this year. How will Ethan Morton perform as he finally gets a substantial opportunity? Can Keshawn Williams stay healthy? What does Jaylen Crocker-Johnson bring to the table in a league with more size? Nothing is more important than Mbemba taking another step forward and becoming that next CSU big man, though.
Key analytic: ATO efficiency
It’s hard to spotlight Colorado State without talking about Niko Medved, one of the most underrated X’s and O’s coaches in college basketball, who just earned a long-term extension with the program this offseason. In 2023-24, the Rams were third in the country in ATO (after timeout) expected points per possession per Shot Quality. When given the opportunity to cook up a play in a huddle, Medved is as likely to come through as anyone. This is especially important late in close games.
Last November, the Rams dominated Creighton in what can be considered a coaching masterclass:
https://x.com/natehartman_/status/1728176812709363789
Colorado State Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 5th in the Mountain West
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64
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