FORT COLLINS — An off-shooting night from both the free-throw line and beyond the arc led to the first loss of the season for the CSU Rams as they fell to Denver, 83-81, Friday at Moby Arena despite having a chance to win at the buzzer.
CSU shot just 79.5% from the line and 44.4%from deep and had an opportunity to steal the victory as time expired but Josh Pascarelli’s 3-pointer was off, and the Rams fell to 4-1 on the season.
The Rams trailed 41-33 at the beginning of the second half, but after the Pioneers scored the first two points coming out of halftime, the Rams went on a 12-2 run punctuated by a 3-pointer by Kyle Jorgensen that tied the game at 45 with 15:36 remaining.
From there, the teams traded the lead until the Pioneers opened up a 61-56 advantage after making six consecutive field goals with 9:51 remaining in the game. The Rams went without a field goal for more than five minutes during that stretch as well.
The Rams got within two points multiple times over the next few minutes, but the Pioneers answered every time to extend their lead back to four or five.
With 43 seconds remaining, the Rams got within a point at 80-79 after a pair of free throws by Carey Booth. CSU had a chance to take the lead after corralling a block by Booth, but Jevin Muniz missed a layup. The teams then traded free throws, and DU had an 83-81 lead when the Rams called a timeout with 2.3 seconds left.
Pascarelli missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Rams lost for the first time this season.
Jorgensen led the Rams with 29 points, the third time he has set a new career high in the Rams’ first five games. Booth added 18 and Brandon Rechsteiner had 11.
The game started well for CSU. The Rams scored the first points of contest on a pair of free throws by Booth and took their largest lead of the opening period at 19-11 with 13 minutes remaining in the first half.
DU slowly chipped away, however, and the Pioneers took their first lead of the game at 21-20 with 9:28 left before halftime. CSU was able to tie the game at 24 with 7:54 remaining, but DU quickly retook the lead and held it until the end of the first half.
CSU got within five on a dunk by Booth with 12 seconds on the clock, but DU’s Carson Johnson made a 3-poitner at the buzzer to give the Pioneers a 41-33 lead at halftime.
Booth led the Rams with 10 points and five rebounds at the break.
CSU will be back in action Wednesday against Virginia Tech at the Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
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