Unstoppable Rams: 3 takeaways from Colorado State’s blowout win over Boise State in MWC Tournament title game

Colorado State may be the hottest men’s basketball team in the country entering the NCAA Tournament.

The second-seeded Rams (25-9) blitzed their way to the Mountain West Tournament title with a convincing 69-56 win over No. 5 Boise State (24-10) in Saturday’s championship game. It was the Rams’ 10th straight victory.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday’s action at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

1. No second-half magic this time

To reach the title game, Boise State pulled off a pair of comeback victories over two MWC juggernauts.

The Broncos fell behind by 11 points late in the first half against No. 4 San Diego State (21-9) and trailed 33-28 at the break. Boise State outscored the Aztecs 34-19 over the final 20 minutes for a 62-52 victory.

One day later, the Broncos overcame a six-point halftime deficit during a dramatic 72-69 semifinal win over top-seeded New Mexico (26-7).

Boise State jumped out to a 6-0 lead against Colorado State before things fell apart. The Rams heated up from beyond the arc and took a 32-22 lead into the locker room.

The comeback appeared to be on when Tyson Degenhart scored the first five points of the second half, but Nique Clifford and Colorado State answered with an 11-0 run to seize control. The Rams’ lead swelled to as many as 25 points in the second half during the runaway win.

“I thought we were the team of destiny this week, but we just didn’t have it today,” Degenhart said. “Colorado State’s played very, very well this past month or so, so hats off to them.”

2. Shooting prowess vs. shooting futility

Colorado State entered Saturday ranked 66th nationally in 3-point percentage at 36.2 percent, well above 316th-ranked Boise State’s 31.1 percent.

The Rams went 12 of 24 from beyond the arc while the Broncos finished 8 of 27 (29.6 percent). Colorado State’s bench made 5 of its 8 attempts en route to 28 points, 18 coming in the first half.

Despite the long-range shooting struggles, Boise State has hoisted up 25 or more 3-pointers in six straight games. The Broncos are 44 of 177 (24.9 percent) during that stretch.

“I think when you look at a lot of our wings and guards, there’s a lot of inexperience there,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice said. “The experience matters a lot, because I know they are good shooters.”

3. Selection Sunday sweat

The Broncos needed a victory Saturday to clinch their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

But Colorado State swiped the MWC’s automatic bid to punch its ticket to the dance. New Mexico and Utah State are considered locks for the NCAA Tournament, and San Diego State is widely projected to be the MWC’s fourth entrant.

Will the selection committee take a fifth MWC team and reward Boise State with one of the final at-large bids?

When asked how he feels going into Selection Sunday, Degenhart answered candidly.

“I don’t know,” Degenhart said. “It’s definitely different than the past couple years. Freshman year, obviously we won (the MWC Tournament) and it was a great feeling punching the ticket. The last two years we felt pretty good about where we were at. Now, you just kind of hope and pray.”

The NCAA Tournament selection show will air live on CBS at 4 p.m. Mountain time Sunday.