Colorado State Rams @ Northern Colorado Bears
N. Colorado 72, Colorado St. 59
GREELEY, Colo. (AP) -- Jabril Banks had 17 points and nine rebounds as Northern Colorado defeated Colorado State for the first time in 20 years with a 72-59 victory Saturday night.
Robert Palacios added 12 points. Jefferson Mason and Taylor Montgomery had 11 points each for Northern Colorado (3-3).
The Bears had 19 offensive rebounds that led to 20 points.
Marcus Walker led Colorado State (4-3) with 17 points on 5-for-12, 3-point shooting. Willis Gardner had 16 points for the Rams, who had beaten Northern Colorado eight straight times before Saturday.
The Rams led by as much as 51-47 after a layup by Gardner, and Gardner's two free throws put them ahead 53-50 with 8:52 left in the game. But Will Figures of the Bears hit an uncontested 3-pointer to tie it at 53.
The game was tied for the last time when Stuart Creason's put-back basket with 6:27 remaining pulled CSU even at 57-57, but Northern Colorado went on a 6-0 run, the final two coming on a layup by Mason with 4:36 left, to put the Bears ahead 63-57. Gardner scored the last points for the Rams with 3:30 remaining before the Rams missed five shots and went scoreless on their final seven possessions.
Northern Colorado led 32-31 at the break in a half where there were eight ties and eight lead changes. Gardner's 3-pointer with 8:36 left gave Colorado State a 24-21 lead, but Devon Beitzel's breakaway layup capped a 6-0 run for the Bears to put them up 27-24.
Ronnie Aguilar tied the game at 28 with a free throw with 3:58 left. A 3-pointer by Montgomery and free throw by Figures in the final 1:32 provided Northern Colorado with its one-point edge.
Game Information
Greeley, CO
Referee:Ty Elkin
Referee:Michael Irving
2025-26 Standings
| Mountain West ConferenceMountain West Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah State | 15-5 | - | 29-7 |
| San Diego State | 14-6 | 1 | 22-11 |
| New Mexico | 13-7 | 2 | 26-11 |
| Grand Canyon | 13-7 | 2 | 20-12 |
| Nevada | 12-8 | 3 | 24-13 |
| Boise State | 12-8 | 3 | 20-12 |
| Colorado State | 11-9 | 4 | 21-13 |
| UNLV | 11-9 | 4 | 18-17 |
| Wyoming | 9-11 | 6 | 18-15 |
| Fresno State | 7-13 | 8 | 13-19 |
| San José State | 3-17 | 12 | 9-24 |
| Air Force | 0-20 | 15 | 3-29 |
| Big Sky ConferenceBig Sky Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland State | 13-5 | - | 20-11 |
| Montana State | 12-6 | 1 | 18-14 |
| Eastern Washington | 11-7 | 2 | 14-19 |
| Northern Colorado | 10-8 | 3 | 20-12 |
| Montana | 10-8 | 3 | 18-16 |
| Weber State | 10-8 | 3 | 16-16 |
| Idaho | 9-9 | 4 | 21-15 |
| Sacramento State | 6-12 | 7 | 10-21 |
| Idaho State | 5-13 | 8 | 13-20 |
| Northern Arizona | 4-14 | 9 | 10-22 |
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