Booth's buzzer-beater lifts Colorado State to 78-67 win over Idaho
The Rams held onto a lead secured by a halftime three-pointer to defeat the Vandals at Moby Arena, improving their record to 2-0.
By Amina Howard ·
Colorado State men’s basketball held onto a fragile advantage Friday night to beat Idaho 78-67 at Moby Arena. The Rams entered the final minute of the first half trailing 33-31. Carey Booth tied the score at 33 with a dunk with 48 seconds remaining in the period. Moments later, Jase Butler found Booth in the corner. Booth drained the three-pointer as the buzzer sounded, giving CSU the lead it would not give up.
The victory marks the second consecutive win for the Rams over a Big Sky Conference opponent. They defeated Montana State in their season opener earlier this week. Head coach Ali Farokhmanesh noted that the schedule features three high-level teams to start the season. "I was really proud of the guys, though, for the way they fought," Farokhmanesh said.
CSU never trailed in the second half. The team executed a 10-0 run during the period. Booth added a dunk with 31 seconds left in the game to seal the final margin. He finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, recording his first double-double of the season. Booth credited the halftime shot with providing an energy boost. "We weren’t really happy with the outcome of the first half, but that definitely led us into the second half with great energy," Booth said.
Butler and Kyle Jorgensen each scored 19 points. Butler also contributed six rebounds and six assists. Justin Menard, a newcomer, led the group with eight points. The Rams improved their shooting efficiency in the second half. They hit 44% of their shots in the first 20 minutes and 54% in the last 20.
Farokhmanesh attributed the first-half struggles to defensive lapses. He stated that Idaho made four three-pointers early in the game. "I didn’t think they could beat us from 2 and as the game wore on, that kind of proved to be true," Farokhmanesh said. The Rams controlled the boards, outrebounding the Vandals 37-34. They also recorded 15 assists compared to Idaho’s 11.
Colorado State will remain at home Wednesday to face Portland State. The Wildcats are another member of the Big Sky Conference. This game continues the Rams' five-game homestand at the start of the season.
