Colorado St defeats Grand Canyon 60-70
Colorado St Edges Grand Canyon in Conference Showdown, 70-60
The Global Credit Union Arena was electric on Tuesday night as the Colorado State Rams took down the Grand Canyon Antelopes in a thrilling conference matchup. The away team, led by the impressive play of Carey Booth, emerged victorious with a 10-point win, 70-60.
At halftime, the score stood at 29-35 in favor of the visiting Rams, who had taken an early lead behind Booth's 11 points and 5 rebounds. However, Grand Canyon fought back, led by Makaih Williams' 22 points, including 3-for-9 shooting from beyond the arc. The home team's defense stiffened, holding Colorado State to just 2 three-pointers in the first half.
The second half was more of the same, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to gain a significant advantage until late in the game. With about five minutes remaining, Booth scored 6 straight points, including two three-bouncers, to put Colorado State up by as many as 9 points. The Antelopes would cut that lead down to just 2 with less than a minute left, but the Rams' defense held strong.
Booth finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds for Colorado State, while also dishing out an assist. Brandon Rechsteiner added 14 points and 4 assists off the bench. For Grand Canyon, Williams had another impressive game, scoring 22 points on 3-for-9 shooting from three. Nana Owusu-Anane chipped in with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.
In terms of advanced statistics, Colorado State's hot shooting from beyond the arc was a key factor in their win. The Rams shot 35% from three-point range, compared to Grand Canyon's 29%. Meanwhile, Grand Canyon struggled with turnovers, committing 10 against Colorado State's 13.
The win for the Rams was significant, not just because of the margin of victory, but also because it marked a much-needed bounce-back performance after two straight losses. With their conference schedule heating up, every victory will be crucial in the coming weeks. For Grand Canyon, the loss stings, particularly given that they were looking to build on their recent success against a tough opponent.
The Rams will look to keep their winning momentum going when they host another conference foe next week, while the Antelopes will need to regroup and refocus in preparation for their next game.