CSU Looks to Fundamentals Amid Late-Season Adjustments

The devil lies in the details.

And Colorado State men's basketball knows the nitty-gritty is important. Whether it's when to pass the ball in the paint or rely on a true freshman leading point, the playbook can continue to change but the basics remain a foundation.

It's something Coach Ali Farokhmanesh has talked a lot his inaugural season at the helm. Now, with the roster back at full health and the tail end of conference season forthwith, the timing couldn't be more ceremonious. Basketball isn't perfect, but the formula remains.

"I think sometimes you forget about the fundamentals of why you got to where you got to," Farokhmanesh said. "And I think that's what's happened a little bit with us. We've lost some of the simple details of offense, some of the simple details of the defense. Those seem to be the things that hurt us the most in losses and even wins to a certain extent. It's really just doing what we do at a higher level."

The Rams have lost their past three games, two of which were on the road, getting them to a 3-8 conference record. With nine games left on the schedule before the Mountain West Conference Championships, the season is hardly over—but it has taken a different life.

One which is bolstered by true freshman Jojo McIver getting more minutes at point as a substitute for Brandon Rechsteiner. McIver has shown his colors as a defenseman in the early swells of the season but now is charged with getting the ball to any one of CSU's shooters.

"It means a lot," McIver said. "I mean, just a testament to the staff and what we believe in here. Just the trust that they've been able to instill in me and allowing me to be able to try and play through mistakes. And I mean, early on, I can build off that. And later on, I'll just be able to keep growing off of this early experience."

Him getting those minutes helps his development while at the same time gives Rechsteiner a much-deserved pause.

Because playing 40 minutes straight through in a Division I basketball game sounds nice until you are confronted with the reality of it. Not only from a physical standpoint, but a mental one as well.

"I feel like Brandon can get fresher when he comes back in the game," Farokhmanesh said. "Every player wants to play 40 minutes. And then you realize, 'Man, I'm probably better in 28 minutes than I am in 35.' But I think Jojo will help some of the other guys by allowing them to play harder, longer in the minutes they have."

Balance is especially important when those new to the landscape are mixed into the regular rotation.

As a freshman, the transition to the college game can be daunting. A new program, new teammates and an entirely new system create a steep learning curve. But, like those dastardly details which continue to crop up: the game is familiar, the caliber just changed.

"It's my first time at a new level, but it's not my first time playing basketball," McIver said. "And I have great teammates. They're helping me, making sure I'm like my vets Rashaan (Mbemba) right here. He's making sure that I'm doing the right things and the things that's best for the team."

What's best for the team doesn't always stay the same week-by-week too.

Because as conference play grinds on, adjustments become constant and the margin for error shrinks. The scouting gets sharper, the possessions grow heavier and every lapse in focus is magnified. For Farokhmanesh, success late in the season is less about reinventing the wheel and more about staying connected to what brought the team success in the first place.

"Honestly the connection," he said. "I think it comes down to that the teams that win in February and March, they still stick to their fundamentals of how they play. And then really, it's just the tougher team wins. I think the toughness aspect of making every small play, every possession matters. That doesn't mean it always ends up the way you want it to, but if you're just consistent in the way you attack things, it works out."

Consistency is something CSU has chased through the trials of injuries and late-season roster shuffling. Nobody planned on Mbemba or Kyle Jorgensen spending extended time on the bench, yet both were forced there while working back to full health.

As bodies have returned and rotations stabilized, consistency has started to look less theoretical and more attainable. The bumps and bruises of conference play haven't gone away, but the Rams are no longer navigating them blindly. Instead, they're learning what it takes to survive a league where urgency ramps up by the week and details decide outcomes. A reality which has become increasingly clear to even the youngest players on the floor.

"I definitely say there's just a lot more of the details like these last couple of games," McIver said. "We've seen like a lot of teams are trying to pressure us. They're throwing different looks at us and stuff. But honestly, nothing should be changing from our base. We got to be better fighting to get catches. We got to be better playing together and trusting each other."

The little things become one of the biggest focal points during this pivotal stretch of season.

Losses have exposed cracks in execution, but they've also clarified what needs fixing. The emphasis on fundamentals—crisp passes, disciplined defense and purposeful possessions—isn't new, but renewed. Each practice and each game becomes an opportunity to recommit to the habits the year started with.

As February basketball demands more than talent alone, Colorado State's path forward is rooted in the same place it began. In the details. In the discipline. And in trusting that when the basics are done at a high level, the rest has a way of falling into place.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results