A Legacy on the Court: The History of Colorado State University Basketball

The Colorado State Rams men's basketball team represents Colorado State University, located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Playing their home games at Moby Arena, the Rams are proud members of the Mountain West Conference. With a rich history dating back to the early 1900s, the program has experienced periods of both struggle and triumph, marked by conference championships, NCAA Tournament appearances, and the development of talented players. The Rams have reached the NCAA tournament 13 times, most recently in 2025.

Early Years and Conference Transitions

Colorado State University's men's basketball program began during the 1901-02 season, when the school was known as Colorado Agricultural College. In 1910-11, the team joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, marking their entry into organized intercollegiate competition. The program continued its evolution during the 1938-39 season, when the school followed several larger conference members in moving from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to the Mountain States Conference, where it remained through the 1961-62 season. These early years laid the foundation for the program's future growth and success.

The Jim Williams Era: A Golden Age

Jim Williams arrived at Colorado State in 1954 after replacing Strannigan, who left for Iowa State University. The 1960s marked the most successful decade of Williams’ tenure. Under his leadership, CSU earned four NCAA Tournament appearances and captured a conference championship in 1961. Williams guided the Rams to the NCAA Tournament in 1963, 1966, and 1969. The program's best postseason performance came in 1969, when CSU reached the Elite Eight after defeating in-state rival Colorado in the Sweet 16.

In 1965, following the death of Athletic Director Bob Davis, Williams assumed the role of athletic director while continuing to coach the basketball team. During this period, he oversaw the construction of Moby Arena and Hughes Stadium, leaving an indelible mark on the university's athletic facilities. Williams was dismissed in 1980 but remained a visible presence at CSU basketball games, where he was honored with a special courtside seat. He was also among the first inductees into the CSU Sports Hall of Fame, solidifying his legacy as a key figure in the program's history.

The Boyd Grant Years

In 1988, Boyd Grant-a former standout player under Jim Williams-returned to Colorado State as head coach. That season, the Rams made their first postseason appearance in more than two decades, finishing third in the 1988 NIT. Over four seasons, Grant compiled an 81-46 record (.638 winning percentage). He retired from coaching following the 1991 season.

Transition to the Mountain West Conference

In the years that followed Grant's departure, CSU returned to the NIT in 1996, 1998, and 1999. After 20 seasons in the WAC, Colorado State then moved to the Mountain West Conference (MWC) for the 1999-00 season. Colorado State was an inaugural member of the MWC.

In 2003, the Rams reached their first NCAA tournament in over a decade after winning the Mountain West tournament after grabbing sixth place in the Mountain West regular season. This victory marked a significant milestone for the program, signaling a return to national prominence.

The Tim Miles Era: Rebuilding and NCAA Tournament Return

Tim Miles served as Colorado State's head men's basketball coach from 2007 to 2012, taking over a struggling program. His first three seasons produced modest results. However, a turning point came during the 2010-11 season, when the Rams posted a winning record and reestablished themselves as contenders in the conference.

The peak of Miles’ tenure occurred in the 2011-12 season. CSU finished 20-12 overall and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament, the program's first since 1990. Although the Rams were eliminated in the first round, the appearance marked CSU's return to national relevance. Miles left CSU to take the Nebraska job.

The Larry Eustachy Years

Eustachy led Colorado State to an outstanding 2012-13 season, finishing 26-9 and earning another at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The team cracked the national top 25 for the first time since 1954 and set a program record for most wins. CSU defeated Missouri 84-72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, securing its first tournament win since 1989, before losing to top-seeded Louisville in the third round. The Rams again reached the top 25 during the 2014-15 season and set another program record for wins, finishing 27-7. Despite the historic regular season, CSU did not receive an NCAA Tournament bid that year.

On February 3, 2018, Colorado State placed Eustachy on administrative leave pending the completion of an inquiry into his behavior.

The Niko Medved Era: Recent Success

Niko Medved was named head coach of Colorado State on March 22, 2018. He led the Rams to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 during the 2021-2022 season. That season, CSU also finished ranked in the AP Top 25. The 2023-24 season marked another major step forward for the program. The Rams appeared in the Top 25 in nine different polls and reached No. 13 in early December, the highest ranking in school history.

Medved guided CSU back to the NCAA Tournament, where the Rams defeated Virginia 67-42 in the First Four in Dayton before falling to Texas 56-44 in the Round of 64. During the 2024-25 season, Colorado State went 6-5 in non-conference play before finishing Mountain West conference play on a seven-game winning streak, concluding the regular season with a 22-9 record. The Rams would go on to win the 2025 Mountain West Tournament championship, led by tournament MVP and future NBA first-round pick Nique Clifford. The 69-56 Mountain West tournament championship over Boise State secured CSU's third NCAA Tournament berth under Medved. Colorado State has won six games in the Division 1 NCAA Tournament.

Ali Farokhmanesh Era

Colorado State's current head coach is Ali Farokhmanesh. He was hired as the Rams' head coach in March 2025, replacing Niko Medved who had accepted a Head Coaching position for the University of Minnesota. Medved had led the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances in his seven seasons as head coach. Farokhmanesh spent those seven seasons as an assistant coach and associate head coach under Medved before taking over as head coach of the Rams.

Memorable Games

Throughout its history, the Colorado State Rams men's basketball team has been involved in numerous memorable games. These contests often showcase the team's resilience, skill, and ability to perform under pressure. Here are a few examples of such games:

Read also: The history of Colorado Mesa

December 29, 1989, at McNichols Sports Arena: Colorado State beat AP #24 North Carolina 78-67 in the Mile High Classic, a four-team tournament in Denver also featuring Colorado and Massachusetts.
December 22, 1999, at the Cannon Activities Center at Laie, Hawaii: In a Pearl Harbor Classic tournament game, Colorado State upset AP #18 UCLA 55-54.
December 30, 2003, at Moby Arena: Colorado State hosted AP #22 Purdue. Down 4 points with 7 seconds left, Colorado State committed a foul. In the double bonus, Purdue missed both free throws. CSU scored a three pointer with 0.7 seconds left. The ensuing Purdue inbound pass was tipped; the ball fell into the hands of Michael Moris who shot the game winning three pointer at the buzzer. The game was not televised.
November 22, 2021, at Sports and Fitness Center: After trailing Northeastern by 20 points early in the second half of the 2021 Paradise Jam tournament championship game, the Rams put together a comeback and outscored the Huskies 47-17 in the final 17 minutes to win the game - and the tournament - 71-61.
November 23, 2023, at T-Mobile Center: Colorado State upset AP #8 Creighton 69-48 in the Hall of Fame Classic championship game. It was the Rams first win over a top 10 opponent since upsetting AP #5 UTEP in 1984.
March 15, 2025, at the Thomas & Mack Center: Colorado State won its first Mountain West Conference title since 2003 69-56 over Boise State. Slated to finish No. 7 in the conference at the beginning of the season, CSU ended up sweeping three of the six teams seated above it throughout the season (Boise State, Nevada and UNLV).

Rivalries

The Colorado State Rams men's basketball team has cultivated several rivalries over the years, adding an extra layer of intensity to their matchups. These rivalries often stem from geographic proximity, conference affiliations, or historical matchups. Here are some of the Rams' most notable rivalries:

Air Force: Colorado State has an in-state rivalry with the Falcons of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Colorado: This in-state rivalry known as the Rocky Mountain Showdown pits Colorado State against Colorado, a member of the Pac-12 Conference for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Denver: Also in-state, this rivalry is against the Pioneers of the University of Denver, a member of The Summit League.
Northern Colorado: This rivalry pits Colorado State against the Bears of the University of Northern Colorado, a member of the Big Sky Conference in Greeley, another city in the Northern Colorado region.
Utah State: Colorado State and the Aggies of Utah State University were rivals in the Mountain States Conference from the 1939-40 to 1961-62 seasons. Beginning in the 2013-14 season, the two schools began competing in the same conference, the Mountain West. The two schools will begin competing against one another in the Pac-12 Conference for the upcoming 2026-27 season.

Moby Arena: Home Court Advantage

The Colorado State men's basketball team plays at Moby Arena, an 8,083-seat arena on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. The arena was built to replace South College Gymnasium, which was built in 1926 and seated 1,500 people. The arena also serves as home to the Colorado State women's basketball team as well as Colorado State's volleyball team.

NBA Draft Picks

Colorado State has produced three first round picks while playing in the Mountain West, including Jason Smith, David Roddy, and Nique Clifford.

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