Colorado State completely controlled the Virginia Cavaliers in the second game of the NCAA Tournament’s First Four.
A Slow Start
Virginia struggled from the opening tip, scoring only 14 points in the first half. The Cavaliers went an astonishing 13:53 without scoring, including 10 straight misses from the floor before halftime. Colorado State nearly doubled Virginia’s output heading unto the locker room.
The Rams weren’t worldbeaters in the first half, but they were consistent in the paint. They would end up with 36 points from there throughout the game. Virginia only managed 20.
Virginia’s Offensive Woes Continue
Things got marginally better for the Cavaliers in the second half. They doubled their first-half scoring effort by scoring 28 after the break. CSU scored 40, putting this one away with ease.
The second-half improvement for UVA will pale in comparision to these appaling offensive stats. Virginia shot 3-17 from beyond the arc, good for only 17.6%. Things didn’t get much better from anywhere on the floor, as the team made only 25% of their attempts.
UVA’s lack of offensive prowess is a troubling theme. This was the 17th game this season in which the Cavaliers scored fewer than 50 points.
Are the Rams Set for a Run?
Colorado State looked good in this easy victory. Joel Scott led all scorers with 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Nique Clifford was a stat stuffer, with six assists and a block on top of his double-double.
The Rams will take on the seventh-seed Texas Longhorns on Thursday at 6:50 pm on TNT. These teams match up well on paper, and I think Colorado State could pull this off. I have the Longhorns in my bracket, but CSU won two games in my ‘Upset Special’ version.
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