Colorado State Basketball

Colorado State has promoted assistant men's basketball coach Ali Farokhmanesh to head coach to replace Niko Medved, who left the Rams for the University of Minnesota, per CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein and Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated.

Sources: Colorado State has promoted assistant Ali Farokmanesh to head coach.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 26, 2025

Colorado State is hiring associate head coach Ali Farokhmanesh to replace Niko Medved, source tells @SInow.

CSU did a short search, but this was a no-brainer. Farokhmanesh has been essential to the Rams' success under Medved and is one of the best young assistants in the sport.

— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) March 26, 2025

Farokhmanesh is a legendary March Madness hero for his dagger three-pointer in No. 9 seed Northern Iowa's stunning 69-67 upset win over No. 1 seed Kansas in the second round of the 2010 NCAA tournament.

Up 63-62 with 37 seconds of game time (and 30 seconds of shot clock time) left, the Panthers had a chance to run out most of the remaining clock, holding KU to one final possession. Farokhmanesh took matters into his own hands, though, hitting a wide-open three to put Northern Iowa up 66-62.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS WITH THAT SHOT!" 😱

On this day in 2010, Ali Farokhmanesh hit a LEGENDARY dagger to take down Kansas 🔥 @UNImbb #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/c7yR5IpYDL

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2025

Farokhmanesh finished with a team-high 16 points.

After his collegiate career ended in the Sweet Sixteen to Michigan State that year, Farokhmanesh played professionally overseas in Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands for four years before returning to the United States to coach.

The 36-year-old Farokhmanesh has been a CSU assistant since 2018, when he followed Medved from Drake to the Rams. He began his coaching career at Nebraska in 2014 as a graduate assistant. Farokhmanesh then became the Cornhuskers' director of player development for the 2016-17 season before leaving for Drake.

CSU's decision to promote Farokhmanesh comes as no surprise. The Rams just won the Mountain West Conference championship, earning a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tournament. CSU then defeated No. 5 seed Memphis 78-70 and took No. 4 seed Maryland to the limit before losing on a buzzer-beating heartbreaker, 72-71.

In five of CSU's past six seasons, the Rams have won 20 or more games. In three of CSU's past four seasons, the Rams won 25 or more games, including a 26-10 record this year. CSU made the NCAA tournament in all three of those seasons. So the Rams hope to continue that success by promoting from within.

Farokhmanesh has a lot of playing and coaching experience even at a younger age, and his success as an assistant certainly helps him here. Ultimately, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Farokhmanesh engineer some more March Madness magic, this time as a coach.

Colorado State issued an apology in a statement after fans in Saturday's men's basketball game against Utah State chanted "Russia" at an opponent who is from Ukraine.

On behalf of Colorado State, we apologize to the student-athlete and Utah State.  This is a violation of our steadfast belief in the Mountain West Sportsmanship Policy and University Principles of Community.

— Colorado State Rams 🐏 (@CSURams) February 5, 2023

Every participant, student, and fan should feel welcomed in our venues, and for something like this to have occurred is unacceptable at Colorado State.

— Colorado State Rams 🐏 (@CSURams) February 5, 2023

The incident took place late in the Mountain West Conference game, as detailed by radio announcer Scott Garrard:

Ugly situation in Fort Collins - Colorado State student section chanted 'Russia...Russia' at Max Shulga while he was shooting late free throws.

Max is from Kiev, Ukraine and his family still resides there.

— Scott Garrard (@ScottyGZone) February 5, 2023

Ukraine was attacked by Russian forces last February, and the war has been ongoing for nearly a year.

Max Shulga is in his third year at Utah State, but he competed for the Ukraine National Team at the FIBA U20 European Championship last summer.

The guard hit three free throws in the final minute to help Utah State earn an 88-79 road win. Shulga finished with nine points and six assists in the victory.

No. 11 Michigan overcame a slow start to earn a 75-63 victory over No. 6 Colorado State in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Thursday. 

The Wolverines received an at-large bid despite a pedestrian 18-14 record during the regular season. They never won more than three straight games and were 4-4 in their final eight games, including a 74-69 loss to Indiana in the second round of the Big Ten tournament. 

Colorado State won 25 games during the regular season to earn the program's first tournament berth since 2012-13.

---

Notable Game Stats

• Hunter Dickinson (MICH): 21 points (8-of-10 FG), 6 rebounds, 4 blocks
• Caleb Houstan (MICH): 13 points (5-of-11 FG), 5 rebounds
• Eli Brooks (MICH): 16 points (5-of-13 FG), 7 rebounds, 6 assists
• Dischon Thomas (CSU): 15 points (5-of-9 FG), 2 steals
• David Roddy (CSU): 13 points (5-of-11 FG), 6 rebounds, 4 assists

The Rams came out of the gate on fire, building up a 28-13 lead with five minutes and 10 seconds remaining in the first half. 

Eli Brooks' jumper with 12:29 left in the second half gave Michigan its first lead of the game at 45-44. 

Michigan takes its first lead of the day.

Here. we. go. @umichbball pic.twitter.com/t8mwgVuuHZ

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 17, 2022

The shooting woes that plagued Michigan against the Hoosiers last week looked like they were going to be a problem Thursday.

The Wolverines went 0-of-7 from three-point range and scored just 29 points in the first half. They scored their 30th point in the second half with 6:16 remaining and made four of their first six attempts from behind the arc. 

Hunter Dickinson's size in the paint was a huge problem for Colorado State's defense. The sophomore center scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. 

There isn't anything Colorado St can do about Hunter Dickinson once he catches the ball.

— Jerry Palm (@jppalm85) March 17, 2022

No. 11 Michigan leads No. 6 Colorado State 65-58 with three minutes remaining 👀

Will the Wolverines complete the upset?

Watch live here: https://t.co/h2IrVGVaLY https://t.co/BdYN0aAeQ8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 17, 2022

That was going to be the biggest mismatch for the Wolverines to exploit. Dickinson is listed at 7'1" and 260 pounds; Colorado State doesn't have anyone in its starting lineup taller than 6'8" (Dischon Thomas) and 255 pounds (David Roddy). 

Dickinson is playing his best basketball of the season at the right time. He came into the tournament averaging 23.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in his past three contests. 

Caleb Houstan provided Dickinson with some necessary support, especially in the second half. He made all three of his three-pointers and scored nine of his 13 points after the intermission. 

When Caleb Houstan is hitting shots, this team can beat anyone. He's so key.

— Brandon Brown (@BSB_Wolverine) March 17, 2022

Caleb Houstan has really struggled inside the arc this year, but NBA teams still bound to have interest in a 6-8, 19-year shooter. Giving Michigan needed shot-making today. Wouldn't hurt to return, add a pull-up. Just 5-22 shooting off dribble this season.

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) March 17, 2022

While Michigan's second-half surge on offense was the biggest story of the game, the defensive effort down the stretch was crucial to the win. 

In particular, the Wolverines kept Thomas from getting easy looks. He led Colorado State with 15 points, but his last field goal was a three-pointer with 15:27 remaining that put the team up 44-38. 

Thomas didn't attempt a field goal in the final 13 minutes of regulation. He was 4-of-6 from behind the arc in the first half. The Rams shot just 35.4 percent from the field. 

Despite the disappointing finish, Colorado State's season is an unqualified success. Head coach Niko Medved has turned the program around since being hired in 2018. 

The Rams have increased their winning percentage in each of the past four seasons. They have gone from a 12-20 record in Medved's first season to winning the third-most games in a single season in program history in 2021-22. 

Michigan didn't have a great season, but it is battle-tested after playing the fourth-hardest schedule in Division I. Those games during the regular season have prepared the squad for this moment. 

---

What's Next?

Michigan will play the winner of Tennessee-Longwood on Saturday. 

Colorado State hired Niko Medved as the next head coach of its men's basketball team, the team announced Thursday. 

Evan Daniels of 247Sports first reported the news.

He will replace Larry Eustachy, who resigned in February partway through his sixth season with the Rams following an investigation into his treatment of players.

Medved was the head coach of Drake last season after spending the previous four years with Furman.

While Drake went just 17-17 this season, it had only 14 wins in the previous two seasons combined. The Bulldogs finished in third place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 10-8 record.

With Furman, Medved took over a team that won seven games the previous year and improved the record in each of his four seasons. In 2016-17, the Paladins went 23-12 and tied for the Southern Conference's regular-season title.

The 44-year-old coach will now try to create a similar turnaround with Colorado State, where he worked as an assistant for six years—the first five of those under Tim Miles.

The Rams went just 11-21 this season, including 4-14 in the Mountain West Conference.

There are also zero recruits signed for the 2018 class, per 247Sports, although there was only one senior on the roster this past year. There is talent to work with, but Medved could have his work cut out for him.

Colorado State interim head basketball coach Steve Barnes was suspended by the school prior to Saturday's game against San Jose State.

Per ESPN.com, Colorado State athletic director Joe Parker announced Barnes would be put on paid administrative leave while the school continues to assess the state of its program amid controversy around Larry Eustachy.

Parker announced last week Eustachy was asked to step away from the program as the school investigated his conduct toward players, coaches and members of the Colorado State staff.

Former Rocky Mountain Collegian sports editor Justin Michael reported on Jan. 31 that Eustachy was being investigated for the second time stemming from his behavior directed at people associated with Colorado State.

Per Matt L. Stephens and Kelly Lyell of the Coloradoan, a Colorado State investigation conducted during the 2013-14 academic year revealed Eustachy "created a culture of fear and intimidation and emotionally abused his players."

Stephens also reported Eustachy's contract with the school will be terminated once the two sides meet and presumably negotiate a separation package.

Eustachy, 62, has been with the Rams since the 2012-13 season. He has a 121-76 record in six seasons and one NCAA tournament appearance in his first season.

Colorado State was coached by Jase Herl during Saturday's 90-79 win over San Jose State.

Colorado State men's basketball players boycotted practice Thursday amid reports the university will fire head coach Larry Eustachy.

Sean Star of the Loveland Reporter-Herald reported the news, noting players have become frustrated at a lack of communication from the athletic department.

Eustachy, 62, was placed on administrative leave last week as the university conducts an investigation into his behavior.

Matt L. Stephens of the Denver Post reported Colorado State is planning to fire Eustachy due to repeated allegations of verbally abusive conduct with players. The university placed a zero tolerance policy in his contract in 2014 after a prior investigation.

“We can’t give a guy a zero tolerance policy in 2014, have the conduct continue in 2018 and then just give him another warning,” a source told Stephens.

Eustachy is accused of "repeatedly screaming profanities" at players during practices and in the locker room at halftime and following games. A meeting is scheduled for Friday between Eustachy and the university.

Eustachy was previously fired as the head coach at Iowa State in 2003 after photos of him drinking with and kissing female students surfaced. He has compiled a 121-74 during his nearly six seasons as Colorado State's head coach, leading the program to an NCAA tournament berth in 2013.

Colorado State announced Saturday that it has placed head basketball coach Larry Eustachy on administrative leave as it continues to investigate his conduct. 

"I have asked head coach Larry Eustachy to temporarily step away from the men's basketball program, as he has been placed on administrative leave while we conclude our climate assessment," athletic director Joe Parker said, per ESPN.com. "We are diligently working through this assessment as expeditiously as possible, understanding the importance of a thorough and fair process. No conclusions have been made."

According to ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach, Parker said Wednesday the school was going to investigate Eustachy's conduct again after previously doing so during the 2013-14 season. 

That investigation revealed Eustachy fostered "a culture of fear and intimidation and emotionally abused his players," per the Coloradoan's Matt L. Stephens and Kelly Lyell. 

Citing documents from the investigation, Stephens and Lyell reported that Eustachy told assistant coaches to "shut the f--k up" and referred to his players as "f--king c--ts."

Once the investigation concluded, "one high-ranking university official" called for Eustachy to be fired. 

"I am deeply disappointed on a very personal level that someone chose to publicize confidential information from my personnel file," Eustachy said in a statement last February. "That said, I fully recognize that I'm not perfect. I have my faults and strive every day to be better than I was yesterday."

Assistant Steve Barnes will serve as Colorado State's interim head coach in Eustachy's absence. 

Colorado State University officials recommended the firing of men's basketball coach Larry Eustachy during the 2013-14 season after an investigation uncovered systemic verbal abuse of players. 

Files obtained by Matt L. Stephens and Kelly Lyell of the Coloradoan show Eustachy, who arrived at Colorado State in 2012, intimidated and insulted players while also having inappropriate temperamental outbursts. University officials interviewed 14 people associated with the Colorado State basketball team, including players and staff members, who painted a harrowing picture of a program that nearly led to Eustachy's dismissal.

In his own interview, the 61-year-old coach admitted to calling players "f--king c--ts" and said he "crossed the line" with his actions at points. Other incidents included Eustachy telling assistant coaches to "shut the "f--k up," breaking dry erase boards and throwing unopened soda cans at walls. 

"I am deeply disappointed on a very personal level that someone chose to publicize confidential information from my personnel file," Eustachy said in a statement provided to the Coloradoan. "That said, I fully recognize that I'm not perfect. I have my faults and strive every day to be better than I was yesterday."

Former Colorado State athletic director Jack Graham helped lead the investigation, which recommended Eustachy's firing with cause. 

"I believed Eustachy should be terminated and believed we had the basis to terminate for cause," Graham told the Coloradoan. "I was advised by [CSU president] Tony Frank that we did not have the basis to terminate for cause and that Eustachy was to be placed on a personal improvement plan."

One person interviewed during the investigation said Eustachy's actions were reminiscent of former Rutgers coach Mike Rice, who was fired in 2013 over his abusive behavior toward players. While Rice was shown using physical contact on players, Eustachy has not been accused of physical assault.

As part of the agreement to continue his employment with the university, Eustachy attended anger management classes and issued an apology to the team. He was also placed under a zero-tolerance policy, which bars him from "direct profane, derogatory and/or demeaning language or gestures in the presence of or toward your players, staff or anyone else while acting in the scope" of the university.

Eustachy has remained Colorado State's head coach for three subsequent seasons after the investigation and owns a 105-57 (.648) record in five seasons in Fort Collins, including 18-9 in 2016-17.

The best rebounding team in college basketball isn't flush with blue-chip talent or anchored by a lottery-bound big man. It doesn't play in a Power Six conference and it doesn't boast a rich basketball pedigree. In fact, the best rebounding team in college basketball isn't even all that tall.

But like Charles Barkley once famously said, rebounding demands little more from its practitioners than a growling impulse to "go get the damn ball." And no one goes and gets the damn ball better than Larry Eustachy's Colorado State Rams.

Thanks in large part to their work along the boards, the Rams have consistently profiled as a top-25 team according to RPI, BPI and Ken Pomeroy's pythagorean win percentage metric. ESPN's Fran Fraschilla was so enamored with the Mountain West squad that he dubbed them one of his four "Surprise Final Four contenders" in a January 21 column, writing:

The Mountain West has a number of teams that, given the right set of circumstances, could get to the Final Four. This is the deepest the conference has ever been with quality teams and I have a sneaky suspicion that Larry Eustachy's team could be a difficult team to knock off in March.

Strange as it is to hear such high praise about a team picked to finish fourth in its own conference, there's reason to believe Colorado State's glass-crashing dominance could turn it into a bracket-busting menace come March.

Why They're Dangerous

1. The Rams Are Senior-Laden, with Multiple Returning Starters

With the aberrant success of last year's Kentucky team still fresh in the minds of many, we forget how beneficial experience can be in the NCAA tournament. Two of last year's Final Four participants—Kansas and Louisville—had three or more upperclassmen log starter's minutes. The year before, three of four teams fit that same roster profile.

Colorado State starts five seniors—Colton Iverson, Greg Smith, Dorian Green, Wes Eikmeier and Pierce Hornung—four of whom played major roles on the 2011 team that earned an NCAA No. 11 seed. Iverson, the lone exception, contributed to two tournament teams playing under Tubby Smith at Minnesota.

The Rams are the third-most experienced roster in Division I (per Pomeroy), and three of the team's five starters have been on campus since freshman year.

The cumulative effect of that shared growth is most notable on defense, an area where Colorado State rated just 174th in adjusted efficiency a year ago. This season, through the first half of conference play, only New Mexico is allowing fewer points per possession than the Rams.

And it's not just numbers.

Opponents and reporters alike are taking note of Colorado State's improved defensive toughness. After a January 16 loss in Fort Collins, Air Force coach Dave Pilipovich recounted the punishment doled out by this rugged, well-traveled Rams team in an interview with the Loveland Reporter-Herald:

They're physical, they've [sic] very strong, they play extremely hard. They came at us. They punched us, they punched us, they punched us."

2. Colorado State Is Battle-Tested in a Conference with a History of March Madness Success

Whether due to late start times, East Coast bias or whatever other theory you want to proffer, it seems the Mountain West Conference gets considerably less pub than its peers in the Power Six. But side-by-side, the MWC is as good, if not better, than the football conferences.

Whether you prefer Pomeroy's conference rankings or CBSSports.com's Conference RPI standings, the Mountain West has regularly performed better than leagues like the Big 12, SEC, Pac 12 and Atlantic 10 over the course of the 2012-13 campaign.

And it isn't a one-year anomaly.  

In the past three seasons, the conference has produced 11 tournament bids, seven tournament wins, two Sweet Sixteen appearances and a national player of the year (BYU's Jimmer Fredette).

From that fray, Colorado State has shot by preseason co-favorites San Diego State and UNLV to emerge as one of the conference's best teams. And those that survive the Mountain West make for dangerous bracket busters.

3. The Rams Excel on the Boards 

We've already alluded to Colorado State's rebounding prowess, but a bit of statistical context drives the point home.

Through the Rams' first 23 games of the 2012-13 season, they ranked first nationally in defensive rebounding percentage and second nationally in offensive rebounding percentage. No other team was even top 10 in both categories.

This despite the fact that Colorado State is just 269th overall in effective height.

So, how does a smaller-than-average team dominate its opponents on the glass?

The answer starts with senior Pierce Hornung, a 6'5" standout from nearby Arvada, Colorado. One of the nation's top offensive rebounders, Hornung outclasses taller opponents with quickness, upper-body strength and what ESPN.com's Eamonn Brennan calls "rare rebounders' intuition."

When asked about Hornung's game, Boise State coach Leon Rice told the Idaho Statesman, “He’s got world-class effort on the boards. He’s really, really, really strong and he’s got a nose for the ball. That kid is one of the best, if not the best, in college basketball right now.”

Another Rice went even further with his praise:

UNLV coach Dave Rice just compared Colorado State's Pierce Hornung to Dennis Rodman. #mwbb

— Matt L. Stephens (@MattStephens) February 4, 2013

The Rodman comparison is holy grail stuff for undersized rebounders and gives you a sense of the impression Hornung leaves on opposing coaches.

Hornung couples perfectly with frontcourt mate Colton Iverson, a 6'10" Minnesota transfer who has owned the defensive glass all season long. Iverson, one of only two Rams above 6'6", is also a key cog in protecting the rim. Thanks to his presence in the paint, opponents are shooting considerably worse from inside the arc against Colorado State then they did last year.

Additional credit goes to Eustachy, whose recent work at Southern Mississppi speaks to his strategic predilection for rebounding. As Sports Illustrated scribe Andy Glockner points out, Colorado State has the ideal personnel for Eustachy's coaching philosophy.

https://twitter.com/AndyGlockner/status/298610732298301440

Put it all together and you have a team that ranks among the nation's elite in offensive efficiency, despite shooting an average mark from three and posting a ho-hum effective field goal percentage.

Turns out, when you get an extra dozen attempts a game—and take care of the ball, as Colorado State does—it's possible to patch over those flaws.

Teams Colorado State Could Beat in the NCAA Tournament

1. Michigan: If Colorado State nets an eight seed—as it did in Joe Lunardi's February 8 mock bracket—it could run into Michigan in Round 3. The Wolverines are a young team (340th in average experience) that struggles on the offensive glass relative to other title contenders. It's not hard to see the veteran Rams limiting them to one shot per possession and slipping by John Beilein's team.

2. Duke: The Blue Devils have plenty of veteran experience. What they don't have is enough reliable rebounders. Coach K's team is one of the ACC's worst in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

All statistics courtesy of KenPom.com unless otherwise noted.