In a classic March Madness 12-over-5 upset, No. 12 seed Colorado State took down fifth-seeded Memphis 78-70 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. Freshman guard Kyan Evans delivered the best performance of his young career, knocking down a career-high six 3-pointers and scoring 23 points to propel the Rams into the second round for the first time since 2013.
Evans, who averaged just over seven points per game entering the tournament, picked the perfect time to have a breakout performance. The freshman was lights out from beyond the arc, stretching the Memphis defense and keeping the Tigers off balance all game. His contributions helped Colorado State (26-9) extend its winning streak to 11 games and continue a remarkable late-season surge.
Mountain West Tournament MVP Nique Clifford had a quieter night offensively, finishing with 14 points—eight of which came from the free-throw line—but his impact was felt across the board. He added eight rebounds and six assists, including a key second-half sequence where he hit a turnaround jumper to give the Rams a 52-50 lead and then assisted Bowen Born for a layup on the next possession.
Jalen Lake (14 points) and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (12 points) also contributed significantly, as the Rams used balanced scoring and tough defense to control the second half.
The Tigers (29-7) entered the game shorthanded, missing veteran guard and third-leading scorer Tyrese Hunter, who was sidelined with a left foot injury. Despite this, Memphis fought hard behind standout performances from Dain Dainja and PJ Haggerty.
Dainja posted his third straight double-double, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Haggerty, the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, added 18 points, including a historic basket late in the first half that broke the AAC single-season scoring record with 746 points. Colby Rogers also contributed 18 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Colorado State’s second-half surge.
Trailing by five at halftime, Colorado State came out firing to open the second half, with seven different players scoring in the first eight minutes. The Rams quickly flipped the deficit into a six-point lead, never allowing Memphis to close the gap to a single possession again.
Clifford’s leadership and playmaking down the stretch helped seal the win, while the Rams’ defense tightened up against Memphis’ top scorers. The Tigers were unable to generate enough stops late, allowing Colorado State to pull away and punch its ticket to the second round.
With the victory, Colorado State advances to face No. 4 seed Maryland on Sunday, looking to extend its winning streak and make a deeper run in the tournament. Meanwhile, Penny Hardaway’s Tigers, who had high hopes entering March, see their season end in disappointment after falling victim to yet another classic first-round upset.
For the Rams, the dream of a Cinderella run is alive and well.
