LAS VEGAS – Colorado State is heading to the Big Dance after defeating Boise State 69-56 in the Mountain West championship game. This is the first time the Rams have won the Mountain West tournament since 2003 and it was fifth year senior Nique Clifford who led the charge the entire tournament.
“I’m just trying to do everything I can to help my team win games whether that’s being aggressive at the rim, getting rebounds and making good,” Clifford told Hoops HQ. “I still have a lot of room for improvement but it feels great to be playing the way I’m playing at the right time.”
It was a must-win situation for the Rams who were considered on the bubble after an up and down season. After winning 10 straight games to close out the season, CSU is peaking at the right time and is one of the hottest teams heading into the NCAA Tournament. A large part of the team’s success is thanks to Clifford who is averaging 27.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4 assists in the last four games.
“It’s pretty dang good to have a player like Nique,” head coach Nico Medved said. “What’s happened is he just has done an amazing job of growing. He knows what it’s like to be the focal point of scouting reports. He’s seen every coverage, double, switch, you name it, and he’s just playing with a really calm mind. So that’s a testament to him and the way he’s playing. And he just continues to take what the defense gives him.”
The 6-foot-6 guard is in his second season with the Rams after playing three seasons at rivaled program, Colorado. Clifford elected to return to CSU for a final season after testing the NBA waters last spring. Clifford had sparks during the combine scrimmages and received positive feedback from teams but also knew he could return for a final season and do something special with the team that was returning.
“Coming back this season, I kind of knew that I was going to take on a bigger role and be more of a leader and that’s what I wanted, honestly,” Clifford said. “I just prepared myself the entire summer and I came in with the mindset that I wanted to be Player of the Year in the conference and help lead this team and I was completely locked in from the very first game.”
The month of March can bring out the best in players and championship moments are made. Clifford has the chance to be a break-out player in the NCAA Tournament with how well he’s playing. Throughout the three games in the Mountain West tournament, Clifford did a bit of everything. He scored at all three levels and read the defense well. He made exceptional passes and limited turnovers. Defensively he was all over the glass, recording double-doubles in the first two games. He has great length and can guard multiple positions on defense and is a mismatch dream for the Rams when the defense decides to switch.
“I knew I had to come in this season stronger and that was a main focus point last summer,” Clifford said. “I really worked on adding some muscle and also my ball handling and being more confident with the ball in my hands. That’s been the biggest growth this season.”
The Rams have all the momentum heading into the tournament. This will be their third tournament appearance in the last four seasons and Medved thinks this group has all the tools to make some noise next week.
“We keep coming and coming and playing better and better and better,” Medved said after the game. “To do it with this group, there’s no place I’d rather be right now than with these guys. When you look around the room, they all feel the same way. Nique’s one of the best to ever do it here and his performance in this tournament, it’s incredible and he does it in an unselfish manner. Just look at how he’s grown and gotten better and led us this season in so many big moments.”
Household names are created in March and if the Ram’s star player continues to play the way he’s been playing, everyone will soon know the name Nique Clifford.
