There was just enough magic left in Moby Arena for one more game this season.
On Tuesday night, the Colorado State men’s basketball team welcomed the Wyoming Cowboys into Moby for the second edition of the Border War and the final home game of the 2016-2017 campaign.
On a night in which seniors Emmanuel Omogbo and Gian Clavell were celebrated, it was sophomore Prentiss Nixon who stole the show with a last-second 3-pointer to win the game for the Rams (21-9, 13-4 Mountain West) 78-76.
“Just make the shot,” Nixon said of his thought process as the clock was winding down. “Make the shot for these two dudes (Omogbo and Clavell). We worked hard all season. I couldn’t let them go out like that.”
Despite leading by as many as 16 points earlier in the game, it looked as if the Rams were going to let the game slip away. Wyoming’s Justin James knocked in a 3-pointer of his own to give the Cowboy’s (17-13, 13-4 Mountain West) a one point lead with 17 seconds to play before Nixon sealed the game with four seconds on the clock.
“I was mad,” Omogbo said of his feelings after James went down the court and hit the3-pointer that gave Wyoming the lead.
“I was about to cry,” Clavell added.
When the final horn rang through the arena, the 7,883 fans that packed into Moby were already on the floor ready to celebrate.
Colorado State’s story book run continues. For the second consecutive game the Rams have buried a 3-pointer near the buzzer to bury their opponent and the fans have poured out onto the court.
The Rams have now won 10 of their last 11 games and will ride a seven game win streak into Nevada for a shot at the Mountain West championship. A win on Saturday would be Colorado State’s first regular season conference title since they were members of the Western Athletic Conference in 1990.
“It doesn’t come any better than that,” Colorado State head coach Larry Eustachy said of the opportunity to win a conference title.
In a season that has given them every reason to quit, the Rams have bound together when they needed to the most and it’s paid off. They aren’t playing for themselves, they are playing for each other.
“We’ve never been bent,” Eustachy said. “We’ve always stayed together. They’ve always believed in me, I’ve always believed in them.”
“I just can’t explain how happy I am just to be playing with this team,” Clavell said. “Seriously, we are like brothers.”
When Nixon cranked up the shot to win the game, he wanted to win it for his seniors.
“Me and E basically came in here together and when I got here Gian kind of took me under his wing,” Nixon said. “Hitting that shot for these guys, it meant the world to me because I sent them out on a good note.”
“I was hoping Prentiss was going to go to the basket,” Clavell said of Nixon’s final shot selection. “But when he stopped to shoot the three, I almost passed out.”
Clavell had a clear view of Nixon’s shot from the bench after fouling out with 1:01 remaining. He finished the night with 17 points.
Nixon led all scorers with 23 points.
After scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, Emmanuel Omogbo walked off the floor at Moby on Tuesday night with his 18th double-double of the season. His 13 double-doubles in Mountain West play set a new conference record.
In the midst of the incredible run that the Rams are currently on, it’s hard to wonder whether or not the stars are aligned for the team to succeed. They don’t believe that.
“We don’t want to think that,” Clavell said.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Omogbo said. “We just go out there and play our game.”
The Rams shot at the conference title tips off at March 4 6 p.m. on and will be shown on ESPN3.