By Aaron Johnson (@voz_aaron1) – Spear Reporter | Head coach Tim Miles on the sideline during San Jose State’s 64-59 loss to UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 17. (Photo by Nick Orozco – Co-Executive Editor of The Spear)
San Jose State’s (7-8, 0-3 MW) 72-50 loss against Colorado State (8-6, 2-1 MW) came down to one thing. Shooting the basketball.
The Spartans shot 30% from the field (18-61) and 9% from beyond the arc (2-23).
At the end of the first half the Spartans trailed 33-15 and the hole they dug themselves in was too deep to get out of. Fifteenpoints was the lowest amount the Spartans scored in a half all season.
“I just think our energy was never really good,” head coach Tim Miles said. “I thought we had them in a good place, we practiced pretty good. But we were low energy, frustrated and that’s how you get smoked.”
San Jose State was also outrebounded 47-27 and had a hard time stopping Rams fifth-year guard Nique Clifford. Clifford put up a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The Spartans were able to go plus eight in the turnover ratio but they were not able to capitalize.
“I thought our ball pressure was good,” Miles said. “But we didn’t turn those turnovers into points so it didn’t really hurt (Colorado State).”
Junior guard Will McClendon led the Spartans with 15 points but shot 4-13 from the field. McClendon went 7-7 at the free throw line.
The lack of three-point shooting hurt the Spartans chances as they started the game 0-21 from deep. The Spartans did not make a three until freshman guard Pasha Goodarizi made one on a fast break with 1:29 left to go in the game.
Miles said that in the last eight minutes of the game he saw a better effort from the Spartans.
“We quit playing the guys with a bad attitude,” Miles said. “I want to challenge our team captains and say don’t settle for less. You can’t be a toddler pounding the ground when you don’t get the present you want on Christmas, you gotta put your big boy pants on.”
The Spartans will hope to bounce back on the road against UNLV (8-5, 2-0 MW) at 3 p.m. on Jan. 4.
