Chandler Jacobs’ layup with one second remaining lifted second-seeded Colorado State to a thrilling 53-51 win over seventh-seeded Utah State in a Mountain West Conference quarterfinal game in Las Vegas on Thursday night.
Justin Bean’s free throws with 12 seconds left knotted the score at 51-51, but CSU guard Isaiah Stevens drove the lane and found Jacobs under the basket for the game-winner.
The Aggies led 47-46 with just over three minutes left when Bean followed his own miss with a bucket, but Stevens banked in a tough shot from above the free-throw line, David Roddy followed with a free throw and Stevens added another bucket with 55 seconds left to give CSU a 51-47 lead.
Here are three keys to CSU’s win:
• In a tight game that saw neither team lead by more than five points, Justin Bean was whistled for a controversial offensive foul while driving to the basket with 14 seconds left. However, Kendle Moore missed a free throw with 12 seconds left to give USU a chance.
• Utah State went 1 of 15 from 3-point range and shot just 41% in losing to the Rams for the third time this season. The Aggies made two more field goals — 22 to 20 — than the Rams but CSU hit three 3-pointers and four more free throws.
• Brandon Horvath led USU with 17 points on 8 of 13 shooting, while Bean added 15 points but needed 15 shots to get there. Bean chipped in 13 rebounds.