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Clifford scores 24, Colorado State hits record 12 3s to beat Boise State 69-56 in MWC Championship

AP
Mar 15, 2025

LAS VEGAS (AP) Nique Clifford scored 24 points and No. 2 seed Colorado State made a Mountain West Championship Tournament-record 12 3s and beat fifth-seeded Boise State 69-56 on Saturday night for its first title since 2003.

Colorado State (25-9) will make its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance on a 10-game win streak.

Boise State trailed by 10 points at the half and pulled to within five points during the first minute of the second. But Jaylen Crocker-Johnson hit consecutive 3-pointers during an 11-0 run and the Rams led 43-27. Clifford made the Rams' 12th 3-pointer with about 10 minutes left that stretched their lead to 60-36.

Ethan Moore scored a career-high 11 points and Bowen Born added nine for the Rams. Clifford and Born each made three 3s as the Rams shot 12 of 24 from distance.

Tyson Degenhart scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Boise State (24-9).

Colorado State took the lead for good about eight minutes in and led by as many as 17 points in the first half. Boise State used an 11-4 surge to cut the deficit to 32-22 at the break. Crocker-Johnson's layup gave the Rams their largest lead, 63-38, with 6:48 remaining.

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1st Half
BOISE
Broncos
22
COST
Rams
32

Time		Play	Score
20:00		O'Mar Stanley vs. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (Jalen Lake gains possession)
19:42		Kyan Evans misses two point driving floating jump shot
19:37		Broncos defensive rebound
19:27		Pearson Carmichael turnover (bad pass)
19:16		Rashaan Mbemba turnover (lost ball) (O'Mar Stanley steals)
19:13		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson shooting foul (O'Mar Stanley draws the foul)
19:13		O'Mar Stanley misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:13	+1	O'Mar Stanley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	1-0
18:50		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson misses three point jump shot
18:48		Pearson Carmichael defensive rebound
18:31		Jalen Lake personal foul (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
18:27		Pearson Carmichael misses two point pullup jump shot
18:25		Rashaan Mbemba defensive rebound
18:13		Kyan Evans turnover (bad pass)
17:47	+3	Pearson Carmichael makes three point jump shot (Tyson Degenhart assists)	4-0
17:26		Kyan Evans misses two point driving layup
17:25		Rams offensive rebound
17:20		Nique Clifford turnover (bad pass) (O'Mar Stanley steals)
17:05		O'Mar Stanley misses two point jump shot
17:03		Broncos offensive rebound
16:48	+2	Andrew Meadow makes two point turnaround bank jump shot (Pearson Carmichael assists)	6-0
16:25		Tyson Degenhart blocks Jaylen Crocker-Johnson's two point driving floating jump shot
16:23		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson offensive rebound
16:21		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson misses two point layup
16:19		Emmanuel Ugbo defensive rebound
16:19		Jump ball. Emmanuel Ugbo vs. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (Broncos gains possession)
15:54		Tyson Degenhart misses three point jump shot
15:52		Rashaan Mbemba defensive rebound
15:46		Nique Clifford misses three point pullup jump shot
15:44		Pearson Carmichael defensive rebound
15:33		Emmanuel Ugbo misses three point jump shot
15:31		Tyson Degenhart offensive rebound
15:29		Pearson Carmichael misses three point jump shot
15:27		Emmanuel Ugbo offensive rebound
15:27		Rashaan Mbemba personal foul (Emmanuel Ugbo draws the foul)
15:27		TV timeout
15:19		Tyson Degenhart misses two point layup
15:17		Bowen Born defensive rebound
14:54	+3	Bowen Born makes three point jump shot (Kyan Evans assists)	6-3
14:39		Emmanuel Ugbo misses two point alley-oop layup
14:37		Nikola Djapa defensive rebound
14:23	+2	Ethan Morton makes two point running layup	6-5
13:58		Alvaro Cardenas misses two point floating jump shot
13:56		Ethan Morton defensive rebound
13:43	+2	Ethan Morton makes two point cutting layup (Kyan Evans assists)	6-7
13:15		Bowen Born personal foul (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
13:05	+2	Julian Bowie makes two point pullup jump shot	8-7
12:44		Nique Clifford misses two point turnaround jump shot
12:42		RJ Keene II defensive rebound
12:32		O'Mar Stanley turnover (3-second violation)
12:12	+3	Bowen Born makes three point stepback jump shot	8-10
11:40		Nikola Djapa shooting foul (Andrew Meadow draws the foul)
11:40		TV timeout
11:40	+1	Andrew Meadow makes regular free throw 1 of 2	9-10
11:40		Andrew Meadow misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:40		Ethan Morton defensive rebound
11:26		Nique Clifford misses two point running layup
11:24		O'Mar Stanley defensive rebound
11:05		O'Mar Stanley misses two point driving hook shot
11:03		Keshawn Williams defensive rebound
10:45	+3	Keshawn Williams makes three point jump shot (Ethan Morton assists)	9-13
10:30		Alvaro Cardenas misses three point jump shot
10:28		Rashaan Mbemba defensive rebound
10:12		Javan Buchanan shooting foul (Ethan Morton draws the foul)
10:12	+1	Ethan Morton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	9-14
10:12	+1	Ethan Morton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	9-15
9:51		Javan Buchanan turnover (bad pass)
9:36		Jalen Lake misses three point jump shot
9:34		Jalen Lake offensive rebound
9:27		Emmanuel Ugbo personal foul (Keshawn Williams draws the foul)
9:11		Javan Buchanan shooting foul (Rashaan Mbemba draws the foul)
9:11		Rashaan Mbemba misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:11	+1	Rashaan Mbemba makes regular free throw 2 of 2	9-16
8:42		Javan Buchanan misses three point jump shot
8:40		Rashaan Mbemba defensive rebound
8:29		Javan Buchanan personal foul (Jalen Lake draws the foul)
8:28	+3	Jalen Lake makes three point jump shot (Nique Clifford assists)	9-19
8:04		Alvaro Cardenas misses three point stepback jump shot
8:02		Nique Clifford defensive rebound
7:56		Kyan Evans misses three point jump shot
7:54		Tyson Degenhart defensive rebound
7:24		Pearson Carmichael misses two point turnaround jump shot
7:22		Rashaan Mbemba defensive rebound
7:07	+3	Nique Clifford makes three point jump shot (Jalen Lake assists)	9-22
7:05		Broncos 30 second timeout
7:05		TV timeout
6:55		Pearson Carmichael misses three point jump shot
6:54		Rams defensive rebound
6:32	+3	Bowen Born makes three point jump shot (Jaylen Crocker-Johnson assists)	9-25
6:14		Kyan Evans personal foul (Pearson Carmichael draws the foul)
6:04		Tyson Degenhart turnover (bad pass)
5:50		Nique Clifford offensive foul (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
5:50		Nique Clifford turnover (offensive foul)
5:39	+2	Pearson Carmichael makes two point driving layup	11-25
5:18		Ethan Morton misses two point turnaround jump shot
5:16		Bowen Born offensive rebound
5:10	+2	Nique Clifford makes two point cutting layup (Bowen Born assists)	11-27
5:10		Tyson Degenhart shooting foul (Nique Clifford draws the foul)
5:10	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 1 of 1	11-28
4:49	+2	Tyson Degenhart makes two point turnaround hook shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	13-28
4:27		Pearson Carmichael personal foul
4:15		Nique Clifford misses two point turnaround jump shot
4:13		Emmanuel Ugbo defensive rebound
3:57		Alvaro Cardenas misses two point floating jump shot
3:55		Nique Clifford defensive rebound
3:34		RJ Keene II blocks Nique Clifford's three point jump shot
3:32		Tyson Degenhart defensive rebound
3:17	+2	Tyson Degenhart makes two point layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	15-28
3:14		Rams 30 second timeout
3:14		TV timeout
3:00		Kyan Evans turnover (bad pass) (Alvaro Cardenas steals)
2:55	+2	Andrew Meadow makes two point cutting layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	17-28
2:35	+2	Jalen Lake makes two point driving floating jump shot	17-30
2:13		RJ Keene II turnover (bad pass)
2:05		Alvaro Cardenas kicked ball violation
1:57		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson misses three point jump shot
1:55		Emmanuel Ugbo defensive rebound
1:55		Rashaan Mbemba personal foul (Emmanuel Ugbo draws the foul)
1:55	+1	Emmanuel Ugbo makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-30
1:55	+1	Emmanuel Ugbo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-30
1:27		Jalen Lake misses two point turnaround jump shot
1:25		Nique Clifford offensive rebound
1:24		Nique Clifford misses two point tip layup
1:22		Broncos defensive rebound
1:00	+3	RJ Keene II makes three point jump shot (Tyson Degenhart assists)	22-30
0:34		Jalen Lake misses two point pullup jump shot
0:32		Broncos defensive rebound
0:07		Julian Bowie misses three point jump shot
0:05		Nique Clifford defensive rebound
0:01		Alvaro Cardenas shooting foul (Nique Clifford draws the foul)
0:01	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-31
0:01	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-32
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
BOISE
Broncos
34
COST
Rams
37

Time		Play	Score
19:40		Rashaan Mbemba misses two point reverse layup
19:38		Pearson Carmichael defensive rebound
19:31	+3	Tyson Degenhart makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	25-32
19:15		Nique Clifford misses three point jump shot
19:13		Pearson Carmichael defensive rebound
19:00	+2	Tyson Degenhart makes two point cutting layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	27-32
18:46		Pearson Carmichael shooting foul (Nique Clifford draws the foul)
18:46	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-33
18:46	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-34
18:23		Pearson Carmichael offensive foul (Kyan Evans draws the foul)
18:23		Pearson Carmichael turnover (offensive foul)
18:01	+3	Jaylen Crocker-Johnson makes three point jump shot (Jalen Lake assists)	27-37
17:37		Alvaro Cardenas turnover (bad pass)
17:27	+3	Jaylen Crocker-Johnson makes three point jump shot (Kyan Evans assists)	27-40
17:00		O'Mar Stanley misses two point turnaround hook shot
16:58		Nique Clifford defensive rebound
16:43		Jalen Lake misses two point driving finger roll layup
16:41		O'Mar Stanley defensive rebound
16:24		Tyson Degenhart misses two point turnaround bank jump shot
16:22		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson defensive rebound
16:13	+3	Kyan Evans makes three point jump shot	27-43
16:11		Broncos 30 second timeout
16:11		TV timeout
15:54	+3	Julian Bowie makes three point stepback jump shot	30-43
15:28	+3	Nique Clifford makes three point jump shot (Jaylen Crocker-Johnson assists)	30-46
15:04		Alvaro Cardenas turnover (bad pass)
15:04		TV timeout
14:44		Bowen Born misses three point jump shot
14:42		Ethan Morton offensive rebound
14:34		Nikola Djapa misses three point jump shot
14:32		Emmanuel Ugbo defensive rebound
14:25		Ethan Morton shooting foul (Tyson Degenhart draws the foul)
14:25		Tyson Degenhart misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:25	+1	Tyson Degenhart makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-46
14:02		Alvaro Cardenas shooting foul (Ethan Morton draws the foul)
14:02	+1	Ethan Morton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-47
14:02		Ethan Morton misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:02		Emmanuel Ugbo defensive rebound
13:32		Tyson Degenhart misses two point layup
13:31		Ethan Morton defensive rebound
13:31		RJ Keene II personal foul (Ethan Morton draws the foul)
13:16	+2	Nique Clifford makes two point driving layup	31-49
13:16		Emmanuel Ugbo shooting foul (Nique Clifford draws the foul)
13:16	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 1 of 1	31-50
13:01		Julian Bowie misses three point pullup jump shot
12:59		RJ Keene II offensive rebound
12:52		Andrew Meadow misses three point jump shot
12:50		Emmanuel Ugbo offensive rebound
12:47		Julian Bowie misses three point jump shot
12:45		Nique Clifford defensive rebound
12:23		Andrew Meadow shooting foul (Nikola Djapa draws the foul)
12:23	+1	Nikola Djapa makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-51
12:23	+1	Nikola Djapa makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-52
11:59	+3	RJ Keene II makes three point jump shot (Andrew Meadow assists)	34-52
11:29	+3	Keshawn Williams makes three point pullup jump shot (Nikola Djapa assists)	34-55
11:15		RJ Keene II misses three point jump shot
11:13		Nikola Djapa defensive rebound
10:45		Keshawn Williams misses three point stepback jump shot
10:43		Emmanuel Ugbo defensive rebound
10:33		Julian Bowie turnover (bad pass) (Nikola Djapa steals)
10:25		Rams 30 second timeout
10:25		TV timeout
10:18		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson misses two point turnaround bank jump shot
10:16		Rams offensive rebound
10:06	+3	Nique Clifford makes three point pullup jump shot (Kyan Evans assists)	34-58
9:44	+2	Javan Buchanan makes two point turnaround hook shot	36-58
9:27		Nique Clifford turnover (out of bounds)
9:10		O'Mar Stanley misses three point jump shot
9:08		Javan Buchanan offensive rebound
9:05		Javan Buchanan turnover (bad pass)
8:46	+2	Nique Clifford makes two point driving layup	36-60
8:32		Alvaro Cardenas misses three point stepback jump shot
8:30		Kyan Evans defensive rebound
8:25		Alvaro Cardenas shooting foul (Nique Clifford draws the foul)
8:25		TV timeout
8:25		Nique Clifford misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:25	+1	Nique Clifford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-61
8:07		Pearson Carmichael misses three point jump shot
8:05		Javan Buchanan offensive rebound
8:05	+2	Javan Buchanan makes two point putback layup	38-61
7:44		Nique Clifford misses three point stepback jump shot
7:41		Broncos defensive rebound
7:14		Alvaro Cardenas misses three point stepback jump shot
7:12		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson defensive rebound
7:12		Tyson Degenhart personal foul (Jaylen Crocker-Johnson draws the foul)
7:12		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
7:12		Javan Buchanan defensive rebound
6:54		Alvaro Cardenas misses three point jump shot
6:52		Jalen Lake defensive rebound
6:44	+2	Jaylen Crocker-Johnson makes two point layup (Nique Clifford assists)	38-63
6:25		RJ Keene II misses three point jump shot
6:22		Broncos offensive rebound
6:16	+2	Tyson Degenhart makes two point cutting layup (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	40-63
5:46		Nique Clifford turnover (bad pass) (RJ Keene II steals)
5:37		Tyson Degenhart misses three point jump shot
5:35		Pearson Carmichael offensive rebound
5:34		Keshawn Williams personal foul (Pearson Carmichael draws the foul)
5:23		Ethan Morton personal foul (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
5:17		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson personal foul (Emmanuel Ugbo draws the foul)
5:08		RJ Keene II turnover (bad pass)
4:41		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson misses two point layup
4:39		Tyson Degenhart defensive rebound
4:31		Jaylen Crocker-Johnson shooting foul (Tyson Degenhart draws the foul)
4:31	+1	Tyson Degenhart makes regular free throw 1 of 2	41-63
4:31	+1	Tyson Degenhart makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-63
4:18		Kyan Evans flagrant 1 (Alvaro Cardenas draws the foul)
4:18		Kyan Evans turnover (offensive foul)
4:18		TV timeout
4:18		Alvaro Cardenas misses flagrant free throw 1 of 2
4:18	+1	Alvaro Cardenas makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2	43-63
4:09	+3	Tyson Degenhart makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	46-63
3:39	+2	Nique Clifford makes two point turnaround jump shot	46-65
3:10		Alvaro Cardenas turnover (bad pass) (Kyan Evans steals)
2:50		Emmanuel Ugbo flagrant 1 (Rashaan Mbemba draws the foul)
2:50		Official timeout
2:50		Rashaan Mbemba misses flagrant free throw 1 of 2
2:50		Rashaan Mbemba misses flagrant free throw 2 of 2
2:42	+2	Ethan Morton makes two point running layup	46-67
2:30	+3	Julian Bowie makes three point jump shot (Emmanuel Ugbo assists)	49-67
2:05	+2	Ethan Morton makes two point pullup jump shot (Nique Clifford assists)	49-69
1:54		Nique Clifford personal foul (Tyson Degenhart draws the foul)
1:54	+1	Tyson Degenhart makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-69
1:54	+1	Tyson Degenhart makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-69
1:32		Jalen Lake misses two point driving hook shot
1:30		Tyson Degenhart defensive rebound
1:23	+3	Tyson Degenhart makes three point jump shot (Alvaro Cardenas assists)	54-69
0:55		Nique Clifford misses two point driving floating bank jump shot
0:53		Tyson Degenhart defensive rebound
0:49	+2	Alvaro Cardenas makes two point driving layup	56-69
0:21		Nique Clifford misses three point pullup bank jump shot
0:19		Tyson Degenhart defensive rebound
0:12		Andrew Meadow turnover (lost ball)
0:00		End of period

Andrew Meadow turnover (lost ball)