FORT COLLINS — Score one for the Colorado State math department and professor Ali Farokhmanesh.

Just about every statistic suggested Colorado should have won Saturday afternoon. The previously unbeaten Buffaloes (8-1) were the more physical team, dominating in the paint. They were deep, scoring nearly triple the bench points as the Rams. They were more organized, turning the ball over just six times. 

But sometimes, basketball becomes a math equation, and CSU’s commitment to shooting 3-pointers (35 of 56 field goals coming from beyond the arc) and making 18 of them (over 51%) is the biggest reason it was able to come away with a 91-86 win in an instant classic Rocky Mountain Showdown on the hardwood.

“This game’s always awesome. It’s a great game for the state. If you want to keep growing the game of basketball in the state of Colorado, Colorado and Colorado State need to play,” Farokhmanesh said. “It creates an atmosphere and kids come to these games and they see a Carey Booth, a Josiah Sanders for them. They see kids from Colorado playing in sold-out arenas, and I think that’s what makes it special. 

“When you have two good teams like this, it creates an atmosphere like that and you can’t really get a whole lot better (than that) from an offensive standpoint, 91-86 game, but that’s what makes this rivalry fun.”

For most players on the court, it was their first time playing in this game, but several quickly became legends for their performances. None more so than CSU junior Josh Pascarelli, who made a big shot every time the Rams needed one Saturday at a sold-out Moby Arena. 

He made his final four 3-pointers on the way to an 8-for-10 performance beyond the arc — his second straight with that many made threes — and scored a game-high 26 points a little over a week after he had 28 in the win over South Florida to close out a trip to the Bahamas.

“I actually didn’t know how many I had hit until I looked at (the stats),” Pascarelli admitted postgame.

The fact that this performance came two weeks after Pascarelli missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer against Denver shows how quickly he’s able to flush missed shots — a hallmark for any great shooter.

“Every time he shoots it, I just think it’s going in,” Farokhmanesh said. “I’m surprised he missed two. What is he, 16 for his last 18 (from three)? That’s decent.”

Still, Pascarelli’s biggest shot of the night was the only one he made from inside the arc. With the Rams leading by just one point in the final minute, Pascarelli pump-faked and got into the paint, where he hit a fadeaway jump shot that proved to be all CSU needed to seal the win.

“(I) was really just (trying) to create something,” Pascarelli said. “At first, I was trying to get to a three, I’m not gonna lie, but (the defender) bit and it was like, ‘Alright, keep going and play basketball.’ It was just a good look and I just took it.”

At this rate, as Farokhmanesh said, there might not be a bad look for Pascarelli. As he continues to creep into the conversation as one of the nation’s best shooters, it helps make performances like this one against the Buffs feel more sustainable for the entire team. 

“Most nights, I feel like we’re right there to be able to do that,” Farokhmanesh said. “We’re hard to guard when you have five to six guys out there that all shoot over 40% and are also willing to share the ball with one another.”

If they keep putting up shooting displays like this, there’s going to be a lot more nights like this one at Moby Arena over the next few months.

“That was the best atmosphere I’ve ever been in, personally,” Pascarelli said. “The court storm right after, that really shows this is college basketball. That was a rivalry game, a nail-biter and we came out on top.”

GAME RECAP

Colorado State 91, Colorado 86

What happened: The Rams (7-2) won their third straight game and handed the Buffaloes (8-1) their first loss of the season in front of a sold-out Moby Arena crowd on Saturday afternoon. CU shot 62% from the field and dominated in other key areas like points in the paint and bench points, but CSU’s 18 3-pointers on 35 attempts (over 51%) were enough to get the victory.

Star of the night: Rams junior guard Josh Pascarelli continues to look like a steal out of the transfer portal as he scored a game-high 26 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the field and 8-for-10 from beyond the arc. It’s his second straight game with 26 or more points and he’s now made 16 of his last 18 3-point attempts. 

Quotable: “I just remember last year, man. Nique Clifford, he was devastated after I think he had only two points at their house. He was devastated on the bus ride home and put it on himself. I was devastated, too. This was one I had circled. The fans mean a lot to me. I appreciate them coming out and that’s why I try to engage with them as much as possible because we need them. We fuel off their energy.” — Rams sophomore Kyle Jorgensen

Up next: CSU remains at home and will take on Dartmouth on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CU has a week off before its next game, a home tilt against UTSA next Saturday at 2 p.m. in Boulder.