Sean Star / Loveland Reporter-Herald)
FORT COLLINS — An at-large bid is almost certainly out of the question for Colorado State.
So really, non-conference play is essentially an extended preseason for coach Ryun Williams' team before it goes for a fifth straight conference title this winter.
The Rams' toughest test before their Mountain West opener likely came Tuesday night against an Oklahoma team that has made 18 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and is one spot outside the top 25.
CSU was competitive for a stretch in the first half, cutting an early double-digit deficit to two in the second quarter.