FORT COLLINS >> Playing as a top-15 team for the first time in program history, the Colorado State men’s basketball team faced its third in-state opponent of the season Wednesday night at Moby Arena.

No. 13 CSU was also playing for the first time without two key players who it will be without for several weeks — Jalen Lake, who broke a finger in practice early last week, and Josiah Strong, who broke his wrist Saturday against Washington.

In their first game being shorthanded, the Rams went toe-to-toe with a scrappy and at times hot-shooting Denver University team, eventually pulling away in the final minutes for a 90-80 victory. It’s the Rams’ ninth win in a row to begin the season.

Trailing by four at halftime, the Rams came out strong in the opening minutes of the second half, going on a 10-2 run to take a 47-43 lead with 16 minutes, 33 seconds left in the game.

The Rams’ largest lead of the game came with 3:42 remaining on a layup by Tavi Jackson that put CSU ahead by 12 at 80-68.

DU got within five at 83-78 with 50 seconds left, but that would be as close as the Pioneers would get.

Cartier led the Rams with 19 points. Stevens had 18, Clifford 15 and Joel Scott 11. Stevens finished with nine assists, one shy of recording another double-double.