FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Prentiss Nixon scored 16 points, J.D. Paige added 15, and Colorado State beat Sacramento State 72-61 Friday night in a season opener to win its fifth straight against the Hornets.

Deion James scored 10 points and Che Bob grabbed 10 rebounds and added eight points for the Rams, who shot 38.1 percent from the floor to Sacramento State's 31.7 percent.

Colorado State pulled away for good on a 9-0 run sparked by Bob's jumper early in the second half and led 53-38 after Paige's 3-point play with 13:05 to go. The Hornets pulled to within 68-61 with 10-0 run capped by Jordan Tolbert's 3 -pointer with 3:32 left, but got no closer.

The Rams opened with an 11-0 run but the Hornets rallied to a 26-25 lead on Tolbert's 3-pointer. Robbie Berwick's 3-point play sparked a 9-2 run and Colorado State led 34-32 at halftime.

Justin Strings scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Sacramento State. Tolbert also scored 19 and shot 3 of 6 from behind the arc.