Take it all in.

Every sight and sound, even each floating piece of confetti. Sit in the moment where the resounding cheers become quiet and a second becomes an eternity.

Twenty-two years ago the same image played out for Colorado State's players. However, its 2003 season was one of strife comparatively, ending 19-14. Nevertheless, the Rams stole the first-ever Mountain West championship title for the program.

Now, more than two decades later, history has repeated itself – as it so often does.

After all, for the Rams, losing wasn't an option as they ended with a 10-game win streak.

"I'm just glad to help this team," said Ethan Morton, who had a career high of 11 points. "If you can say one thing about me and my career, I've been through a lot of stuff. I haven't always been great but the one thing I can say is, I'm a winner."

Continuing their sweep of Boise State this season, the game ended 69-56 to the crowd in Las Vegas.

Not only does the roster hold a piece of CSU's history – but also the Mountain West conference. With 12 3s, the Rams broke their own record of 3s in the 2017 season for the Final game.

Along with a place in the record book, the Rams' bench was yet another highlight with 28 points.

And the highs kept coming.

"What an incredible story," coach Niko Medved said. "This team, the legacy of this team, will live on forever. Just resilience and staying together. Believing in something that's bigger than yourself and not getting ahead of yourself.

"When you believe in the process, great things can happen. Every time I ask them for more, they find a way to get it. They're just a joy to be around."

Despite its dominant finish, CSU didn't start the way it had for the past games of the tournament. The team had three fouls in the first five minutes and Boise lead by six.

But as the Rams do, they responded in dominant fashion, Bowen Born leading the way to finish out his last season with nine points off the bench.

"It's a testament to our team," said Nique Clifford, the Mountain West MVP. "Our team is so versatile, and you've seen it firsthand tonight. So many guys step up to make big plays and it doesn't matter who gets the credit. We're all unselfish and we want to win at the end of the day. Bowen, Keshawn coming into the game, its big time."

Sparking a 7-0 run in response, it was a catalyst for the rest of the game, and by the end of the first half – CSU had found its spark once again.

A spark which the team knew they had all along, even when the season didn't look like it would end this way.

"How can we make these group the best version of themselves," Medved said. "Again, over Christmas break, that's when it changed. I'm a believer that you sometimes have to go through the losses and the tough times and the adversity to get together. That's where the most growth happens.

"People say, 'Oh you lose that game early.' But maybe we needed to. We needed to figure things out, it's a great life lesson for everyone."

Belief in the unbelievable has taken them this far.

Even from a player who had been to NCAAs all four years of his career, the win stays special.

"I went up and found my parents and just gave them a hug," Morton said. "They've been my rock. I've been through a lot in my career and the guys can attest to it, it hasn't always been easy this year, but they stuck with me. I'm just so appreciative of everybody here. It's just unbelievable."

And it all goes back to joy.

Medved knows those who play with joy for the game come out on top in more ways than one.

"These guys have heard it but it's a special thing," Medved said. "It's something deep and spiritual to people. And it's a lot different than happiness, but these guys embody it. They found it in themselves and it's hard to describe to people. We talk about it a lot, but they found it and it's the thing that fuels them in this team."

Fueled off the joyous resolution of the Mountain West tournament, the next step is NCAAs.

And for those who continue to doubt, they have something for that too.

"People didn't believe in us," Jalen Lake said. "They still doubted us, and we just stuck together and continued to work every single day. We trusted in coach's plan and worked toward this tournament, and it finally came true."

Seeing is believing in this case.

Ticket punched, trophy acquired and lasting memories made – the dance continues.