Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
1-0
Concordia Moorhead
1-2
Women's Basketball Wins Opener
11/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2005
The Colorado State women's basketball team got the 2005-2006 season off to a good start Tuesday night, defeating Division II Concordia-St. Paul 83-69 in front of an announced attendance of 1,165 at Moby Arena.
The Rams built a four-point lead at the half, behind nine points from senior point guard Vanessa Espinoza and six points by junior Molly Nohr. The Ram's defense forced 12 first half Golden Bears turnovers, while only committing six of their own. Forward Amanda Behnke kept CSP close in the first half, tallying 13 points and four rebounds.
In the second half the Rams pulled away, outscoring the Golden Bears 48-38, behind eight second-half points from Minnesota native, Casie Shepherd.
After the game Shepherd remarked on playing against Concordia-St. Paul, "I played against a few of these girls before, so it was really no big deal. It was just good to get out there and play our first game and get the win."
Shepherd was one of five Rams in double figures with a debut career-high 14 points, while also going perfect from the charity stripe (6-6).
Also hitting double figures for CSU were Espinoza with 14 points, Nohr with a career-high 14 points and seven assists, sophomore guard Sara Hunter with 12 points and senior forward Lindsay Thomas with 11 points. Senior forward Melissa Dennett chipped in a career-high six assists.
Shepherd a redshirt freshman added, "we work on free throws a lot in practice; it was good to see them pay off in a game."
CSU outscored CSP 32-16 in points off turnovers and held an even larger advantage in bench points blanking the Golden Bears 24-0.
Colorado State returns to action this Friday night taking on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Moby Arena at 7:00 p.m. in the first game of the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational.
