Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
1-2
Pacific
1-1
Shorthanded Rams Fall at Pacific
11/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2006
The Colorado State University women's basketball team fell to 1-2 on the young season with a 71-59 loss against the University of the Pacific (1-1) in Stockton, Calif. on Sunday afternoon.
The Rams' duo of freshman Kelly Jo Mullaney (21 points) and senior Molly Nohr (19 points) combined to score 40 of the team's 59 points in the contest, but it was not enough, as three Pacific players also finished in double-figures, led by forward Karen Dawkins, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., who finished with a game-high 24 points.
Colorado State was shorthanded in the contest due to a late change in the starting lineup. Senior Justine France earned her first career start and played a career-high 27 minutes in place of freshman Juanise Cornell who was hampered by a migraine before tip-off and was unable to see the court for the Rams.
"She has had some migraine experience in high school," commented head coach Jen Warden. "We've been really lucky she hasn't had any problems in Fort Collins. It's ironic because we have two players (Raysha Ritter and Kelly Finley) at home and one (Cornell) here sitting out and all three are our forwards."
The Rams struggled from the field throughout the contest, especially in the first half, shooting just 28.9 percent in the game's opening stanza. Overall the Rams shot at a 35.2 percent clip, while Pacific hit 44.1 percent from the floor.
Overall the Rams outrebounded the Tigers, 49-39, including a 21-12 advantage on the offensive glass, however CSU was unable to convert those extra chances on the offensive end.
Mullaney ranks as the Rams' leading scorer through three contests, and eclipsed the 20-point mark for the second time in her young career at Colorado State.
The Rams will now return to Fort Collins and begin preparations for the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational, Nov. 24-25 at Moby Arena. The host-Rams open up the tournament at 7 p.m. on Friday against the University of Idaho.
