Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
7-16, 2-8MWC
BYU
16-5, 6-3MWC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYU | 17 | 36 | 53 |
| Colorado State | 20 | 31 | 51 |
Cougars slip by Rams at Moby
2/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2009
By Danny Mattie
Athletic Media Relations
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State women’s basketball team gave BYU all it could handle on Wednesday evening, but came up just short in an upset bid. The Cougars (16-5, 6-3 MWC) held off the Rams (7-16, 2-8 MWC) for a 53-51 victory in front of 1,136 fans at Moby Arena.
Despite leading for most of the game, and battling to a tied score, 47-47, with 1:19 left in the contest, the Rams were unable to make the necessary plays to close out with a victory, losing in the final minute for the second time in three games against one of the top teams in the Mountain West Conference.
“We have had a hard time finishing down the stretch,” said Head Coach Kristen Holt. “There are just little things we need to do to win games.”
The Rams led throughout the first half, and even held a 42-40 advantage with 5:38 remaining in the contest, but a 17-6 Cougars run between the 11:07 and 2:08 marks of the second half, gave BYU just enough of an advantage to escape with the two-point victory.
The Rams had an opportunity to tie the game with 3 seconds remaining, when senior forward Britney Minor slashed to the basket for a contested layup. However, Minor’s shot was too strong and the ball rattled out, allowing the Cougars to escape with the win.
“I had a good look at it,” said Minor. “I just didn’t make the shot.”
“I thought that Britney, the way she shot it, she was anticipating contact, and that made her lose her focus,” added Holt.
The Rams were in position for that game-tying opportunity, thanks to some tough plays by sophomore guard Bonnie Barbee, junior forward Juanise Cornell and senior forward Amaka Uzomah.
Barbee, who finished with eight points, answered BYU’s 17-6 run with a three-pointer to keep CSU within one possession and Cornell tied the game at 47 with a pair of free throws. Following a BYU trey by Shawnee Slade, Uzomah recorded her fourth rebounds, and fifth and sixth points, coming out of nowhere to put back a Cornell miss as the shot clock expired with just 31.2 seconds to play and pulling CSU to within one point, 50-49.
Colorado State extended the game by fouling the Cougars with 13.4 seconds left. BYU’s Jazmine Foreman sank the free throws to give BYU a 52-49 lead, and the Cougars fouled Barbee on the ensuing inbounds play. Barbee hit both free throws, and Colorado State answered by sending BYU sophomore guard Mindy Nielson to the line. Nielson missed the first attempts and sank the second, allowing the Rams’ the opportunity for Minor’s game-tying attempt.
Cornell led Colorado State with 10 points and eight rebounds, while Minor added eight points and four rebounds in the game.
BYU center Cassie King proved too much for the undersized Rams, posting 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks to lead the Cougars to the victory, while Slade added eight points and eight rebounds, and Nielson chipped in with eight points and two boards.
The loss ended a two-week stretch in which Colorado State played four of the top 5 teams in the Mountain West Conference, and lost by an average of fewer than six points per contest, giving Head Coach Kristen Holt’s squad reason to remain focused with six regular-season conference games left on the schedule.
“We’re right there,” added Holt. “I just want them to stay focused and motivated. We’re moving in the right direction, and there is improvement, but we certainly we’re not happy that we lost, so we have to come out ready for the next one.”
The Rams will have an opportunity to snap their five-game losing skid, hosting UNLV (10-13, 3-7 MWC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Moby Arena. Colorado State will look for a season sweep o f the Lady Rebels, having picked up a 70-69 victory last month in Las Vegas. Tickets for Saturday’s game are available by calling 1-800/491-Rams or by visiting CSURams.com.
