Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
25-1, 15-0MW
New Mexico
14-12, 7-8MW
Recap: Rams flex defensive muscles at New Mexico
2/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Albuquerque, N.M. - Playing in its first game as a nationally ranked team this year, the No. 25 Colorado State Rams faced its most hostile environment yet, playing in front of 6,107 rowdy fans at WisePies Arena. With the offense struggling, CSU's elite defense proved the difference in a gutsy 49-48 win at New Mexico.
The Rams are now winners of 22 straight games overall, 11 straight on the road, and improved to 25-1 on the year and a perfect 15-0 in Mountain West play. With a win on Saturday vs. Nevada at Moby Arena, CSU can clinch at least a share of its third straight Mountain West regular season title.
Colorado State got off to a very sluggish start offensively at New Mexico. The Rams got numerous great looks, but couldn't find the range, going 3-of-15 from the field and 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, falling behind 16-8 after the first 10 minutes.
In the second quarter, however, CSU's defense began to show. The Rams held the Lobos to just seven points on 3-of-14 shooting in the second quarter to head into the locker room trailing just 23-20 despite shooting 28 percent.
The Rams ramped up their defensive efforts even more in the third quarter holding New Mexico to 2-of-15 shooting and six points. While the defense flexed its muscles, CSU's offense did just enough as Jamie Patrick hit two 3-pointers, including one with 5:56 left in the quarter to give CSU its first lead of the game at 28-27.
An Alana Arias layup gave CSU the lead once and for all at 30-29, as the Rams closed out the third quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 34-29 lead heading into the final quarter. In the fourth quarter, CSU's offense came out on fire and pushed the lead all the way to 12 points at 45-33 with 5:43 left in the game. The Lobos, fueled by their home crowd, would not go away silently into the night, however. Led by Cherise Beynon and Khadijah Shumpert, the Lobos came storming back making it a one-point game with 49 seconds left. After getting a stop, New Mexico had the ball with 19 seconds left, but Shumpert's five-foot turnaround jumper over senior forward Alana Arias' outstretched arms careened off the backboard as time expired.
Senior guard Keyora Wharry led the Rams with 15 points, while junior forward Elin Gustavsson scored 10 points and Arias added eight points and a career-high 11 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. The Rams out-rebounded the Lobos 40-31, and hauled down 15 offensive rebounds.
IN THEIR WORDS…
Head Coach Ryun Williams
"It was a fight, and we knew it was going to be. Our kids were really resilient. I thought our defense to start that third quarter was just outstanding. It was a tough environment; we've won twice here since '98. They're gunning for us. You could have easily lost this game, but it just goes to show what champions we have in that locker room."
"These two games (Wyoming and New Mexico) really, really prepared us. It showed that we have a really tough-minded group that refuses to lose. I'm proud of them; this was a game that we easily could have lost tonight. I think they are learning to embrace the target."
STAT OF THE GAME…
• Colorado State held New Mexico to just 13 points on 5-of-29 shooting (17.2 percent) in the second and third quarters as the Rams erased an eight-point deficit into a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
NOTES…
• Senior forward Alana Arias pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, including seven of the team's 15 offensive boards.
• CSU extended both of its school records with 22 straight wins overall and 11 straight true road wins.
• Additionally, the win marked CSU's second win in Albuquerque since 1998.
• The Rams improved to 15-0 in the Mountain West, its best ever start to conference play, and holds a two-game lead over second-place Fresno State with three games to play.
• The 49 points scored is CSU's second-lowest total of the year. The Rams are now 4-1 on the year when scoring 60 points or less.
• This marked the 13th time this season that CSU has held an opponent under 50 points.
• The Rams have now held their opponents to single digits in 28 quarters this season.
NEXT UP…
Colorado State returns home to take on Nevada at Moby Arena on Saturday afternoon for a chance to clinch at least a share of its third-straight Mountain West regular season title. The game will tipoff at 2 p.m. MT and will be streamed on CSURams.com/videos and broadcasted on the radio on 1410 KIIX. Tickets are available at the Fum McGraw ticket office, at CSURams.com/tickets, or over the phone at 970-491-RAMS.
