Rams conclude regular season at UNLV on Thursday

Colorado State Rams (8-20, 2-15 MW) at UNLV Lady Rebels (11-17, 9-8 MW)
Thursday, March 7 | 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT
Las Vegas, Nev. | Cox Pavilion
Coverage: CSURams.com/live (MW Network) | KARS 102.9 FM | Live Stats

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State women's basketball team is set to face the UNLV Lady Rebels on Thursday its final game of the 2018-19 regular season.

Colorado State's (8-20, 2-15 MW) regular-season finale at UNLV (11-17, 9-8 MW) is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT on Thursday at the Cox Pavilion. The Lady Rebels are in sixth place in the Mountain West standings entering Thursday's game.

Live video will be available on CSURams.com/live via the Mountain West Network. The radio broadcast will be aired on KARS 102.9 FM, with Matthew Wozniak handling play-by-play duties. Live stats will also be made available by UNLV. Links to each can be found above or on the schedule page on CSURams.com.

A Colorado State Win Would…

Determine who Colorado State will draw in the first round of the Mountain West Women's Basketball Championship. With a win on Thursday, CSU will face UNLV, while a loss will set up a matchup with Utah State.
Not affect Colorado State's seed in the Mountain West Women's Basketball Championship or when it will play its first-round contest. The Rams will be the No. 11 seed in conference tournament play, and will face either UNLV or Utah State at 8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT on Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Be the Rams' second win in as many meetings with UNLV this season.

Scouting the UNLV Lady Rebels

UNLV currently holds an 11-17 overall record and a 9-8 mark in conference play. Colorado State won the first of the two meetings between the two schools this season, 52-49.
The Lady Rebels were picked to finish second of 11 teams in the Mountain West in a preseason poll of league head coaches. That marked the highest predicted finish since 2004-05 for the Lady Rebels, who went 19-12 in 2017-18, and shared the regular-season title with a 14-4 conference record.
Senior center Katie Powell is among the top returners for the Lady Rebels, and leads the team in points (13.7) and rebounds (6.3) per game this season. Powell is a preseason all-conference selection, the Lady Rebels' first since 2011-12, and was one of 20 on the initial watch list for the Lisa Leslie Award, which recognizes the top center in the nation.
Among UNLV's top team strengths in is rebound margin, a category the Lady Rebels rank 87th nationally in (+3.6). The Lady Rebels are also 90th in the NCAA in free throws attempted (529) and 119th in scoring defense (62.1).

Quick Hits

After finishing the 2017-18 season with its fifth straight 20-win season and fifth consecutive postseason appearance, Colorado State touts a new-look squad for 2018-19. The Rams return seven players from last year's roster, but welcome as many newcomers to the team.
Colorado State finished nonconference play with a 6-5 record, marking its sixth consecutive season with a nonconference record of .500 or better.
Among the returning players for Colorado State is sophomore guard Lore Devos, who finished nonconference play fourth in the Mountain West in points per game (15.8). Devos was the only player in the Mountain West to finish nonconference play ranked in the Mountain West's top 10 in scoring, rebounding (ninth - 6.2/game) and assists (10th - 2.8/game).
Devos accounted for 27.3 percent of Colorado State's offense in nonconference play, a higher percentage of her team's scoring than any other player in the conference accounted for. She did it efficiently, ranking eighth in the league in field goal percentage (.503).
Among the Rams' newcomers is junior guard Mollie Mounsey, who has been named the 2018-19 Mountain West Preseason Newcomer of the Year. Mounsey is a two-time NJCAA First-Team All-American and led the nation (Division I, II, III, NAIA or NJCAA) in threes (143) in 2016-17 at Seward Country CC.
Among Mounsey's early highlights at CSU was her performance at BYU, where she knocked down seven three-point field goals, the fifth-most in a single game in program history.
Mounsey led the Mountain West in three categories through nonconference play. Those included three-point field goals made per game (3.2), defensive rebounds per game (6.0) and minutes played per game (35.7).
Sophomore guard Grace Colaivalu is also among the returners for the Rams after earning the program's first Mountain West All-Freshman selection since 2013-14 (Ellen Nystrom, Elin Gustavsson) last season.
Colaivalu finished nonconference played ranked fourth in each of assists per game (5.1) and assist/turnover ratio (2.0). No player in the conference ranked that high in both categories though nonconference play.
Colorado State's coaching staff has also been retooled heading to the 2018-19 season, as the Rams welcomed Rico Burkett and Kellie Lewis to the staff. With those two additions, CSU has four coaches with NCAA head coaching experience on its staff this season, the most of any women's basketball program in the nation.

Rams Among National Statistical Leaders (Games Played Through March 2)

Colorado State continues to rank among the nation's stronger defensive teams, placing 36th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.364) and 87th in scoring defense (60.6).
The Rams are also second in the NCAA in personal fouls per game (12.5), 21st in free throw percentage (.760) and 35th in turnovers per game (13.3).
Individually, junior guard Mollie Mounsey is sixth nationally in minutes played per game (37.9).
Sophomore guard Lore Devos averages 37.1 minutes per game, which ranks 19th in the NCAA.
Sophomore guard Grace Colaivalu is the NCAA's 75th-ranked player in assists per game, averaging 4.7 per contest.

Rams Among Mountain West Statistical Leaders (Conference Games Only, Games Through March 2)

Sophomore guard Lore Devos ranks in the top 10 in the Mountain West in three different categories in conference games. She is second in the Mountain West in minutes played per conference game (38.2), sixth in free throw percentage (.828) and ninth in steals (1.6).
Junior guard Mollie Mounsey leads the Mountain West in minutes played per conference game (39.7). She also ranks in the top 10 in three-point field goals per conference game (ninth - 1.7) and in defensive rebounds per conference game (10th - 3.9).
Senior guard Myanne Hamm ranks second in steals per conference game, averaging 2.3.
Sophomore guard Grace Colaivalu ranks seventh in the Mountain West in assists per conference game with an average of 4.3.
Senior forward Tatum Neubert also ranks among the Mountain West's blocks leaders in league play, averaging 1.1 to place ninth.

Rams Among National Statistical Leaders (Through Nonconference Play)

Only one team in the nation committed fewer personal fouls per game than Colorado State during nonconference play. The Rams average 12.3 personal fouls per game as a team, which ranks No. 2 among all 349 NCAA Division I programs.
Defensively, Colorado State was fifth in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense (.317) and 31st in scoring defense (55.6). Additionally, the Rams were fifth nationally in free throw percentage (.798) and 10th in the NCAA for fewest turnovers per game (12.6) in nonconference games.
Individually, junior guard Mollie Mounsey ranked among the NCAA leaders in minutes played per game (35.7), placing 47th individually, as did sophomore guard Lore Devos (35.3) at 73rd individually during nonconference play.
Mounsey stacked up well nationally from beyond the three-point arc, ranking 21st in the NCAA in three-point field goals made per game (3.2) through the Rams' 11 nonconference games.
Devos ranked as one of the nation's more efficient shooters, placing 87th individually in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.503) in nonconference action.
From the point, sophomore guard Grace Colaivalu placed among the nation's leaders in two categories. The Sacramento, Calif., native was 52nd in assists/game (5.1) and 90th in assist/turnover ratio (2.0) prior to the Rams' conference schedule.

Rams Among Mountain West Statistical Leaders (Through Nonconference Play)

As a team, Colorado State tops the Mountain West in scoring defense (55.6), free throw percentage (.798) and field goal percentage defense (.317).
Sophomore guard Lore Devos ranked in the top 10 in five statistical categories through nonconference play, including scoring (fourth - 15.8), field goal percentage (eighth - .503), rebounding (ninth – 6.2), assists/game (10th – 2.8) and minutes played per game (second – 35.3).
Devos finished nonconference play as the only player in the conference ranked in the league's top 10 in scoring, rebounding and assists.
Devos registered a .727 (8-for-11) field goal percentage twice (at Gonzaga and vs. Chadron State), each ranked as the fifth-best in a single game by any player in the conference this season. Devos was the only player in the conference with multiple top-five performances in that category.
Devos converted on 11 of her field goal attempts against Northern Arizona (Dec. 5), tied for the second-most in a single game by any player in the Mountain West this season.
Devos tallied a career-high six steals in the Rams' win over Denver on Dec. 21, marking the second-most by an individual in the conference in 2018-19.
Junior guard Mollie Mounsey finished nonconference play as the Mountain West leader in three different categories, including three-point field goals made per game (3.2), defensive rebounds per game (6.0) and minutes played per game (35.7). Additionally, Mounsey ranked eighth in rebounds per game (6.3).
Mounsey's seven three-point field goals made at BYU (Dec. 15) rank as the second-most in a single game by an individual in the Mountain West this season.
Mounsey shot .714 (5-for-7) from three-point range against Chadron State (Dec. 29), the second-best three-point field goal percentage in a single game in nonconference play by any player in the conference.
Mounsey corralled 13 rebounds against North Florida on Dec. 2, the fifth-most in a single game by any player in the Mountain West in 2018-19.
Sophomore guard Grace Colaivalu averaged 5.1 assists per game in nonconference play, good for fourth in the conference. Additionally, the Sacramento, Calif., native was fourth in assist/turnover ratio (2.0). Colaivalu was the only player in the conference to be ranked that high in each category.
Colaivalu tallied 12 assists against Chadron State on Dec. 29, the third-most in a single nonconference game by any player in the Mountain West.
Senior forward Tatum Neubert ranked third in the league through nonconference play in blocked shots per game (1.3).

Rams Improving Play in Frontcourt

One trend to track for the Rams during their conference schedule has been the improvement in production from their frontcourt. Performances from Tatum Neubert and Liah Davis have highlighted an increase in offensive production from that group.
Neubert has scored in double figures in each of the Rams' five contests from Jan. 26 through Feb. 9. Among those performances was a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double to propel the Rams past Air Force on Jan. 30.
Davis posted career highs in points (21), rebounds (nine) and steals (three) in the first of two Border War games this season against Wyoming. Davis is one of three Rams to score 20 or more points in a game this season, along with sophomore guard Lore Devos and junior guard Mollie Mounsey.

Devos Among Most Impactful Players on Offense in the Mountain West in Nonconference Play

Sophomore guard Lore Devos finished nonconference play as the No. 4 scorer in the Mountain West and team scoring leader, averaging 15.8 points per game this season.
No player in the conference accounted for as much of their team's offense as Devos did through the nonconference schedule, as Devos' 15.8 points per game accounted for 27.3 percent of Colorado State's scoring offense (57.8/game), the most of any Mountain West player ranked in the top 10 in the league in scoring. She provided her offense for the Rams efficiently, shooting .503 from the floor, a mark that ranked eighth in the league through nonconference play.
Devos finished nonconference play with just under a three-percent lead in this statistical category. See below for a breakdown of each of the Mountain West's scoring leaders and how much of their team's offense is accounted for by each of them.

Percentage of Team's Scoring Offense Per Game (in order of MW scoring leaders, nonconference only)
Candice White – 17.2 points per game, 23.6 percent of Fresno State's offense (72.8/game)
Marta Gomez – 16.2 points per game, 22.0 percent of Wyoming's offense (73.8/game)
Jaisa Nunn – 16.0 points per game, 20.2 percent of New Mexico's offense (79.4/game)
Lore Devos – 15.8 points per game, 27.3 percent of Colorado State's offense (57.8/game)
Terae Briggs – 15.6 points per game, 24.4 percent of Nevada's offense (64.0/game)
Sophia Ramos – 15.5 points per game, 22.6 percent of San Diego State's offense (68.5/game)
Aisia Robertson – 14.9 points per game, 18.8 percent of New Mexico's offense (79.4/game)
Shannon Dufficy – 14.2 points per game, 22.5 percent of Utah State's offense (63.2/game)
Naje Murray – 13.6 points per game, 19.9 percent of San Diego State's offense (68.5/game)
Jayla Everett – 13.0 points per game, 16.4 percent of New Mexico's offense (79.4/game)

Rams Continue Tradition of Strong Defensive Play

Since taking over the program prior to the 2012-13 season, head coach Ryun Williams has made strong defense a cornerstone of his vision for the program's success. Over the past five years, the Rams' defense has ranked among the nation's elite.
Over the past five seasons, Colorado State has ranked no lower than 20th in the nation in field goal percentage defense. The Rams have ranked as high as second in the nation.
See below for a breakdown of the Rams' national field goal percentage defense ranks over the past few years of Williams' tenure.

Colorado State's NCAA Rank in Field Goal Percentage Defense Under Ryun Williams
2018-19 – 36th (.364)
2017-18 – Fourth (.339)
2016-17 – Sixth (.339)
2015-16 – Second (.330)
2014-15 – 15th (.354)

Is 71 a Magic Number for the Rams?

Under seventh-year coach Ryun Williams, the Colorado State women's basketball team has scored 71 points or more in a single game 59 times. When scoring at least 71 points in Williams' tenure, Colorado State is 59-1, with no losses in regulation.
Colorado State has scored 71 points or more three times this season, and is 3-0 in those games. When scoring at least 71 points in a game last season, Colorado State was 6-0.
The only loss ever suffered by CSU with a 71-point-plus offensive performance under Williams was on Nov. 29, 2014, an 87-81 double-overtime defeat at Colorado.

Lore Devos Named Mountain West Player of the Week on Dec. 24

Following her performance in Colorado State's win over Denver on Dec. 21, sophomore guard Lore Devos was named Mountain West Player of the Week. The conference announced its weekly accolade on Monday, Dec. 24.
This marks the first weekly conference honor of Devos' collegiate career, and is the first for a CSU player during the 2018-19 season. The Kortrijk, Belgium native registered the first double-double by a Ram in 2018-19, tallying 21 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and six steals in Friday's 84-79 victory over the Pioneers.
Devos shot 9-for-15 (.600) en route to her 21-point performance, her fourth of the season with 20 points or more. Her 10 rebounds, eight assists and six steals were all career highs. Additionally, Devos' six steals were the second-most in a single game by any player in the Mountain West to that point in the season.
The sophomore's outing helped Colorado State score 84 points, a single-game team high for the season. CSU's .500 field goal percentage and .423 three-point field goal percentage against the Pioneers were also single-game team highs to that point.

Mollie Mounsey Named Mountain West Preseason Newcomer of the Year

Junior guard Mollie Mounsey of the Colorado State women's basketball team was named the 2018-19 Mountain West Preseason Newcomer of the Year on Thursday, Nov. 1.
Among the credentials for Mounsey in her junior college career were NJCAA First-Team All-America honors in each of her freshman and sophomore seasons. In 2016-17, Mounsey made 143 three-point field goals, the most of any women's basketball player in the nation among all Division I, II, III, NAIA or NJCAA schools.
Mounsey, who joins the Rams from Seward County Community College, is the second CSU player to receive a superlative award from the Mountain West in the preseason in the past three seasons. Former CSU great Ellen Nystrom was named MW Preseason Player of the Year prior to the Rams' 2016-17 campaign.

CSU Coaching Staff Among the Nation's Most Experienced

Entering this season, Colorado State women's basketball has four coaches on its staff with NCAA head coaching experience. No other women's basketball program in the nation has more than three.
Along with current CSU head coach Ryun Williams, each of Kellie Lewis (Florida Atlantic), Rico Burkett (Wayne State) and Chad Lavin (South Dakota, Wyoming) have been head coaches at an NCAA institution in their careers.
No other school has as many coaches with NCAA head coaching experience. Baylor, Texas Tech and UNCW each have three coaches on their respective staffs with NCAA head coaching experience.

Something About Season Openers for Devos

Sophomore guard Lore Devos paced the Rams with 23 points on 10-for-16 shooting in their win over Eastern New Mexico on Nov. 6. That season-opening performance mirrored her debut in 2017-18.
In the Rams' 2017-18 opener, Devos poured in a team-high 25 points on exactly the same 10-for-16 shooting from the floor. That remains Devos' career high, and is the most points scored by a player in their first game during the Ryun Williams era.
Devos' two collegiate season openers remain her two best scoring performances to this point in her career.

Newcomers' Exhibition Play a Sign of Things to Come?

Colorado State cruised to a pair of exhibition victories prior to the 2018-19 season, and the impact of a pair of their newcomers was one reason why.
Mountain West Preseason Newcomer of the Year and junior guard Mollie Mounsey posted a 21.0 points per game average in the Rams' two exhibitions, a team high. Mounsey shot 10-for-14 (.714) from beyond the three-point arc over those two games.
Senior forward Tatum Neubert was one of three Rams to average double-digit points in those two exhibitions, joining Mounsey and sophomore guard Lore Devos (17.5/game) with 13.5 points per game. More notably, Neubert averaged a double-double over those two games, averaging exactly 10 rebounds per game.

Rams Make Fifth Consecutive Postseason Appearance in 2017-18

Among the many accomplishments of the 2017-18 Colorado State women's basketball team was its fifth consecutive postseason appearance. The Rams received an at-large bid to the Postseason WNIT, and advanced to the second round for the second straight season.
Colorado State defeated Western Illinois, 67-64, last season, and took down Saint Mary's, 80-68, in overtime in the opening round two years ago for its most recent postseason victories. Before those two WNIT wins, CSU had not won in the postseason since 2003.
CSU will be looking to make its sixth consecutive postseason berth in 2018-19. The Rams have only had one longer streak of consecutive postseason appearances, reaching the NCAA Tournament or the WNIT in seven consecutive seasons from 1998-04.

Rams Win 20 Games for Fifth Straight Season

Colorado State women's basketball went 21-12 in 2017-18, clinching its fifth straight season with at least 20 wins under now-seventh-year head coach Ryun Williams.
Outside of those five seasons, Colorado State has only won 20 games or more in nine other seasons. That gives Williams 35.7 percent of the 20-plus-win seasons in program history.
Former CSU head coaches Greg Williams, Tom Collen and Chris Denker combined for the only stretch with more consecutive seasons of 20 victories or more from 1995-2003. Ann Matlock coached the only other CSU team with 20 wins or more in 1981-82.

Williams Ranks Among CSU, Mountain West Coaching Greats

Colorado State head coach Ryun Williams enters his seventh season at the helm of the program in 2018-19. Williams has won 136 games in his tenure to this point, making him the winningest coach in program history.
In addition to that, Williams has won 81 conference games, by far the most in program history. Former CSU head coach Tom Collen is the closest with 56 conference wins.
Williams also ranks as the third-winningest coach in Mountain West history in terms of win percentage in conference games (76.4 percent, 81-25). The only coaches with better records in conference play are former Utah head coach Elaine Elliott (.793, 130-34), as well as former Fresno State head coach and current TCU head coach Reagan Pebley (.778, 28-8).
Ryun Williams' seventh season as CSU basketball coach makes him one of the two longest-tenured head coaches in program history. Greg Williams also served as head coach for seven seasons from 1990-97.

Dropping Knowledge

Colorado State head coach Ryun Williams is one of 32 voters for the USA TODAY Sports Women's Basketball Coaches Poll. The panel, which is chosen by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), votes weekly throughout the regular season.
The voters are chosen based upon the 32 conferences that receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Each conference has one representative, and the names of the voters are published along with each week's poll.
Williams is in his second season as a voter after completing his first year voting in the coaches' poll in 2017-18.

Newcomers in the Lineup for the Rams

Among the storylines for Colorado State women's basketball this season will be the integration of seven newcomers into the 2018-19 lineup. The seven newcomers will mesh with the return of six letterwinners, along with one redshirt.
Of those newcomers, two are graduate transfers and are eligible to contribute immediately. Those players are guard Roichelle Marble (Wisconsin) and forward Tatum Neubert (LSU/Oregon).
Also among the newcomers are junior guard Mollie Mounsey (Seward County CC), a two-time NJCAA First-Team All-American, and freshman guard/forward Taylor Mole (Australia), who joins the Rams with international playing experience.
Jamie Bonnarens (Cameron), Megan Jacobs (Utah) and Tori Williams (Utah) will redshirt per NCAA transfer rules before playing for the Rams next season.

Rams Return Mountain West All-Freshman Selection

Among the returners for Colorado State in 2018-19 is sophomore guard Grace Colaivalu, who was named to the Mountain West All-Freshman Team last season.
Upon receiving that distinction last season, Colaivalu became the first Ram to earn an all-conference freshman team selection since 2013-14 and the third all-time. The only other two Rams to be named to the MW All-Freshman Team were Ellen Nystrom and Elin Gustavsson, each in 2013-14.

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