Rams Start Conference Play at Defending Champion Fresno State

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State will debut its 2020-21 Mountain West revised schedule with back-to-back away contests against the defending regular-season champions Fresno State on Thursday and Friday. Tip-off in both games will be 7 p.m. MT at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

Not only will the Rams (2-0) have to quickly switch gears to the conference-level opponent, but they will have to against the projected 2020-21 repeat champions based on the preseason coaches' poll. Fresno State, who went 25-7 overall and 16-2 in the MW last season, returns all five starters, including this season's MW Preseason Player of the Year Maddi Utti. The Bulldogs are 1-1 after their Thanksgiving tournament with the loss coming from the Big 12's West Virginia.

Last season, the Rams did have the Bulldogs on the ropes in their first meeting when Jamie Bonnarens banged in a game-tying 3 with four seconds left, but FS's Aly Gamez sent a game-winning floater through the net as time expired, denying CSU a chance at overtime. The difference this year will be that only three current Rams were on that court and the new Rams look a lot different on the hardwood.

"I was proud of what our team accomplished in the first two games, but we certainly understand we are facing a different opponent in Fresno," head coach Ryun Williams said. "I'm excited to see what we have as this will be a good measuring stick for us. We are going up against the best in our league out of the gate. Our team is eager to compete and are up for the challenge."

In each of Colorado State's two opening games against Regis and Colorado Christian, the Rams played all 16 student-athletes and scored 59 points in the first half alone. Against RU's Rangers, CSU poured in the third-most points in school history at 111 thanks in large part to Tori Williams who had a career-high 30. Williams sank eight 3s to join Becky Hammon, Kim Mestdagh and Sara Hunter as the only Rams to do so. In a more balanced attack, four Rams scored in double digits against the Cougars including Williams, McKenna Hofschild, Lore Devos and Karly Murphy.

The new Mountain West revised schedule will bring some interesting dynamics for the coaches and student-athletes with playing the same opponent twice in the matter of days.

"We'll see what that challenges brings," Williams added. "We've never done this before in playing the same team back-to-back, but hey it's basketball! We are excited to be playing whether it is two days in a row, three or what have it. We realize we won't be able to make a lot of adjustments in between games, so it is just boils down to tossing that ball up and playing and coaching the best way we can."

Block Party
• Through two games, the Rams lead the conference in blocked shots with 17. The next closest team has eight. Off redshirt and showing a prowess in this is Sydney Mech who has five by herself which is tops in the MW. Behind Mech, Liah Davis, Makayla Hemingway and Lore Devos each have at least two.

Second Quarter Surge
• Early on, the Rams are showing their quarter of separation is the second quarter. In the opener, CSU outscored Regis 31-13 and in game two against Colorado Christian it was 30-6 for a combined total of 61-19. In both contests they had 59 points at the half.

Sharing the Rock
• McKenna Hofschild's 10 assists in the season opener ties four other players as the game-high in NCAA DI. The 39 total team assists lead the Mountain West. CSU's 2.17 assist-to-turnover ratio also leads the conference. Her 13 total assists rank No. 1 in the MW.

Scouting Fresno State
• The Bulldogs (1-1) started their season at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas, Nev. In the opener, FS lost to West Virginia 83-62, but responded by defeating Lamar handedly 99-49.
• You aren't seeing double; Fresno State has twin guards in Haley and Hanna Cavinder – both of which were named to the All-MW conference team last year. Haley does most of her damage from 3, while Hanna will attack the basket more.

More "Firsts"
• Continuing with the theme of "firsts" this season, Thursday's game with Fresno State will be the earliest the two teams have ever met in a season as all previous 18 meetings have been in January, February, or March. For the Rams it is the earliest Mountain West opponent ever by a day since CSU played San Diego State last season on Dec. 4. The four scheduled MW games this season prior to Christmas is notable since previously the most before a new year was two.

Different Looking Season
• The season saw its first tip-off on Nov. 25th, marking the latest beginning of a season since 1975-76's December 3rd. As of now Colorado State's season has 24 games scheduled with shortening due to COVID-19. If all 24 games get played out it will be the lowest total games played since 1977-78, which completed at 19 games. The Mountain West assembled a revised 20-game schedule to emphasize the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches and staff while significantly reducing travel. The modified format will play out over 11 weeks within the context of state, county and local guidelines.
• "We are just excited to have a schedule and be able to prepare for some games," head coach Ryun Williams said. "The conference did a tremendous job at adapting and completing a schedule that accommodates every institution."

Non-Conference Takeaways
• CSU 111, Regis 64 (11/25): Third-most points in CSU history and Tori Williams tied a program record in single-season 3s with eight. She joined Becky Hammon, Kim Mestdagh and Sara Hunter in the feat.
• All 16 student-athletes played, meaning there were nine Ram debuts, including four freshmen, three transfers and our redshirts from last season, Sydney Mech and Bengisu Alper. Six scored in the first quarter. (Alper, Boni, Farkas, Murphy, Clark, and Hofschild)
• Karly Murphy wow'd with 14 points, using a 10-for-10 free-throw clip. The team went 22-for-30.
• McKenna Hofschild dished out 10 assists which is three more than any Ram had in a game last season. Last Ram with at least 10 assists was Grace Colaivalu on 12/19/18.
• Tori Williams' 30 points was a career-high and was the first 30-point game since Elin Gustavsson dropped 32 vs. San Diego State (1/28/17).
• Two freshmen, Cali Clark and Ellie Boni, were in the starting lineup next to Williams, Lore Devos and Hofschild.

• CSU 96, CCU 54 (11/28): The second straight season that Ryun Williams has started the Rams off 2-0 and third time in his nine years. It also is milestone win No. 100 at Moby Arena.
• Tori Williams, Murphy and Jamie Bonnarens ran onto the court and to the bench minutes after tip once they got their negative COVID-19 test results back.
• Again, all 16 SAs clocked into the game and all but three scored. Four reached double-digits in a more well-rounded scoring display. Murphy and Hofschild had a dozen with Williams adding 11 and Devos 10.
• The Rams shot over 60% from the floor and from the three-point line. Efficiently, CSU poured in 50 points from the paint. In back-to-back games, the Rams scored 59 points in the first half.
As of now the Rams are set to have a four non-conference schedule. The season opener against Regis and a fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference institution in Colorado Christian which will be played Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. in Fort Collins. The last current non-conference opponent scheduled is a home-and-home with Denver as the Pioneers come to Moby Arena on Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. and we return the favor on Dec. 18 at 6 p.m.

Series History: Colorado State – Fresno State
Overall: CSU Leads, 15-13
In Fort Collins: 7-6
In Fresno: 6-6
Neutral: 2-1
Current Streak: FS, 4
Last Meeting: FS 79, CSU 61 in Fort Collins (2/5/20)
Largest Margin of Victory: 21, CSU 67, FS 46 in Fresno (2/10/96)
Largest Margin of Defeat: 18, FS 79, CSU 61 in Fort Collins (2/5/20)

A Colorado State Win Would Mean…
• Second straight 3-0 start for Ryun Williams and his third as head coach of Colorado State. First win against Fresno State since 3/6/18 when the Rams defeated the Bulldogs in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament.

How to Follow Along
Attached: Game Notes.
Live Stats: https://csura.ms/3odXSEu
Live Stream: Mountain West Network | https://csura.ms/Live
Radio: KARS 102.9 FM | https://csura.ms/Listen

For More on Colorado State Women's Basketball follow: Twitter – CSUWBasketball | Instagram – csuwbasketball | Facebook – @CSUWBasketball

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