Colorado State University Athletics
Monday, March 8
Las Vegas, Nev.
9 PM MT
Colorado State
15-6,11-5Mounta
65
vs
78
Boise State
14-8,10-8Mounta
1
2
3
4
F
Boise St.
16
18
17
27
78
Colorado State
19
10
20
16
65
Rams’ Tourney Run Ends in Opening Round
3/8/2021 11:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Devos’ career-best 26 points not enough against Boise State
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Scoring woes had Colorado State limping into the Mountain West women's basketball tournament on Monday as the No. 3 seed overall.
It was defensive issues which hampered the Rams in the quarterfinal round, falling 78-65 to No. 6 Boise State at the Thomas and Mack Center, closing the season at 15-5, the last four of the season all ending in the loss column.
"We couldn't string enough stops together," CSU coach Ryun Williams said. "The O-glass hurt us a lot tonight. We rebounded really well in the two big victories at Boise; tonight they really punished us on the glass. When we did get some stops, they created some other opportunities by getting some O-boards."
The Broncos, the four-time defending tournament champion, advances to face No. 7 Wyoming on Tuesday after the Cowgirls knocked off No. 2 UNLV, 72-56.
Lore Devos, who had scored just 15 combined points in the four preceding games for Colorado State, poured in 17 of her career-best 26 points in the third quarter, leaving her a bit like her team – just a bit short. The career of the first-team All-Mountain West performer finished at 999 points on her ledger.
"She had a good matchup; (Mallory) McGwire can't guard her," Williams said. "She was looking for her 3, she caught with her feet ready, she let it fly with great confidence. That was fun to see. That's where Lore has really grown. A big game like this and those big moments, for her to step up and really carry us in the that third quarter, that's what a senior does."
Devos was spectacular in the third, hitting 7-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc, also pulling down three rebounds. The rest of the team added three points to the quarter's total.
It wasn't as if her first two frames were bad; she scored nine in the first half, scoring the Rams' first six points of the game. To have a night like that, and have the offense show up finally after a long run on the road, made it hard to accept.
"I think it was just the matchup. I knew they couldn't guard me, and they were helping in low, so I was open," she said. "I guess I just played with a lot of confidence and let it fly.
"It's really frustrating. It's a tough loss, and we didn't want it to end like this. We can still be proud of what we did as a team this year."
Because of her efforts, the Rams entered the fourth quarter down two points, but Boise State opened the stanza on a 7-2 run, forcing CSU into catch-up mode the rest of the night. They never did, as the Rams – who came off a three-week stall due to COVID-19 issues for opponents to being on the road for 10 consecutive days -- couldn't string together any stops, leading to the Broncos shooting 69.2 percent in the final quarter.
Giving up quick runs at the start of quarters has been a recent bugaboo late in the campaign, and it proved costly again in the tournament.
"That start of the fourth, we seemed a little tired, to be honest with you," Williams said. "There were a lot of physical matchups out there tonight, and Boise won those matchups. Our kids were outstanding all year defensively, but it just seems that sense this reset, we just probably lost that edge defensively."
There were breakdowns, and Jade Loville led the charge through them, scoring a game-best 29 points, with Anna Ostlie and Alexis Mark contributing 11 each. Mark added 13 rebounds for a double-double as the Broncos carried a 51-33 edge on the glass, 13 of those offensive collections leading to 13 second-chance points.
Loville didn't have much of an impact as the Rams swept the Broncos on the road, but she made up for it in the tournament setting.
"She made some shots. She didn't shoot the ball well the first two times we played them," Williams said. "She was kinda that difference maker. Then late in the game, she got to the front of the rim and got to the foul line a little it. She was probably the difference in the three games."
But with Boise State's defense hawking Devos in the fourth, she took just one more shot in the game, a deep, late 3 when the outcome was all but decided.
Extending Colorado State's frustration was the fact All-Mountain West Newcomer of the Year McKenna Hofschild was hamstrung most of the game in foul trouble, picking up two in the first half, not taking a shot. She didn't attempt a field goal until the fourth quarter, and entering at the 2:00 mark with four fouls, immediately picked up her fifth.
Boise State's defensive plan was to make her give up the ball, but the conference's assist leader can do damage that way. However, the burden of foul trouble likely took away a bit of her spark, Williams said.
"We talked about that. She just couldn't get into a rhythm," he said. "The foul trouble bothered her, and then she maybe starts playing a little timid. They took her out of her game tonight. A couple of early fouls kind of put her on her heels. She's our motor; she's our engine, and we lean on that a lot. To not be able to do that tonight as much as we normally do, it kept her out of the flow.
"You know how good she is when she's playing attack and aggressive, and we just couldn't get her in that mode tonight."
Tori Williams did her best to pick up some of what was lost. Bolstered by a hot hand in the first quarter, she finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds and eight assists as she ran the show with Hofschild watching. The guard hit a trio of treys in succession near the end of the first quarter
For
"Tori's a good basketball player. We've asked her these last two or three games to maybe assume some minutes at the point guard spot, and she was outstanding," her coach said. "She got to the basket; she does see the floor really well. To be able to lean on her at that position as well as the 2-spot, that's a good weapon to have.
"I thought she was good tonight. She played to win, she played like a champion. All of our kids did. It's just disappointing they came up short."
It was defensive issues which hampered the Rams in the quarterfinal round, falling 78-65 to No. 6 Boise State at the Thomas and Mack Center, closing the season at 15-5, the last four of the season all ending in the loss column.
"We couldn't string enough stops together," CSU coach Ryun Williams said. "The O-glass hurt us a lot tonight. We rebounded really well in the two big victories at Boise; tonight they really punished us on the glass. When we did get some stops, they created some other opportunities by getting some O-boards."
The Broncos, the four-time defending tournament champion, advances to face No. 7 Wyoming on Tuesday after the Cowgirls knocked off No. 2 UNLV, 72-56.
Lore Devos, who had scored just 15 combined points in the four preceding games for Colorado State, poured in 17 of her career-best 26 points in the third quarter, leaving her a bit like her team – just a bit short. The career of the first-team All-Mountain West performer finished at 999 points on her ledger.
"She had a good matchup; (Mallory) McGwire can't guard her," Williams said. "She was looking for her 3, she caught with her feet ready, she let it fly with great confidence. That was fun to see. That's where Lore has really grown. A big game like this and those big moments, for her to step up and really carry us in the that third quarter, that's what a senior does."
Devos was spectacular in the third, hitting 7-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc, also pulling down three rebounds. The rest of the team added three points to the quarter's total.
It wasn't as if her first two frames were bad; she scored nine in the first half, scoring the Rams' first six points of the game. To have a night like that, and have the offense show up finally after a long run on the road, made it hard to accept.
"I think it was just the matchup. I knew they couldn't guard me, and they were helping in low, so I was open," she said. "I guess I just played with a lot of confidence and let it fly.
"It's really frustrating. It's a tough loss, and we didn't want it to end like this. We can still be proud of what we did as a team this year."
Because of her efforts, the Rams entered the fourth quarter down two points, but Boise State opened the stanza on a 7-2 run, forcing CSU into catch-up mode the rest of the night. They never did, as the Rams – who came off a three-week stall due to COVID-19 issues for opponents to being on the road for 10 consecutive days -- couldn't string together any stops, leading to the Broncos shooting 69.2 percent in the final quarter.
Giving up quick runs at the start of quarters has been a recent bugaboo late in the campaign, and it proved costly again in the tournament.
"That start of the fourth, we seemed a little tired, to be honest with you," Williams said. "There were a lot of physical matchups out there tonight, and Boise won those matchups. Our kids were outstanding all year defensively, but it just seems that sense this reset, we just probably lost that edge defensively."
There were breakdowns, and Jade Loville led the charge through them, scoring a game-best 29 points, with Anna Ostlie and Alexis Mark contributing 11 each. Mark added 13 rebounds for a double-double as the Broncos carried a 51-33 edge on the glass, 13 of those offensive collections leading to 13 second-chance points.
Loville didn't have much of an impact as the Rams swept the Broncos on the road, but she made up for it in the tournament setting.
"She made some shots. She didn't shoot the ball well the first two times we played them," Williams said. "She was kinda that difference maker. Then late in the game, she got to the front of the rim and got to the foul line a little it. She was probably the difference in the three games."
But with Boise State's defense hawking Devos in the fourth, she took just one more shot in the game, a deep, late 3 when the outcome was all but decided.
Extending Colorado State's frustration was the fact All-Mountain West Newcomer of the Year McKenna Hofschild was hamstrung most of the game in foul trouble, picking up two in the first half, not taking a shot. She didn't attempt a field goal until the fourth quarter, and entering at the 2:00 mark with four fouls, immediately picked up her fifth.
Boise State's defensive plan was to make her give up the ball, but the conference's assist leader can do damage that way. However, the burden of foul trouble likely took away a bit of her spark, Williams said.
"We talked about that. She just couldn't get into a rhythm," he said. "The foul trouble bothered her, and then she maybe starts playing a little timid. They took her out of her game tonight. A couple of early fouls kind of put her on her heels. She's our motor; she's our engine, and we lean on that a lot. To not be able to do that tonight as much as we normally do, it kept her out of the flow.
"You know how good she is when she's playing attack and aggressive, and we just couldn't get her in that mode tonight."
Tori Williams did her best to pick up some of what was lost. Bolstered by a hot hand in the first quarter, she finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds and eight assists as she ran the show with Hofschild watching. The guard hit a trio of treys in succession near the end of the first quarter
For
"Tori's a good basketball player. We've asked her these last two or three games to maybe assume some minutes at the point guard spot, and she was outstanding," her coach said. "She got to the basket; she does see the floor really well. To be able to lean on her at that position as well as the 2-spot, that's a good weapon to have.
"I thought she was good tonight. She played to win, she played like a champion. All of our kids did. It's just disappointing they came up short."
Team Stats
BOISE
CSU
FG%
.456
.380
3FG%
.444
.400
FT%
.545
.429
RB
51
33
TO
9
8
STL
5
5
Game Leaders
Pts
26
FGM
11
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
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