Colorado State University Athletics
Tuesday, November 1
Fort Collins, CO
6:30 PM
Colorado State
0-0,0-0Mountain West
78
vs
47
Colorado Christian (Exh.)
0-0,0-0RMAC
1
2
3
4
F
Colo. Christian
8
15
8
16
47
Colorado St.
19
20
17
22
78
Rams Impressive In Exhibition Showing
11/1/2022 9:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Seeing was believing for Williams in tune up for season
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Every last bit of it, Ryun Williams knew it to be true.
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Still, he wanted to see it on the floor. Needed to.The Colorado State women's basketball coach had to put the combinations from practice on the floor against somebody new and see how it flowed.
Â
The increased athleticism added via recruiting, leading to a more active defense and better flow on offense. No longer is McKenna Hofschild the only one who can push the pace. Or drive down the lane for a basket.
Â
It was all true, all on display in a 78-47 exhibition win over Colorado College.
Â
"Exactly. I told you so," Williams said. "I always like to have that I-told-you-so card in my back pocket. I thought our kids responded well."
Â
They did because while the Rams ran when they could, the Cougars didn't want any part of it. When they could, they settled in a zone, but Williams felt they matched that with great composure. The Rams only had 2four turnovers in the game but forced 19 because they were still active. Even against the zone, the Rams moved the ball better with more precision.
Â
Part of it was seeing something new and being really excited about the prospect.
Â
"Preseason, that's what you're working toward," guard Destiny Thurman said. "Getting ready for the season, getting ready for conference. We've been playing against each other since the summertime. We were ready to come out here and play against somebody else.
Â
"It was fun. A lot of movement. Coach gives us the freedom to just play, so to be able to go there and not have to think much and just flow with the game, it's really nice."
Â
She led the way with 13 as the Rams, who started slow from the field, settled in at 47 percent, 33.3 behind the arc. But Williams knew she could play from her time at UTEP. He knew Megan Boyd (10 points) could from her time at Denver. He knew Cailyn Crocker could from her time at Cal (nine points).
Â
From practice, he was pretty sure freshman Hannah Ronsiek could, and he was just as sure about junior college transfer Joseana Vaz. Ronsiek, coming off the bench, provided a spark with her shooting, nailing her first collegiate shot from the wing for a 3.
Â
She was in transition, fed by McKenna Hofschild for one of her nine assists, and she set immediately and fired. She was nervous but hitting that first shot was a sigh of relief for her.
Â
"It is. Usually, it's like I need to make a shot to give me my rhythm," which she found by hitting her first three 3s, finishing with nine points. "When I'm missing shots, I'm out of whack and I don't know how to help my team, even though there are so many other ways I can, like on the defensive end."
Â
She held up defensively, which has been an adjustment for her going from a high school program which lived in the zone and coming to Colorado State where they expect on-the-ball pressure in a man-to-man system. She'll get better there, but Williams said her shooting is what will likely always stand out.
Â
"That's how Hannah is in practice. Hannah just don't care,"Â Williams said. "If she's open, she's going to shoot it. She can walk in here out of a blizzard where she hasn't eaten in two days, she's going to just shoot it and she's going to make it. That girl is impressive. I loved the mentality she played with tonight, and I thought she played with a good toughness. Jo too. I think she found it as the game went on. I thought she played a little lost early on, very typical, but as the minutes progressed, she really found a n ice rhythm and showed what she could bring to our lineup."
Â
Vaz showed she can be active in the paint with a nice finishing touch, the third Ram in double figures with 10.
Â
For the first half, Williams played the combinations he wanted to see, using 10 players regularly in the half and to start the third quarter. Then some experimentation began to take over, with all 16 players hitting the floor by the end, 12 of them scoring. Just as impressive, the team had 21 assists from eight different players, four with multiple.
Â
The Rams also saw what needs to be cleaned up. They won't get away with allowing 24 3s to certain foes in the Mountain West and getting outrebounded by the Cougars (43-36) wasn't ideal, but Williams said they'll improve there.
Â
What stood out was the night itself. The fun they had and the way they worked together. And like their coach, the players needed to see it too.
Â
"All of it. Offense and defense," Thurman said. "The communication part was a really big piece tonight, and just going out and executing, listening to coach and trust in the process and the game plan."
Â
Â
Still, he wanted to see it on the floor. Needed to.The Colorado State women's basketball coach had to put the combinations from practice on the floor against somebody new and see how it flowed.
Â
The increased athleticism added via recruiting, leading to a more active defense and better flow on offense. No longer is McKenna Hofschild the only one who can push the pace. Or drive down the lane for a basket.
Â
It was all true, all on display in a 78-47 exhibition win over Colorado College.
Â
"Exactly. I told you so," Williams said. "I always like to have that I-told-you-so card in my back pocket. I thought our kids responded well."
Â
They did because while the Rams ran when they could, the Cougars didn't want any part of it. When they could, they settled in a zone, but Williams felt they matched that with great composure. The Rams only had 2four turnovers in the game but forced 19 because they were still active. Even against the zone, the Rams moved the ball better with more precision.
Â
Part of it was seeing something new and being really excited about the prospect.
Â
"Preseason, that's what you're working toward," guard Destiny Thurman said. "Getting ready for the season, getting ready for conference. We've been playing against each other since the summertime. We were ready to come out here and play against somebody else.
Â
"It was fun. A lot of movement. Coach gives us the freedom to just play, so to be able to go there and not have to think much and just flow with the game, it's really nice."
Â
She led the way with 13 as the Rams, who started slow from the field, settled in at 47 percent, 33.3 behind the arc. But Williams knew she could play from her time at UTEP. He knew Megan Boyd (10 points) could from her time at Denver. He knew Cailyn Crocker could from her time at Cal (nine points).
Â
From practice, he was pretty sure freshman Hannah Ronsiek could, and he was just as sure about junior college transfer Joseana Vaz. Ronsiek, coming off the bench, provided a spark with her shooting, nailing her first collegiate shot from the wing for a 3.
Â
She was in transition, fed by McKenna Hofschild for one of her nine assists, and she set immediately and fired. She was nervous but hitting that first shot was a sigh of relief for her.
Â
"It is. Usually, it's like I need to make a shot to give me my rhythm," which she found by hitting her first three 3s, finishing with nine points. "When I'm missing shots, I'm out of whack and I don't know how to help my team, even though there are so many other ways I can, like on the defensive end."
Â
She held up defensively, which has been an adjustment for her going from a high school program which lived in the zone and coming to Colorado State where they expect on-the-ball pressure in a man-to-man system. She'll get better there, but Williams said her shooting is what will likely always stand out.
Â
"That's how Hannah is in practice. Hannah just don't care,"Â Williams said. "If she's open, she's going to shoot it. She can walk in here out of a blizzard where she hasn't eaten in two days, she's going to just shoot it and she's going to make it. That girl is impressive. I loved the mentality she played with tonight, and I thought she played with a good toughness. Jo too. I think she found it as the game went on. I thought she played a little lost early on, very typical, but as the minutes progressed, she really found a n ice rhythm and showed what she could bring to our lineup."
Â
Vaz showed she can be active in the paint with a nice finishing touch, the third Ram in double figures with 10.
Â
For the first half, Williams played the combinations he wanted to see, using 10 players regularly in the half and to start the third quarter. Then some experimentation began to take over, with all 16 players hitting the floor by the end, 12 of them scoring. Just as impressive, the team had 21 assists from eight different players, four with multiple.
Â
The Rams also saw what needs to be cleaned up. They won't get away with allowing 24 3s to certain foes in the Mountain West and getting outrebounded by the Cougars (43-36) wasn't ideal, but Williams said they'll improve there.
Â
What stood out was the night itself. The fun they had and the way they worked together. And like their coach, the players needed to see it too.
Â
"All of it. Offense and defense," Thurman said. "The communication part was a really big piece tonight, and just going out and executing, listening to coach and trust in the process and the game plan."
Â
Team Stats
CC
CSU
FG%
.288
.470
3FG%
.167
.333
FT%
.818
.600
RB
44
35
TO
19
4
STL
2
13
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
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