Moving on the Court Key to Rams Moving Through the Bracket

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Motion and movement were the final items discussed at practice on Friday, and they carried a double meaning.

Ryun Williams asserts when his Colorado State women's basketball team is at its peak, those two attributes are at the Rams' forefront, not just offensively, but defensively, as well. They will have to be to advance in the upcoming Mountain West Tournament, starting with Sunday's contest with San Jose State at 8 p.m. (MT) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

In tournament play, it's all about moving through the bracket, one game at a time.

"It's motion and movement. In these past games, that's when we've scored the most," forward Sydney Mech said. "It's when we move the ball and we've gotten to the basket a lot. Instead of just one pass then shoot, it's breaking these defenses down has been our key to success. Sticking with that and owning it will help us."

One has to consider the tournament a wide-open affair. The regular-season champion hasn't lifted the tournament trophy since Boise State did so in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019. Last year, Wyoming rose from the No. 7 seed to become the conference representative in the NCAA Tournament.

So, Williams' message to the team is to let it fly, game by game, and see where that carries them. Nothing is guaranteed, and likewise, nothing can be taken for granted.

Such as the opening game. Colorado State has had no issue in dispatching the San Jose State twice this year, but that doesn't mean a neutral-court game between two teams who have not faced each other in nearly the month will not play out differently.

"I think it's important just because it is a tournament, so we are potentially going to see different opponents in a small period of time," center Cali Clark said. "Being able to be flexible in how we're playing and how we approach a game is really key in staying in the tournament longer.

"We've really been drilling in that we have to face San Jose State first. Once we do our job there, then we can think about Wyoming."

Ah, the rivals from up north. The two teams split tight games this season, including the last one heading into the tournament, an overtime road loss for the Rams. As the bracket sits, the Rams know very well Wyoming awaits if they win. It's hard not to look ahead when it is right there in black and white.

Williams knows his players look at the bracket. He admits the coaching staff does, too. The hard part is ignoring it and not getting ahead of themselves.

"Everybody is reset right now. Each game has its own identity," he said. "They're thinking 0-0 and we're thinking 0-0. We've got to reset correctly and treat this game with a ton of respect and a ton of urgency, because if you don't, this could be your last. Who wants to go out with the regrets of we didn't prepare all that well?"

As the No. 6 seed, Colorado State finished in the middle of the pack, a final result which came about from a mixture of finishes. The team can look back at host of close games, some of which they lament not finishing out in the final four minutes of regulation. They lost leads at points, couldn't overcome two-possession deficits in others.

With that in mind, two additional words stand out to Williams – finish and closing.

It starts on the defensive end for him, but also factors in how his team operates on offense in the clutch. That brings the concepts of moving the ball and cutting hard back to the surface.

"It's a tournament. You're one and done," Mech said. "Knowing that, and knowing how we have finished games and sticking to that … Obviously we want to stay aggressive, but in that poised manner. Tournaments put that pressure on teams. They show who's the most ready, who's the most poised and who's the most willing to go and get it."

At 18-10, this has not been a bad season for the Rams. They also won't deny there are frustrating moments which are part of the fabric. In the course of four days in Las Vegas, anything can happen if they play their best.

They look at how the tournament has played out in the past few years and wonder why they can't be a surprise team. It can only happen if Sunday is the only game on their mind right now.

"You've got to play. You can't overthink this thing," Williams said. "You have to use each other, the ball has to move, the ball has to have energy in it, and it's a lot more fun. We played our best basketball this year when we've done that. We have a tendency to get a little stale during the course of a game and maybe a little too much isolation. It was so important we practiced well today."

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