Colorado State University Athletics
Monday, November 4
Fort Collins, Colo.
5:30 PM
Colorado State
1-0,0-0Mountain West
52
vs
47
San Francisco
0-1,0-0WCC
1
2
3
4
F
San Francisco
8
19
10
10
47
Colorado St.
9
13
9
21
52
Opener a Grind, but a Win
11/4/2024 8:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Ronsieks pace scoring in season opener
No coach should overreact one way or another to an opening game. They also can't shy away from the obvious.
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Monday's season starting point was a grind from start to finish for Colorado State's women's basketball team, specifically on the offensive end. That side of the floor was problematic in an exhibition game, too.
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"A little slow? That was molasses slow," CSU coach Ryun Williams said. "I am concerned. We have to find some easier offense. We had some good looks early. I think we played a little unsettled when the ball didn't go in early, and those were 3-point shots. We've got to get some stuff to the basket earlier in the game to get settled.
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"I'm very concerned about our offense. The kids are going to do a great job and keep fighting."
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Which the Rams did defensively throughout against a physical San Francisco team at Moby Arena, grinding out a 52-47 game, one where they trailed most of the evening.
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But the defense the Rams have played has kept them within striking distance, even when they were staring down a double-digit margin early in the third and getting pushed around on the glass by a 52-35 margin.
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"I know for a stretch, I think it was the third quarter, they were at 37 points I remember for the longest time and if we weren't able to be doing what we're doing defensively, it would not be going good," CSU's Hannah Ronsiek said. "Our defense is definitely keeping us in it"
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What helped get them back in a groove was a jolt of energy off the bench from freshman Brooke Carlson. She played sparingly in the first half, missing three shots. Her reentry showed why she's earned a role, driving to the basket for back-to-back baskets to get the deficit to single digits, and by the end of the frame it was just a 37-31 hole.
Â
"They had that thing so packed in in there early on in that basketball game, we couldn't loosen them up. It took Brooke getting to the basket, it took us hitting a couple of 3s – Hannah Ronsiek, and (Hannah Simental's) big 3 late was huge," Williams said. "We just found enough offense, but I've got to be better finding them better stuff to get into a game better."
Â
The Dons were so physical, they even knocked Williams to the floor late on a sideline play.
Â
The Rams appreciated the spark -- Carlson had another scoring drive in the fourth – taking the hint and finding the range just enough.
Â
It was Carlson's bucket two minutes into the final frame which tied the game, with Simental hitting a technical foul free throw to give them the lead after both teams hit a long dry spell.
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"Brooke is gonna be one of those players that when she comes in, she might be on a little bit of a short leash just based on defense; she likes to gamble, she likes to do that," Emma Ronsiek said.
"But if she gets her confidence going, she's gonna be somebody who's almost impossible to keep in front, so that's gonna be really, really exciting for us to go on this year, and when she gains confidence, and the coaching staff just really trusts her."
Â
Offensively, neither team put on a clinic. The Rams shot just 29.3 percent and just 8-of-27 from 3. The Dons were even icier. Shooting just 27.1 percent. But half of CSU's treys came in the fourth. Each Ronsiek sister hit one, as did Sanna Strom and Simental.
Â
The transfer guard hit hers to break a 43-all tie the Rams would never relinquish, as Emma hit a turnaround jumper with 2:08 remaining for a 48-45 lead, then she and Strom both hit a pair of free throws each in the final 20 seconds to secure the win.
Â
Emma led the team with 18 points, while her sister finished with 13 and a team-best eight rebounds. While their coach is claiming concern, they are not – using logic.
Â
One, there are a lot of new combinations on the floor. They also have faith in the skillset, even if it's been sluggish out of the gates.
Â
"I think to an extent, it was a little bit expected, especially when you have five freshmen and Khloe Frobe getting her first career start tonight, which is super cool for her," Emma said of one of freshmen. "She's earned it and worked really hard. But I don't know, I feel like some people have gotten off to a slow start -- probably me as one of them. I just think that that game is a testament to what we have done on the court, even if we're not scoring the basketball because obviously these two games were a little bit of a struggle bus, but we got the win."
Â
Early on, not everything is clicking, and the players and coaches may have a different vantage point on the good and bad. They all agree defensively they are ahead, with Williams anticipating that would be the part of the game which would need to catch up with the offense.
Â
It's also just one game. Nothing is expected to go perfectly out of the gate, but at least the result was, and it may pay dividends down the line when they have to fight for another positive outcome.
Â
"I think it just sets us up for our next games in the season because not all wins are going to be pretty wins," Hannah Ronsiek said. "I mean, that one was not a super pretty game obviously to watch, but, I mean, a win is a win."
Â
Â
Monday's season starting point was a grind from start to finish for Colorado State's women's basketball team, specifically on the offensive end. That side of the floor was problematic in an exhibition game, too.
Â
"A little slow? That was molasses slow," CSU coach Ryun Williams said. "I am concerned. We have to find some easier offense. We had some good looks early. I think we played a little unsettled when the ball didn't go in early, and those were 3-point shots. We've got to get some stuff to the basket earlier in the game to get settled.
Â
"I'm very concerned about our offense. The kids are going to do a great job and keep fighting."
Â
Which the Rams did defensively throughout against a physical San Francisco team at Moby Arena, grinding out a 52-47 game, one where they trailed most of the evening.
Â
But the defense the Rams have played has kept them within striking distance, even when they were staring down a double-digit margin early in the third and getting pushed around on the glass by a 52-35 margin.
Â
"I know for a stretch, I think it was the third quarter, they were at 37 points I remember for the longest time and if we weren't able to be doing what we're doing defensively, it would not be going good," CSU's Hannah Ronsiek said. "Our defense is definitely keeping us in it"
Â
What helped get them back in a groove was a jolt of energy off the bench from freshman Brooke Carlson. She played sparingly in the first half, missing three shots. Her reentry showed why she's earned a role, driving to the basket for back-to-back baskets to get the deficit to single digits, and by the end of the frame it was just a 37-31 hole.
Â
"They had that thing so packed in in there early on in that basketball game, we couldn't loosen them up. It took Brooke getting to the basket, it took us hitting a couple of 3s – Hannah Ronsiek, and (Hannah Simental's) big 3 late was huge," Williams said. "We just found enough offense, but I've got to be better finding them better stuff to get into a game better."
Â
The Dons were so physical, they even knocked Williams to the floor late on a sideline play.
Â
The Rams appreciated the spark -- Carlson had another scoring drive in the fourth – taking the hint and finding the range just enough.
Â
It was Carlson's bucket two minutes into the final frame which tied the game, with Simental hitting a technical foul free throw to give them the lead after both teams hit a long dry spell.
Â
"Brooke is gonna be one of those players that when she comes in, she might be on a little bit of a short leash just based on defense; she likes to gamble, she likes to do that," Emma Ronsiek said.
"But if she gets her confidence going, she's gonna be somebody who's almost impossible to keep in front, so that's gonna be really, really exciting for us to go on this year, and when she gains confidence, and the coaching staff just really trusts her."
Â
Offensively, neither team put on a clinic. The Rams shot just 29.3 percent and just 8-of-27 from 3. The Dons were even icier. Shooting just 27.1 percent. But half of CSU's treys came in the fourth. Each Ronsiek sister hit one, as did Sanna Strom and Simental.
Â
The transfer guard hit hers to break a 43-all tie the Rams would never relinquish, as Emma hit a turnaround jumper with 2:08 remaining for a 48-45 lead, then she and Strom both hit a pair of free throws each in the final 20 seconds to secure the win.
Â
Emma led the team with 18 points, while her sister finished with 13 and a team-best eight rebounds. While their coach is claiming concern, they are not – using logic.
Â
One, there are a lot of new combinations on the floor. They also have faith in the skillset, even if it's been sluggish out of the gates.
Â
"I think to an extent, it was a little bit expected, especially when you have five freshmen and Khloe Frobe getting her first career start tonight, which is super cool for her," Emma said of one of freshmen. "She's earned it and worked really hard. But I don't know, I feel like some people have gotten off to a slow start -- probably me as one of them. I just think that that game is a testament to what we have done on the court, even if we're not scoring the basketball because obviously these two games were a little bit of a struggle bus, but we got the win."
Â
Early on, not everything is clicking, and the players and coaches may have a different vantage point on the good and bad. They all agree defensively they are ahead, with Williams anticipating that would be the part of the game which would need to catch up with the offense.
Â
It's also just one game. Nothing is expected to go perfectly out of the gate, but at least the result was, and it may pay dividends down the line when they have to fight for another positive outcome.
Â
"I think it just sets us up for our next games in the season because not all wins are going to be pretty wins," Hannah Ronsiek said. "I mean, that one was not a super pretty game obviously to watch, but, I mean, a win is a win."
Â
Team Stats
USF
CSU
FG%
.271
.293
3FG%
.208
.296
FT%
.667
.714
RB
52
35
TO
15
9
STL
3
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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