Colorado State University Athletics
Tuesday, November 4
Fort Collins, Colo.
6:00 pm
Colorado State
1-0,0-0Mountain West
75
vs
58
Weber State
0-1,0-0Big Sky
1
2
3
4
F
Weber St.
13
17
15
13
58
Colorado St.
23
23
13
16
75
Rams Old and New Impressive in Opener
11/4/2025 9:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Four players reach double figures in win over Weber State
One game. The opener, always tinted with emotion. A chance to see if what has transpired at practice will translate to the floor against another team. A coach and his players have to be honest about the good and the bad.
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Even when Tuesday night was mostly good. Don't overreact, just dissect what came about in a 75-58 victory over Weber State at Moby Arena. The Wildcats were a team coach Ryun Williams didn't know much about, and his team was one he was hoping to learn a bit about as well.
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"Again, it's the first game for a lot of kids out there. For (Lexie) Deden and for (Lexus) Bargesser and (Maddi) Bragg," Williams said. "Once they got settled, you could see they're going to be nice weapons for us. Again, these are stressful games for coaches. I can remember back to Oregon State last year. There was zero video exchange. It was all these transfers. What are they going to run? How are they going to guard you? Who are these players? I thought our kids did a nice job of really competing and finding a way. I'm going to take a lot of positives from this."
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Start with Bargesser. She came to Colorado State on a promise from Williams they would give her the opportunity to not only run the offense, but have it run through her. Either way worked well for the Rams.
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After having her first shot blocked, she hit four straight. Drives to the baskets. Pull-up jumpers. The only range she didn't find was from 3, but she still led the team with 22 points in her CSU debut, adding three assists and pulling down four rebounds.
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It was a role which was in stark contrast to the one she had at Indiana, but she didn't show any hesitation in the moment.
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"This is what it's been since the minute I got to campus. Coach Williams and all the coaches have put so much confidence in me, and I just felt like this was no different day. It was just like practice, and I could just go out there and be me," said Bargesser, who finished 11-of-20 from the floor. "It really did (feel good), and I would do anything for these coaches, and I know they'd do anything for me so that's what's most fun about it.
Â
She became the first player to score at least 20 points in her inaugural CSU game since Lore Devos scored 25 to open the 2017-18 season. The introductory performance sets a pretty high bar for the season, but all Williams hopes is she continues to play her game, the way she did for the most part against the Wildcats.
Â
He felt the only drawback was she really wanted to hit from deep, forcing a shot at one point and getting a few words from him – words he said her father gave him the blessing to relay. On this night, he was true to his word, and she was to hers.
Â
"She holds herself to an extremely high standard, which she needs to give herself some grace a little bit," Williams said. "When she can get to her spot, she's pretty hard to handle. You saw her finish with a lot of force at the basket.
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"Lex is really good. You saw her block some shots late. We put her on (Lanae) Billy, their leading scorer, late. She locked her up as well. Pretty good debut, I'd say."
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Not that she didn't have plenty of help. Bragg came off the bench and scored 12, hitting 5-of-6 from the floor. Two other Rams finished in double figures, both returners, both showing they put some work into their game this offseason.
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That's just as important as what transfers can add to the mix. Having returners amplify their game is crucial. In the case of Marta Leimane, it was really a return to form.
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She struggled offensively in junior season, which was surprising as she came off a strong end to her sophomore run. She had double figures in eight of those final 10 games, four times going for at least 20. Last season, just five games in double figures total.
Â
Against WSU, she scored 17, hitting 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from behind the arc. The only thing which hasn't changed is she is still a pesky defender.
Â
"I feel like it's just more flowy," Leimane said of her game. "I think definitely my confidence has grown more this summer, so I came into this year thinking I have nothing to lose. This is my last year. I have to go out with a bang … Like I can't do whatever I did last year because it's not going to help the team and it's not going to help me in the future."
Â
Kloe Froebe scored 11, hitting both 3-pointers she attempted after hitting just five all of last year. She also doled out a career-best six assists.
Â
The new kids offer a wrinkle the Rams may not have had, but the familiar faces showing they worked on their game will be just as valuable in games down the stretch. No team will complain about offensive flexibility.
Â
"Kloe making those two 3s in that first half, that was just — my heart was smiling on those because that young lady has really, really worked on it. She took them within the flow of what we were doing," Williams said. "It's not like, 'oh, I'm going to force it,' or whatever. That probably makes a coach more happy than the 3s going in. They were just the right shot at the right time.
Â
"Marty's been good ever since she stepped foot on campus from her three-on-three this summer. That young lady's been remarkable. We're bringing her off the bench right now just because I like bringing, arguably, your best guard off the bench. That just balances out. We shouldn't have a letdown. We played two exhibitions in a game, and we've scored 75-plus in each. Marty has a lot to do with that. She's been outstanding. Her 3's confident. She's shooting them within the flow. It's fun to watch those kids be productive at the things that we ask them to get better at."
Â
He will continue to ask them to get better, too. It was just one game, the opener. It was impressive, but he and his team share the same feeling, they can play even better.
Â
Â
Even when Tuesday night was mostly good. Don't overreact, just dissect what came about in a 75-58 victory over Weber State at Moby Arena. The Wildcats were a team coach Ryun Williams didn't know much about, and his team was one he was hoping to learn a bit about as well.
Â
"Again, it's the first game for a lot of kids out there. For (Lexie) Deden and for (Lexus) Bargesser and (Maddi) Bragg," Williams said. "Once they got settled, you could see they're going to be nice weapons for us. Again, these are stressful games for coaches. I can remember back to Oregon State last year. There was zero video exchange. It was all these transfers. What are they going to run? How are they going to guard you? Who are these players? I thought our kids did a nice job of really competing and finding a way. I'm going to take a lot of positives from this."
Â
Start with Bargesser. She came to Colorado State on a promise from Williams they would give her the opportunity to not only run the offense, but have it run through her. Either way worked well for the Rams.
Â
After having her first shot blocked, she hit four straight. Drives to the baskets. Pull-up jumpers. The only range she didn't find was from 3, but she still led the team with 22 points in her CSU debut, adding three assists and pulling down four rebounds.
Â
It was a role which was in stark contrast to the one she had at Indiana, but she didn't show any hesitation in the moment.
Â
"This is what it's been since the minute I got to campus. Coach Williams and all the coaches have put so much confidence in me, and I just felt like this was no different day. It was just like practice, and I could just go out there and be me," said Bargesser, who finished 11-of-20 from the floor. "It really did (feel good), and I would do anything for these coaches, and I know they'd do anything for me so that's what's most fun about it.
Â
She became the first player to score at least 20 points in her inaugural CSU game since Lore Devos scored 25 to open the 2017-18 season. The introductory performance sets a pretty high bar for the season, but all Williams hopes is she continues to play her game, the way she did for the most part against the Wildcats.
Â
He felt the only drawback was she really wanted to hit from deep, forcing a shot at one point and getting a few words from him – words he said her father gave him the blessing to relay. On this night, he was true to his word, and she was to hers.
Â
"She holds herself to an extremely high standard, which she needs to give herself some grace a little bit," Williams said. "When she can get to her spot, she's pretty hard to handle. You saw her finish with a lot of force at the basket.
Â
"Lex is really good. You saw her block some shots late. We put her on (Lanae) Billy, their leading scorer, late. She locked her up as well. Pretty good debut, I'd say."
Â
Not that she didn't have plenty of help. Bragg came off the bench and scored 12, hitting 5-of-6 from the floor. Two other Rams finished in double figures, both returners, both showing they put some work into their game this offseason.
Â
That's just as important as what transfers can add to the mix. Having returners amplify their game is crucial. In the case of Marta Leimane, it was really a return to form.
Â
She struggled offensively in junior season, which was surprising as she came off a strong end to her sophomore run. She had double figures in eight of those final 10 games, four times going for at least 20. Last season, just five games in double figures total.
Â
Against WSU, she scored 17, hitting 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from behind the arc. The only thing which hasn't changed is she is still a pesky defender.
Â
"I feel like it's just more flowy," Leimane said of her game. "I think definitely my confidence has grown more this summer, so I came into this year thinking I have nothing to lose. This is my last year. I have to go out with a bang … Like I can't do whatever I did last year because it's not going to help the team and it's not going to help me in the future."
Â
Kloe Froebe scored 11, hitting both 3-pointers she attempted after hitting just five all of last year. She also doled out a career-best six assists.
Â
The new kids offer a wrinkle the Rams may not have had, but the familiar faces showing they worked on their game will be just as valuable in games down the stretch. No team will complain about offensive flexibility.
Â
"Kloe making those two 3s in that first half, that was just — my heart was smiling on those because that young lady has really, really worked on it. She took them within the flow of what we were doing," Williams said. "It's not like, 'oh, I'm going to force it,' or whatever. That probably makes a coach more happy than the 3s going in. They were just the right shot at the right time.
Â
"Marty's been good ever since she stepped foot on campus from her three-on-three this summer. That young lady's been remarkable. We're bringing her off the bench right now just because I like bringing, arguably, your best guard off the bench. That just balances out. We shouldn't have a letdown. We played two exhibitions in a game, and we've scored 75-plus in each. Marty has a lot to do with that. She's been outstanding. Her 3's confident. She's shooting them within the flow. It's fun to watch those kids be productive at the things that we ask them to get better at."
Â
He will continue to ask them to get better, too. It was just one game, the opener. It was impressive, but he and his team share the same feeling, they can play even better.
Â
Team Stats
Weber
CSU
FG%
.367
.517
3FG%
.148
.278
FT%
.833
.714
RB
34
35
TO
12
10
STL
4
8
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
11
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballCSU Basketball (W): Leimane (L) and Bargesser (R) Postgame (Weber St., 2025
Tuesday, November 04
CSU Basketball (W): Ryun Williams Postgame (Weber St., 2025)
Tuesday, November 04
RamWire: Due Diligence Becomes a Duo
Tuesday, November 04
CSU Basketball (W): Deden (L) and Murphy (R) Postgame (Colo. Christian, 2025)
Wednesday, October 29