Rams Defense Prevails in Mountain West Opener

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Dec 20

1:00 PM

Women's Basketball

vs Utah State

Dec 31

11:00 AM

Women's Basketball

at Grand Canyon

Jan 3

1:00 PM

Women's Basketball

vs Fresno State

Jan 7

6:30 PM

Women's Basketball

vs New Mexico

Jan 10

1:00 PM

Women's Basketball

at Boise State

RENO, Nev. — Colorado State women's basketball once again used a second-half surge to its advantage to power a 61-48 win over Nevada in the Mountain West opener on Wednesday night in Reno.

In a game that followed a similar template to the matchup against San Francisco just a few days prior, the Rams (10-2, 1-0 MW) stayed strong during a defensive battle in the first half before opening the game up offensively with a big third quarter. After entering the halftime break with a 25-20 advantage, CSU nearly doubled its point total with a 22-point frame in the third, helping build a double-digit lead.47-33 lead over the Wolf Pack (4-7, 0-1 MW).

The teams traded buckets throughout the fourth quarter as Nevada stayed within 14 throughout the final 10 minutes. The Rams never relented, however, and closed out their 11th-straight road win in double-digit fashion.The defensive effort was once again a reliable asset for the Rams as they held their opponent under 50 points for the fifth time this season, allowing just four second-chance points throughout the night.

Colorado State was led in scoring once again by Lexus Bargesser (14 point), and found an energetic effort from Brooke Carlson who scored 13. Hannah Ronsiek (10 points) once again reached the double-digit threshold while Lexi Deden (10 points, 8 rebounds) made contributions on both sides of the floor.

How it Happened
The game started with Kloe Froebe propelling the Rams into the lead with a three-point play just over a minute in. The Wolf Pack answered with a layup from Ahrray Young, but Carlson, with an assist from Bargesser, nailed a three-pointer to stretch the Rams' lead to 7-2. Deden, grabbing a season-high 5 offensive rebounds, added a layup to push the score to 9-2. Despite Nevada's Amelia Raidaveta hitting two free throws, the Rams kept their edge. They ended the first quarter ahead 13-8, dominating second-chance points and controlling the boards with an 11 to 7 rebounding advantage.

Carlson's fast-break layup set the pace for the Rams as they moved to a 15-8 lead. Nevada fought back with a three-pointer from Raidaveta at 6:02, leveling the score at 15. Froebe's late layup and assist helped the Rams up the ante to 25-18. Not to be outdone, Young's buzzer-beater cut the half-time deficit to 25-20. Both teams notched 12 points in the second quarter.

The Rams surged ahead in the third, with Ronsiek hitting two early three-pointers, the second assisted by Bargesser at 7:16, for a 31-22 lead. McKenna Murphy kept the momentum rolling with a crucial three-pointer at 5:08, thanks to another Bargesser assist. Nevada struggled offensively, with Durley and Hicks combining for just five points. Carlson and Deden padded the Rams' lead, with Deden sinking two free throws at 3:27 to finish the quarter strong at 47-33.

In the final quarter, the Rams held their ground to secure a 61-48 win. Young got things started for Nevada with a jumper, but Bargesser responded with two free throws and a three-pointer, marking her fifth straight game with at least 14 points. Marta Leimane's layup at 8:40 helped keep Nevada at bay. Ramos tried to spark a comeback with a three-pointer, but the Rams' sharp shooting sealed the deal.

Up Next
Colorado State returns home to host Utah State on Saturday (Dec. 20) at 1 p.m. MT for the final home game of 2025. The game theme is Ugly Sweater Day. Tickets to all CSU home games can be purchased at CSURams.com/WBBTickets.

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