Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, December 20
Fort Collins, Colo.
1:00 PM
Colorado State
11-2,2-0Mountain West
55
vs
46
Utah State
5-6,1-1Mountain West
1
2
3
4
F
Utah St.
14
7
3
22
46
Colorado St.
5
13
18
19
55
Photo by: CSU Athletics Communications
Defense, Mindset Fuel Colorado State Past Utah State
12/20/2025 3:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
A third-quarter lockdown and renewed confidence propel the Rams to their 800th program victory
With conference play officially underway, Colorado State leaned on its defensive identity to secure a 55-46 Mountain West win over Utah State on Saturday, earning the 800th victory in program history.
The Aggies struck first, opening the game with confidence and efficiency. Utah State shot 50% from beyond the arc in the first quarter, capitalizing on open looks as the Rams struggled to find their rhythm.
CSU's offense appeared hesitant and missed shots compounded into a lack of flow on the floor.
"It's amazing how powerful the mind is," Coach Ryun Williams said. "It took us some quarters to kind of get the right mindset. We've had a couple of slow starts here, and we were very fortunate we found it again in the third tonight."
Despite the early shooting woes, Colorado State remained within striking distance, relying on defensive discipline to weather the storm. That patience paid off after halftime.
The Rams emerged from the locker room with renewed purpose, moving the ball decisively and attacking with confidence. Brooke Carlson, Madelyn Bragg and Hannah Ronsiek each finished with 12 points, anchoring an offense that finally found its footing in the late stages of the game.
"The energy does become contagious," Carlson said. "Even celebrating each other on the court, making a quick play—we're trying to feed off each other and figure out how we can win games like these."
That energy was most evident on the defensive end.
CSU delivered a dominant third quarter, holding USU to just three points—one of which came from the free-throw line. The Rams shot 48% from the field during the frame and knocked down two of four attempts from deep, building a cushion that shifted momentum decisively in their favor.
"That team, they can score the ball," Williams said. "On nights where you're not very good offensively, or you've got some tough decision-making going on, you're going to have to guard."
The Aggies attempted a late surge in the fourth quarter, scoring 22 points, but the Rams never relinquished control. The Ram defense continued to force tough looks and timely stops, preventing the Aggies from fully erasing the deficit.
Senior guard Lexus Bargesser, a key offensive catalyst for CSU, was limited to just one field goal by halftime as USU keyed in defensively. That pressure forced the Rams to generate offense in other ways—a challenge Bragg embraced.
"I've kind of had to take on more of a role-player, screener role," Bragg said. "It's been easy to adapt because we have facilitators like Brooke. I've been pretty stagnant the last couple games—little to no minutes because of my own complacency. Tonight I wanted to change that."
Bragg delivered, matching her season high while providing presence on the interior and on the glass, a vital contribution in a physical conference matchup.
Beyond the box score, the victory marked a significant milestone for the program—its 800th win. Still, Williams was quick to shift the focus forward to that 801.
"That kind of legacy—how important," Williams said. "It's important to keep winning. This has been a very good basketball program. There have been a lot of good players and really good coaches that have come before us. All we're trying to do is take care of it the best we can, and tonight we did that defensively."
CSU will look to carry its four-game winning streak on the road when it faces Grand Canyon on Dec. 31. The matchup will offer another opportunity to prove that defense and mindset remain their foundation as conference play unfolds.
The Aggies struck first, opening the game with confidence and efficiency. Utah State shot 50% from beyond the arc in the first quarter, capitalizing on open looks as the Rams struggled to find their rhythm.
CSU's offense appeared hesitant and missed shots compounded into a lack of flow on the floor.
"It's amazing how powerful the mind is," Coach Ryun Williams said. "It took us some quarters to kind of get the right mindset. We've had a couple of slow starts here, and we were very fortunate we found it again in the third tonight."
Despite the early shooting woes, Colorado State remained within striking distance, relying on defensive discipline to weather the storm. That patience paid off after halftime.
The Rams emerged from the locker room with renewed purpose, moving the ball decisively and attacking with confidence. Brooke Carlson, Madelyn Bragg and Hannah Ronsiek each finished with 12 points, anchoring an offense that finally found its footing in the late stages of the game.
"The energy does become contagious," Carlson said. "Even celebrating each other on the court, making a quick play—we're trying to feed off each other and figure out how we can win games like these."
That energy was most evident on the defensive end.
CSU delivered a dominant third quarter, holding USU to just three points—one of which came from the free-throw line. The Rams shot 48% from the field during the frame and knocked down two of four attempts from deep, building a cushion that shifted momentum decisively in their favor.
"That team, they can score the ball," Williams said. "On nights where you're not very good offensively, or you've got some tough decision-making going on, you're going to have to guard."
The Aggies attempted a late surge in the fourth quarter, scoring 22 points, but the Rams never relinquished control. The Ram defense continued to force tough looks and timely stops, preventing the Aggies from fully erasing the deficit.
Senior guard Lexus Bargesser, a key offensive catalyst for CSU, was limited to just one field goal by halftime as USU keyed in defensively. That pressure forced the Rams to generate offense in other ways—a challenge Bragg embraced.
"I've kind of had to take on more of a role-player, screener role," Bragg said. "It's been easy to adapt because we have facilitators like Brooke. I've been pretty stagnant the last couple games—little to no minutes because of my own complacency. Tonight I wanted to change that."
Bragg delivered, matching her season high while providing presence on the interior and on the glass, a vital contribution in a physical conference matchup.
Beyond the box score, the victory marked a significant milestone for the program—its 800th win. Still, Williams was quick to shift the focus forward to that 801.
"That kind of legacy—how important," Williams said. "It's important to keep winning. This has been a very good basketball program. There have been a lot of good players and really good coaches that have come before us. All we're trying to do is take care of it the best we can, and tonight we did that defensively."
CSU will look to carry its four-game winning streak on the road when it faces Grand Canyon on Dec. 31. The matchup will offer another opportunity to prove that defense and mindset remain their foundation as conference play unfolds.
Team Stats
USU
CSU
FG%
.264
.310
3FG%
.250
.176
FT%
.786
.696
RB
36
46
TO
13
11
STL
8
9
Game Leaders
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballColorado State Basketball (W): Bragg (L) and Carlson (R) Post-Game (Utah State, 25-26)
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Saturday, December 20
CSU Basketball (W): Ryun Williams Postgame (San Francisco, 2025)
Saturday, December 13
Colorado State Basketball (W): Fourth Year
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