Rams Fend Off Bulldogs for Sixth-Straight Win

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FORT COLLINS — Scoring was aplenty in Moby Arena on Saturday as Colorado State women's basketball held off a late charge by Fresno State to win 86-83 and improve to 4-0 in Mountain West play.

The game was billed to be a defensive battle as both the Rams (13-2, 4-0 MW) and Bulldogs (7-8, 1-3 MW) entered the day with the top-two scoring defenses in the Mountain West, each allowing fewer than 60 per game. It was clear that would not be the case early on as Fresno State connected on each of its eight 3-point attempts in the first half. McKenna Murphy kept the Rams in it, sinking four 3-pointers of her own as the Bulldogs entered halftime with a 42-38 advantage.

As it has done time and time again this season, Colorado State made the proper adjustments and came out with a huge third-quarter, scoring 31 points to Fresno State's 14 and taking control of the competition. Brooke Carlson was the catalyst with 11 points in the frame, capped by a buzzer-beating half-court heave that put CSU on top 69-56 entering the final period.

The Bulldogs refused to back down, however, as they used a 16-5 scoring run to make it an 82-81 ball game with just 12 seconds remaining. Despite not checking into the game in the first half, CSU's Jadyn Fife was called upon for a pair of crunch-time free throws, which she coolly sank both to put her team on top 84-81.

A layup on the opposite end by Avery Watkins brought it back to a one-point game with two seconds left, but after successfully inbounding the ball Lexus Bargesser drew the foul and made her pair of shots from the charity stripe. With Fresno State inbounding on its final possession, Carlson stepped up again to intercept the pass and take it to the other end of the court, icing the Rams' sixth win in a row.

Fresno State – which entered the day averaging just 61.5 points per game – finished the game shooting a blistering 50.0% from the field (32-64) and 71.4% (10-14) from the behind the arc, the later of which marking a season best.

Carlson led the way for Colorado State with 18 points on an efficient 7-for-12 shooting from the floor. She was joined in double figures by Lexus Bargesser (17 points, 6 assists), Madelyn Bragg (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Murphy (12 points).

How It Happened
The game tipped off with Carlson's layup for the Rams, but Watkins quickly countered with a three-pointer. The first quarter was a tug-of-war with both teams exchanging leads. Emilia Long and Watkins were hot from beyond the arc for the Bulldogs, while Murphy's sharp shooting kept the Rams in contention, leveling the score at 10-10 with her three-pointer at the 5:30 mark. Bragg's late free throws nudged the Rams ahead, but Long's buzzer-beater three-pointer put Fresno State up 21-19 as the quarter closed.

The second quarter mirrored the first in intensity, with Fresno State narrowly outscoring the Rams 21-19. Long delivered a standout performance, hitting a jumper at the 32-second mark to bolster the Bulldogs' lead. Meanwhile, Bragg and Murphy provided timely scoring for the Rams, with Murphy's three-pointer at 1:29 briefly pushing them ahead. However, Watkins' clutch three-pointer at 1:10 helped Fresno State regain the upper hand as they headed to the locker room.

The Rams came alive in the third quarter, ignited by Bargesser's fast-break layup at 8:37. Carlson followed suit with a layup and an and-one to close the gap. Bargesser, showcasing her playmaking prowess, matched a career-high with 6 assists. Carlson's three-pointer at 4:18 propelled a 9-0 Rams run, and Fife's three-pointer at 1:48 further extended their advantage. Carlson punctuated the quarter with a buzzer-beater three, leaving the Rams with a commanding 69-56 lead after outscoring Fresno State 31-14.

Though the Bulldogs clawed back in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Rams 27-17, they couldn't complete the comeback. Watkins sparked a 7-0 Bulldog run with a layup at 9:28. The Rams countered with a pivotal three-pointer from Hannah Ronsiek at 6:57, assisted by Carlson, to maintain their edge. Despite a late push from Fresno State, Watkins' layup at 0:02 wasn't enough as Bargesser sealed the deal with two clutch free throws, finalizing the score at 86-83.

Up Next
Colorado State is back in Moby Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 7, for the annual State Pride game which features a premier conference clash against New Mexico. Tickets to all CSU home games can be purchased at CSURams.com/WBBTickets.

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