SAN JOSE, Calif. – Colorado State women’s basketball closed the regular season with an exclamation point, battering San Jose State, 67-44, to secure a first-round bye in the looming Mountain West tournament.
 
A dominant performance from start to finish was headlined by a 16-2 run in the second quarter, giving the Rams (24-7, 15-5 MW) a 20-point advantage at halftime. The offense was firing on all cylinders as CSU shot 8-for-15 from 3-point range and racked up 10 assists in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Colorado State’s defense – which has been one of the best in the nation this season at 55.4 points per game (11th) – held the Spartans (4-27, 2-18 MW) in check throughout the night, surrendering just 28 points through the first three quarters. CSU held San Jose State to just 29.3% from the floor on the night and forced 16 turnovers, smothering the Spartans every chance they could.
 
The win gave head coach Ryun Williams his 159th in Mountain West regular season games, tying Joe Legerski (Wyoming, 2003-19) for the most in league history.
 
Four Rams reached double figures on the night, co-led by Brooke Carlson – who had 14 points and four steals – and McKenna Murphy who notched 14 courtesy of four 3-pointers. Lexus Bargesser (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Kloe Froebe (10 points, 6 rebounds) each turned in balanced performances to help CSU earn its 24th victory of the campaign.
 
How it Happened
The game kicked off with San Jose State’s Katarina Anderson landing the first basket, but the Rams quickly stole the spotlight. Carlson nailed a 3-pointer, assisted by Froebe, to put the Rams in the lead. Midway through the first quarter, Madelyn Bragg pushed the Rams further ahead with a layup and a successful free throw, making it 6-2. The Rams were on fire from beyond the arc, with Murphy sinking two 3-pointers, the last with just 46 seconds left, ending the quarter at 21-11 after a McKenna Simons layup for the Spartans.
 
In the second quarter, the Rams’ defense tightened, widening the gap between them and the Spartans. Gabriela Pato hit a 3-pointer for San Jose State, but the Rams answered with a string of sharp plays, including a jumper from Carlson. Murphy’s 3-pointer, assisted by Hannah Ronsiek, and Froebe’s layup pushed the Rams’ lead to 39-18. The Spartans struggled, posting just eight points, while the Rams’ defense was relentless with three blocks and two steals.
 
The third quarter saw the Rams extend their lead, outscoring the home team 19-9. Bargesser’s layup and free throw early on brought the score to 42-19. Carlson’s defensive steal, followed by a fastbreak layup, stretched the lead to 46-19. Despite a 3-pointer from Maya Anderson, the Spartans couldn’t keep up. The quarter wrapped up with Carlson adding a buzzer-beater layup, putting the Rams ahead 58-28.
 
Though San Jose State outscored the Rams 16-9 in the final quarter, the Rams’ lead was insurmountable. Bargesser kept the momentum with a layup and jumper, followed by Caitlin Kramer’s layup and a Carlson free throw. The Spartans scored consistently, with a 3-pointer by Mecca Alexander and a jumper by Carla Fuster, but the Rams held strong, sealing the victory at 67-44.
 
Up Next
With tonight’s victory, Colorado State has clinched a top-4 seed and a first-round bye at the upcoming Credit Union 1 Mountain West Women’s Basketball tournament. With Boise State and UNLV set to square off in the MW regular season finale tomorrow evening, CSU will await the result of tiebreakers before knowing its path to the championship.
 

The conference tournament will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., from March 7-10. Tickets to the tournament can be purchased here.