Jan. 9, 2016
Fort Collins. Colo. - The San Jose State women's basketball team led 34-33 at the half, but was outscored 25-9 in the third quarter and fell to the Colorado State Rams 76-54 on Saturday afternoon in Moby Arena.
Despite the loss, the Spartans (5-10, 3-1 MW) are off to the program's best conference start in its three years in the Mountain West. It is also off to its best start to any conference season since 2005-06. That year San Jose State opened Western Athletic Conference action 5-0.
In the first two quarters, the Spartans out played Colorado State (13-1, 3-0 MW) on the score sheet, but had only a one-point lead heading into the locker room.
SJSU outshot the Rams 42 percent (11-of-26) to 30 percent (11-of-36) and out rebounded them 23-to-18. The Spartans hit 4-of-10 (40 percent) from beyond the arc and were a perfect 8-of-8 from the line. But they committed nine turnovers to CSU's one, which Colorado State used in a 9-to-0 advantage in points off turnovers, a stat which would become more pronounced in the second half.
Both Dezz Ramos and Ellie Stevens had seven points in the first 20 minutes, but would score just two in the second half to lead the team with nine points in the game.
The third period was all Colorado State. They opened with a 9-0 run, which was halted by a Riana Byrd layup, and then went on another 9-0 spurt to make it 52-38 with 3:08 to go. CSU pushed its lead to 18 points before an Emily Vann three-pointer with 13 seconds left made it 58-43 heading to the final period.
The fourth quarter was much the same. Seven more SJSU turnovers led to 11 more points for CSU and a 22-point win.
In a complete reversal from the first half, CSU hit 17-of-34 (50 percent) to San Jose State's 27 percent (8-of-29), and outrebounded SJSU 23-to-15 in the final 20 minutes; 41-to-38 for the game.
The one stat that hurt the Spartans the most was the 21-to-7 disparity in turnovers, which CSU used for a 29-2 advantage on the scoreboard.
The Spartans return to action next Wednesday in Laramie, Wyoming. Tip off in the Arena-Auditorium, against the Wyoming Cowgirls, is set for 7:00 p.m. (MT).
San Jose State vs Colorado State
01/09/16 2:05 p.m. MT at Fort Collins, Colo. (Moby Arena)
At Fort Collins, Colo. (Moby Arena)
COLORADO STATE 76, SAN JOSE STATE 54
SAN JOSE STATE (5-10,3-1 MW)
Stevens, Ellie 3-7 2-2 9; Ramos, Dezz 3-12 2-2 9; Harris, Nyre 3-7 0-0 8;
Vann, Emily 2-6 0-0 6; Byrd, Riana 2-4 2-2 6; Smith, Jasmine 3-9 0-0 6;
West, Rachol 1-5 3-3 5; Ladd, Myzhanique 1-4 1-3 3; Baird, Paris 1-1 0-0 2;
Kohlhaas, Andrea 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-55 10-12 54.
COLORADO STATE (13-1, 3-0 MW)
ARIAS, Alana 7-18 2-2 16; PATRICK, Jamie 4-11 0-0 10; HESSELDAL, Emilie 3-7
3-4 10; WHARRY, Keyora 4-8 1-4 9; NYSTROM, Ellen 1-4 6-6 8; TVRDY, Hannah
3-6 0-0 8; GUSTAVSSON, Elin 4-9 0-0 8; KAISER, Callie 2-4 0-0 5; MIRKOVIC,
Veronika 0-0 2-2 2; AUSTGULEN, Stine 0-1 0-0 0; HAMM, Myanne 0-0 0-0 0;
TRYGGEDSSON, Sofie 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-70 14-18 76.
San Jose State................ 14 20 9 11 - 54
Colorado State................ 15 18 25 18 - 76
3-point goals--San Jose State 6-21 (Vann, Emily 2-5; Harris, Nyre 2-5;
Stevens, Ellie 1-2; Ramos, Dezz 1-6; West, Rachol 0-3), Colorado State 6-18
(TVRDY, Hannah 2-3; PATRICK, Jamie 2-9; HESSELDAL, Emilie 1-2; KAISER,
Callie 1-1; AUSTGULEN, Stine 0-1; TRYGGEDSSON, Sofie 0-2). Fouled out--San
Jose State-None, Colorado State-None. Rebounds--San Jose State 38 (SMITH,
Jasmine 6; Byrd, Riana 6), Colorado State 41 (HESSELDAL, Emilie 10).
Assists--San Jose State 11 (Harris, Nyre 4), Colorado State 15 (NYSTROM,
Ellen 8). Total fouls--San Jose State 14, Colorado State 15. Technical
fouls--San Jose State-None, Colorado State-None. A-1612