Colorado State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Preview - New Mexico State
12/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2006
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Game 12:
Colorado State (5-6) at New Mexico State (4-7)
Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 • 7 p.m. MT
Las Cruces, N.M. • Pan American Center (13,071) The Series
Overall Record - NMSU Leads 20-2
In Fort Collins - NMSU Leads 8-2
In Las Cruces - NMSU Leads 12-0
At Neutral Sites - 0-0
Warden vs NMSU - 0-0
Radio
Colorado State Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Brian Roth
Color Analyst: Corbu Stathes
Fort Collins: 600 AM KCOL
The Matchup
The Rams enter the contest with a 5-6 mark, having lost to No. 6/6-ranked UConn, 93-58, on Dec. 21 in Storrs, Conn.
New Mexico State comes into the game with an overall record of 4-7 on the season, including a mark of 2-4 at home. The Aggies are familiar with Mountain West Conference foes, having already dropped three contests - one to BYU and two to New Mexico - in the team's last five games.
The Aggies are led by head coach Darin Spence in his fourth season at the helm in Las Cruces, N.M. Spence holds a career record of 36-62 at New Mexico State, and last season guided the Aggies to a 10-20 (5-11 WAC) record. However, he returned 11 players, including three starters from a season ago and the experienced squad boasts four seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and two freshman.
On the court, Sherell Neal leads the charge for the Aggies. Neal, a junior forward, leads the team with an average of 15.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest.
Senior guard, Cecilia Russell-Nava, and junior forward Anikia Jawara also average double-figures in scoring this season for the Aggies at 13.4 ppg. and 10.5 ppg., respectively.
Russell-Nava (35-for-107) is the team's most dangerous 3-point threat, as the rest of the team is just 20-for-76.
New Mexico State Series
The New Mexico State Aggies hold a decided 20-2 advantage in the all-time series against Colorado State University. However, the two teams have not met in 16 years, with the last matchup dating back to March 3, 1990, a 66-58 New Mexico State victory in Las Cruces. Overall, the Aggies have won 13 straight against the Rams, with the last win for Colorado State coming on Feb. 11, 1984, a 72-50 decision at Moby Arena. Colorado State has never taken a game from New Mexico State on in Las Cruces. The Aggies are 12-0 all-time against the Rams at home.
Nohr Tallies 200 Assists
Senior guard Molly Nohr eclipsed 200 career assists in the Rams loss at UConn on Dec. 21. With 201 career assists at Colorado State entering Friday's matchup with New Mexico State, Nohr ranks 19th in school history
Fitting Right In
Sophomore transfer Kelly Rae Finley, playing in just her second career game as a Ram led the team in rebounding with six boards against the UConn Huskies on Dec. 21. This marked the first time this season that someone other than Marilyn Moulton or Juanise Cornell led the Rams in rebounding in a game. In two games off the bench for the Rams, Finley has posted some solid numbers, averaging 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 17.5 minutes per contest off the Rams' bench.
On Guard
The Rams backcourt continues to impress this season. Colorado State's starting three-guard set of Kelly Jo Mullaney (16.5 ppg.), Sara Hunter (11.4 ppg.) and Molly Nohr (13.5 ppg.) has accounted for 63.1 percent of the team's scoring through 11 games.
Head of the Class
Two Rams newcomers, Juanise Cornell and Kelly Jo Mullaney have emerged as leaders in the Mountain West Conference among both freshman and all classes. Cornell ranks first in the conference among freshman, pulling down an average of 6.4 rebounds per contest. This also ranks ninth among all players in the Mountain West Conference. Mullaney leads all freshman in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per contest. This ranks third among all players in the Mountain West.
Finding a The Range
In back-to-back games against Oklahoma Panhandle State and at UConn, the Rams have set season-highs for 3-point makes. Led by a perfect 4-for-4 first-half performance from freshman guard Kelly Jo Mullaney from beyond the 3-point line, Colorado State shot 7-for-13 in the first half against UConn from long range and was 0-for-7 from inside the arc. Overall, Colorado State finished the contest, with a season most 10 three-pointers on 24 attempts, surpassing the 9-for-25 performance in the Rams previous game against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
Road Warriors
The Rams contest at New Mexico State is the second in a four-game stretch away from the friendly confines of Moby Arena. The Rams fell at No. 6/6 UConn, 93-58 on Dec. 21, and following Friday's matchup in Las Cruces, the Rams begin their Mountain West Conference slate on the road against Air Force and TCU. The last time that Colorado State played more than four-consecutive games on the road was a five-game road swing that spanned from Jan. 4, 2003 trough Jan. 18, 2003. During that stretch, the Rams defeated St. Mary's (64-46) and Holy Cross (73-69), but fell in three straight to Boston College (60-75), BYU (56-71) and Utah (50-73).
Moulton's Rebounding
Senior center Marilyn Moulton, who ranks second in the Mountain West Conference and 17th nationally in rebounding, recorded her sixth double-digit rebounding game of the season and third consecutive with a career-high 16 rebounds against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
Moulton's 16 rebounds is the largest single-game total by a Ram since Melissa Dennett pulled down 15 rebounds against UAB on Nov. 27, 2004.
Eight of Moulton's 16 rebounds against OPSU came on the offensive glass, tying for fourth most in a single-game in school history and the highest offensive rebounding total since Shannon Randles pulled down 9 offensive rebounds vs. Wyoming on Feb. 6, 1997.
Neal vs. UConn
Colorado State freshman guard Emily Neal tied career-highs in both total points and 3-point baskets made against the No. 6/6-ranked UConn Huskies. Neal's 10 points and two 3-pointers match career-highs set against rival Colorado on Nov. 29.
Rebounding Streak Snapped
Senior Marilyn Moulton's streak of three consecutive contests with double-digits in rebounds was snapped in the Rams' loss at UConn. Moulton, a 6-4 center from Longmont, Colo., was held to just one rebound in the contest. It ranks as Moulton's lowest rebounding total since being held with a rebound on Feb. 18, 2005 at UNLV, a span of 17 games.
Rams at Full Strength
Kelly Rae Finley made her Rams' debut against Oklahoma Panhandle State and led the Rams in rebounding against UConn in just her second game as a Ram. This marked the first time since arriving in Fort Collins that Head Coach Jen Warden had a full complement of players at her disposal.
Three-Point Accuracy
Senior guard Molly Nohr and junior guard Sara Hunter rank sixth and eight, respectively on the Colorado State career 3-point percentage charts. Nohr has connected on 37.5 percent (36-for-96) over her career was a Ram while Hunter (126-340) has hit at a 37.1 percent clip.
Hunting for 3's
Junior guard Sara Hunter needs just two more 3-point makes to move into seventh place on the all-time career charts, tying Elizabeth English (1999-03) who knocked down 128 career 3-pointers.
Ram Rebounding
Colorado State's rebounding average (42.6 rpg.) game ranks eighth on the team single-season charts in school history.
The Turnover Story
Colorado State is 5-0 this season when giving away fewer turnovers than opponents. In the Rams five victories, the team is averaging 12.4 turnovers per game and opponent's are giving the ball up at a rate of 19.0 times per contest. In six losses, however the roles are reversed as the Rams' average rockets to 19.3 turnovers per game, compared with 12.8 for opponents.
Neal Leaving Mark
Freshman guard Emily Neal has made significant contributions for Colorado State in the Rams' last seven contests. During her first four collegiate contests, Neal averaged just 1.0 point and 1.5 rebounds per contest in just under seven minutes per contest. In her last seven appearances, Neal is averaging 7.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while playing more than 24 minutes per contest off the bench.
Top Assist-Field Goal Combos
Kelly Jo Mullaney was set up four times with open looks from 3-point range by her teammates against UConn and as a result led the Rams with a 4-for-4 performance from beyond the arc in the first half. Senior center Marilyn Moulton also dished the ball, finding Mullaney once and Hunter twice for a career-most three assists for the 6'4" post player.
Hunter to Mullaney 15 Nohr to Mullaney 15 Nohr to Cornell 9 Mullaney to Hunter 7 Nohr to Hunter 7