Rams Meet Antelopes in MW Quarterfinal

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Mar 9

8:30 p.m.

Women's Basketball

vs SF vs. No. 2 UNLV

LAS VEGAS – Colorado State women's basketball will open its run at the Credit Union 1 Mountain West Championship with a quarterfinal matchup against Grand Canyon on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. MT.

MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL
March 8 vs. Grand Canyon (13-18, 11-9 MW)
Where: Las Vegas, Nev. (Thomas & Mack Center)
When: 8:30 PM MT
Watch: Mountain West Network
Listen: Varsity Network App/Power102 FM

NOTING THE GAME

Defensive Stalwarts: Colorado State's defense has been elite this season, giving up an average of just 55.0 points per game which is No. 9 in the country. The Rams have held 21-of-31 opponents to 60-or-fewer points, with 11 being held below 50. CSU is limiting the opposition to just 35.5% shooting which is 11th nationally.
Rams Protect The Rock: The Rams do a lot of good things, but one of their secrets to success is actually something they don't do: Turn the ball over. The Rams have led the nation in fewest turnovers per game each of the past four seasons, coughing it up just 8.7 times per game in 2024-25 which was the only mark below 10.5 in the country. Over the past decade of NCAA DI women's college basketball, only two programs have averaged less than nine turnovers a game across a season: Villanova (14-15, 15-16), and Colorado State (22-23, 24-25). Same ole Rams in 2025-26 as the they average 10.3 giveaways. No. 1 nationally, of course.
Making the Adjustments: Head coach Ryun Williams and the Rams have had some massive third quarters this season, helping them enter the final frame with the lead in 25 games. The Rams have proven they can make effective halftime adjustments as they outscore the opponent by an average of 5.8 points in third periods this season (+181). The mark is better than any other MW team's single-quarter margin, regardless of which quarter.
BargessHER: Lexus Bargesser transferred to Colorado State from Indiana over the summer and has become one of the top mid-major players in the country this season. The senior guard does everything on the floor for the Rams and averages 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Bargesser has taken on a much larger offensive role than she had at Indiana, scoring 12.1 more points per game than last season (3.4) which is a top-10 increase among all DI players (min. 75% of team games each year)
Becoming A Habit: Lexus Bargesser was named the Mountain West Newcomer of the Year prior to the start of the conference tournament. Ram fans were far from surprised, not only because her play was deserving of the recognition, but also because CSU has won the award five of the last six seasons. Bargesser joined McKenna Hofschild (2020-21), Upe Atosu (2021-22), Destiny Thurman (2022-23) and Emma Ronsiek (2024-25) in the recent run of winners, showcasing CSU's apt for securing talent in the transfer portal.
20-Or-More: Colorado State has been a model of consistency under head coach Ryun Williams as the Rams have won 20-or-more games in each of the past five seasons. Throughout Williams' time at the helm of the program, CSU has won at least 20 games 10 times, with two separate 5-season streaks.
Kick It Up A Notch: Sophomore guards Brooke Carlson and Kloe Froebe found an extra gear once Mountain West play began this season. Carlson has been the Rams' second-leading scorer in conference games (12.3 ppg), while Froebe has upped her numbers to average 11.8 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Hard Work Pays Off: Kloe Froebe and Lexus Bargesser both put in serious work on their jumpshots during the offseason, which has led to dramatic improvements in their abilites to knock down the 3-ball. In her three seasons at Indiana, Bargesser managed just 31.0% (9-29) from deep, but has upped that to 42.0% (37-88) at CSU. Froebe has seen the 15.2% (5-33) conversion rate from her freshman season jump all the way to 39.4% (26-66) in 2025-26. Despite struggles earlier in their careers, the duo are now the top-two 3-point shooters for Colorado State.
Ryun "W"illiams: The winningest coach in program history, Ryun Williams surpassed 250 victories with Colorado State during the 2024-25 campaign. On Colorado State's final regular season game as a member of the Mountain West, Williams secured win No. 159 in MW regular season play, which tied Joe Legerski (Wyoming, 2003-19) for the most all-time.
Loyal Rams: In an age of college athletics where playing at multiple schools has become the norm, Marta Leimane and Hannah Ronsiek have shown that sometimes it's best to plant your roots and grow. The pair of fourth-year seniors have combined for 231 appearances and 131 starts over their four seasons in the Green and Gold, helping the Rams to four-consecutive 20-win campaigns. In their final season of eligibility, the duo are set on winning their first conference championship together.

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Lexus Bargesser

Brooke Carlson

Kloe Froebe

Marta Leimane

Emma Ronsiek

Hannah Ronsiek

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