Despite a career-high 28 points from sophomore Elin Gustavsson, the Colorado State women’s basketball team fell in the championship game of the Omni Hotels Classic against Colorado Saturday, losing 87-81 in double-overtime at the Coors Events Center in Boulder.
With the loss CSU falls to 3-2 on the season, while CU improves to 5-1.
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Gustavsson was named to the all-tournament team for providing the Rams with a spark on offense. She was one of four players to reach double figures, as Ellen Nystrom tallied 18 points, and Emilie Hesseldal and Gritt Ryder each added 11.
“Our kids battled their tails off,” CSU head coach Ryun Williams said. “Both teams battled defensively, it was hard to score. Their length, their size was pretty disruptive to us, but I thought we did a lot of good execution things in that second half. I really credit our kids. This is a tough one. We had a couple of opportunities to win that game. We just didn’t quite get it done, but I’m really proud of our basketball team. I think we really grew up in these two days here. Our kids can compete.”
After trading leads throughout the night, Colorado State tied the game at 64 in the final minute of regulation, but Keyora Wharry’s last-second jumper rattled out and the teams headed to overtime.
CSU led by as many as five during the first overtime period, but the Buffaloes battled back, tying the game on a three-pointer by Lauren Huggins as the buzzer sounded to send the game to a second overtime tied at 74.
Colorado won the tip to start the second overtime and quickly took control, hitting consecutive three-pointers within 34 seconds of each other to put the game out of reach.
CSU continues their road stretch into December when the team travels to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on the Drake Bulldogs Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT.
Collegian Sports Editor Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com and on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.
