The sound of coaching and player chatter fills the emptiness of Moby Arena as artificial crowd noise and soundtracks try to manifest the hype the Border War truly deserves. Although Moby Arena was empty of fans, nothing could deter the Colorado State women’s basketball team from sweeping the University of Wyoming and retaining their spot atop the Mountain West Conference standings.
The first game featured a slow start from the high-scoring Rams, putting up just 12 points in the first quarter. Defensively, CSU held Wyoming to nine points and kept Wyoming to two free throws in the quarter, showing CSU’s ability to contest shots without picking up fouls.
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Coach Ryun Williams believes “we should’ve had a 20 point first quarter,” but the missed layups and a lot of other things held them back.
The second quarter was both a blessing and a curse for the Rams. CSU put up 27 points and would close the half shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc. McKenna Hofschild and Lore Devos can be credited as the spark plugs for the Ram’s offense this game. The guard duo would combine for 22 points in the first half and aid in the Ram’s early break away from the Cowgirls.
— Colorado State Rams (@CSURams) February 7, 2021
Wyoming came out of halftime ready to hack at CSU’s 13-point lead. Wyoming outscored the Rams 22-17 in the fourth quarter but would ultimately lose the game by eight.
The Ram’s consistency from the free throw when the Cowgirls were in late-game foul mode was a key component to the win after their lead was cut to single digits. When asked if clutch shooting at the line was a trademark for the Rams, Williams could not help but smile and praise his team for their work at the line.
“Those are winning moments,” Williams said regarding the free-throws down the stretch in a press conference.
The second game echoed the sentiments of the first. The Rams got out to a slow start but this time they were the ones playing catchup in the second quarter. CSU put up 12 points on 31.3% shooting and allowed 19 points on 61.5% from the field.
The second quarter would see the Ram offense return to the high scoring offensive efficiency this squad is accustomed to, resulting in the Rams taking a 34-29 lead going into half. Leading the offense, Jamie Bonnarens and Karly Murphy would enter the half with double-digit points.
Border War sweep! That’s a good one folks.”-Ryun Williams, head coach women’s basketball
Starting the second half with a five-point lead, the Rams pressed on the gas, but the Cowgirls refused to be put to rest. The Rams saw their lead diminish halfway through the fourth quarter as Wyoming came up with some tough stops. With 3:45 remaining on the clock, the Rams were down 61-58.
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Down the stretch, Hofschild made some big shots to get the Rams back in the game. The guard hit a big three to cut the deficit to one with two minutes left. After a big defensive stop by Devos, Hofschild went down the court and hit a layup to give the Rams a 65-64 lead with a little over a minute left.
The Rams again found themselves having to hit late-game free throws to seal the deal. They would go three-for-four from the line throughout the last ten seconds of the game. The green and gold would end up winning this nail biter 68-65, capping off an unforgettable Border War.
Crediting Wyoming for their hard-fought games, Williams noted that a close and competitive game was “the only way that game should’ve been played” and that he is, of course, “happy we came out on top.”
Williams’ last comment of the post-game presser as he was standing up was a loud exclamation of pure joy indicating just how much this series meant to him and this team.
“Border War sweep! That’s a good one folks,” Williams said.
Tyler Meguire can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @TMeguire.
