The Mountain West schedule brought contrasting fortunes to Moby Arena on January 17, 2026, where Colorado State welcomed San José State in a women’s basketball matchup shaped by momentum on one side and persistence on the other. Colorado State entered the night firmly in the conference race, while San José State arrived still searching for its first league victory.
The Rams took the floor carrying a 14–4 overall record and sitting third in the Mountain West standings, trailing only San Diego State and UNLV. Fresh off a tight 65–63 win over Air Force earlier in the week, Colorado State again leaned on its defensive identity and strong home form. San José State, meanwhile, came in at 2–16 overall and 0–7 in conference play, looking to rebound from a 78–50 loss at UNLV and to halt a road skid that has stretched to 10 straight defeats.
Colorado State’s Balance and Home Edge
Under longtime head coach Ryun Williams, now in his 14th season with the Rams and his 28th year as a head coach, Colorado State has built one of the Mountain West’s most consistent profiles. The Rams entered the game with a +219 scoring differential, averaging 67.9 points per game while limiting opponents to 55.7, a defensive mark ranked 23rd nationally.
Moby Arena has amplified that advantage. Colorado State has averaged 70.6 points per game at home, compared with 64.1 on the road, and Saturday’s contest again highlighted that comfort level. The Rams rely on a balanced offense, making an average of 6.7 three-pointers per game at a 31.5% clip, and spreading scoring across the lineup. Even with a slight dip to 64.3 points per game over their last 10 outings, their ability to control tempo has remained a defining trait.
Lexus Bargesser continues to set the tone. She followed up her 19-point performance against Air Force by entering the matchup averaging 15.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 18 games. Support has come steadily from Kloe Froebe and Brooke Carlson, each at 9.6 points per game, with Froebe adding 5.6 rebounds and Carlson 2.8 assists. Hannah Ronsiek (9.2 points, 4.9 rebounds) and Madelyn Bragg (7.9 points, 4.1 rebounds) have rounded out a rotation that has allowed Colorado State to challenge any team in the league.
Spartans Searching for a Breakthrough
For San José State, the season has been defined by uphill battles. The Spartans have been outscored by an average of 15.7 points per game, scoring 56.7 while allowing 72.4, and have struggled particularly from long range, shooting 25.2% from three-point distance. Opponents have converted 31.1% of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Still, there have been flashes of resilience. In the loss to UNLV, Allie Cummins delivered a career-high 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, with 13 of those points coming in the third quarter. She became just the second Spartan this season to reach the 20-point mark in a game.
Maya Anderson has been the team’s most consistent option, averaging 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds and leading San José State in scoring in nine games. Rylei Waugh, in nine appearances, has averaged 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds, while Amira Brown has contributed 8.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest. Depth has come from players such as Stella Sgro and Cummins, and through 18 games eight different Spartans have led the team in scoring at least once.
Defensively, San José State has posted some national top-100 metrics, including 3.9 blocks per game (87th) and 26.5 defensive rebounds per game (100th). Individually, Anderson ranks 55th nationally with 240 field-goal attempts, while Gabriela Pato has recorded 23 blocks, tied for 96th nationally.
History has favored the Rams in this series. Colorado State holds a 23–7 advantage dating back to the 1983–84 season and defeated the Spartans 90–70 in their most recent meeting on March 4, 2025. San José State’s last win in the matchup came on March 2, 2024, when a decisive 23–9 third-quarter surge led to a 68–56 upset, paced by Sofia Kelemeni’s 16 points and four Spartans in double figures.
As the game unfolded in Fort Collins, the storyline again centered on whether Colorado State’s disciplined defense and depth would hold serve at home, or whether San José State could rediscover the spark that fueled past surprises. With the Mountain West race tightening, the Rams aimed to keep their championship ambitions on track, while the Spartans treated the contest as another opportunity to reset the narrative and chase a long-awaited conference breakthrough.
