Feb. 3, 2010

Final Stats

By Amanda Nutting
Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. --The Colorado State Rams (11-10, 3-5) extend their losing streak to three as they lost a heartbreaker to the Utah Utes (13-8, 4-4) Wednesday at Moby Arena.

It was a tough competition, including ten lead changes, the Rams battled till the end. With 30 seconds left to play and the Rams trailing 65-66, a forced foul put Utah’s Janita Badon at the charity stripe. After missing two free throws, Utah was able to grab their own rebound, clenching the victory.

“That last offensive board for them killed us,” Colorado State’s Kim Mestdagh claimed was the difference in the game. “It came down to the little things we didn’t do right.”

The Rams were the first to score on the night after Meghan Heimstra connected with a three-point shot. They battled neck in neck with the Utes until three back-to-back-to-back three pointers by Bonnie Barbee and Mestdagh extended the Rams’ lead 19-13. After eight more minutes of play, the Rams went into the locker room with the score tied at 32.

“We were happy to be tied at half,” Mestdagh said. “We didn’t come out in the second half with the same intensity,” Mestdagh said after the Rams started the second half off cold, scoring one lone free throw in the first 4 minutes of play compared to the Utes’ quick 11-point run.

“They’re a good team, and came out fast in the first few minutes of the second half. We needed to come out more aggressive,” Natalie van den Adel commented about the Utes’ extension. The Rams retaliated by closing the gap with a 9-2 run and cutting the deficit to one.

Colorado State ran head-to-head with Utah for the remainder of the game, but was unable to regain the lead.

“Down the stretch they were mentally tougher and made plays,” Head Coach Kristen Holt said.

Freshman Chantel Kennedy started her fifth-consecutive game for the Rams and totaled 28 minutes of play. Kennedy has 31 offensive rebounds, 30 defensive rebounds, and 27 steals on the season.

The Rams had three players score double digits on the night. Mestdagh led the way for Colorado State with 23 points and nine rebounds, while fellow sophomore van den Adel and junior Bonnie Barbee contributed 10 points apiece.

The Rams now travel to Laramie, Wyo., on Saturday for the second installment of the Border War against the Cowgirls. Coach Holt and the Rams will look to snap their three-game skid at the Cowgirls, as they upset the Rams at Moby Arena earlier this season.