Nov. 28, 2009

Final Stats

By Nic Hallisey
Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - After trailing by an early score of 4-0, the Colorado State women's basketball team used a 27-4 run to defeat the Delaware Blue Hens, 67-44, in the championship game of the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational Saturday night at Moby Arena.

The Rams (4-2) have played well as hosts in the tournament, compiling an impressive 25-7 record since 1994. However, it was the team's first tournament championship since 2004.

"It means a lot winning it on our home court like this," sophomore Kim Mestdagh said.

During the first-half run, Colorado State's defense held Delaware without a field goal for 11 minutes, 45 seconds. Overall in the first half, the Rams held the Blue Hens to just 17 percent shooting from the floor. The Rams shot 39 percent in the first half, resulting in a 32-10 halftime lead.

Mestdagh, who has scored in double figures in all six games on the season, reached the mark just 10:16 into the game. Sophomore Chatilla van Grinsven also reached double figures in the first half, tallying 11 on 5-of-6 shooting. She finished the night with 15 points.

The halftime intermission didn't leave the Rams rusty, however, as they came out firing to open the second frame with a Mestdagh three-pointer just seconds in.

Mestdagh would go on to make her first four three-point shots of the half, totaling seven on the evening. The figure ranks tied for fourth all-time in Colorado State history.

Her 25 points, in just 26 minutes, surpasses her career-high 22 points set Friday night against Texas State.

"This year I have a lot more confidence in my shot," Mestdagh said.

The Rams led by as many as 35 in the second half and never less than their halftime lead of 22. The offensive production was a balanced effort with all eight players scoring. 

"Our energy was awesome tonight," Head Coach Kristen Holt said. "Our big players finally looked like big players."

The Rams outrebounded the Blue Hens 40-34, in addition to posting a season-high 18 assists and an 87 percent free-throw percentage, compared to their season average of 63 percent.

In the consolation game of the tournament, Houston defeated Texas State 90-58. Joining Mestdagh (tournament MVP) and Meghan Heimstra on the all-tournament team were Houston's Roxana Button and Delaware's Lauren Carra and Elena Delle Donne.

With the win, the Rams are now 4-0 at Moby Arena this season, their best home start since the 2004-05 team started 5-0.

The Rams will next head to Idaho to face the Vandals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT.

"When we won our first two games I felt like we got really confident and lazy in practice and had two poor games at DU and Valpo," Holt said. "It was good to get a win like this."