Rams Prevail in San Diego
Froebe’s 18 points and 18 rebounds help CSU escape
with win.
Send a link to a friend
 [January 17, 2025]
SAN DIEGO – Rarely do you find a team a team leaning on its
true freshmen in a Mountain West road game, but that’s exactly what
Colorado State women’s basketball did Wednesday night as it
weathered a gritty comeback-effort from San Diego State and
prevailed with a 62-58 win.
The Rams’ Illinoisian tandem of freshmen guards, Kloe Froebe and
Brooke Carlson, were the leaders for CSU (13-5, 4-1 MW) as Froebe
posted a monster stat line of 18 points and 18 rebounds, while
Carlson scored 15 to go with three steals. The duo alone outscored
the Aztecs (13-6, 2-4 MW) in the first half as the freshmen teamed
up for 20 points to SDSU’s 16.
A big second quarter gave the Rams a lead that they managed
throughout most of the night, but thanks to 63.6% shooting from the
Aztecs in the fourth quarter but the Green and Gold found their
advantage reduced to just one point with 16 seconds left on the
clock. CSU mustered the stops it needed on the defensive end and
made just enough free throws to escape Viejas arena with a victory.
Youth teamed up with experience when it came to double-digit scoring
as graduate seniors Emma Ronsiek (15) and Hannah Simental (10) each
chipped in 10-or-more points. The Colorado State triumph marked the
first road win against San Diego State since 2018 and gave the Rams’
a 35-34 lead in the series all time.
How It Happened
The two teams battled in the first quarter as neither side was able
to lead by more than four points. Carlson had a nose for the basket
early on as she scored Colorado State’s first six points. An Emma
Ronsiek 3-pointer late in the period capped a five-point scoring run
and lifted CSU to a narrow 13-12 lead at the end of the break.
The second quarter was nothing short of dominant by Colorado State
as it held San Diego State to just four points while scoring 17 of
its own. The Ram defense frustrated the Aztecs, holding them to just
11.1% shooting from the field. That combined with an 11-0 scoring
run was a recipe that created a 30-16 advantage for Colorado State
at halftime.
[to top of second column] |
San Diego State did not stay quiet for long as it
came out of the break to score 10 of the first 14 points of the
third quarter, quickly trimming the CSU lead down to eight. From
there Colorado State answered each blow San Diego State took and
carried a 45-37 lead into the final quarter.
SDSU refused to quit in the fourth quarter, utilizing a 9-0 scoring
run to draw itself within one point of CSU with 5:26 remaining in
the game and set up a dramatic finish. After going scoreless for
nearly two minutes, Colorado State was rescued by Simental who hit a
3-pointer to snap the spell. Marta Leimane followed it up with a
2-point jumper of her own at the 4:39 mark, but it would prove to be
the Rams’ final field goal of the game.
San Diego State knocked down a pair of free throws
to make it a one-point game with 16 seconds left, putting Colorado
State on the defensive. Simental and Carlson each converted clutch
free throws down the stretch, while a timely steal on the defensive
end by Carlson sealed the deal and improved CSU to 4-1 in the young
Mountain West season.
What’s Next
The Rams are back in Fort Collins on Saturday (Jan. 18) to take on
New Mexico at 1 p.m. The game is the team’s annual State Pride game,
so fans are encouraged to wear their State Pride gear which can be
purchased at CSURams.com/Shop. To get tickets to all Colorado State
women’s basketball home games, fans can visit CSURams.com/WBBTickets.
[Matt Brumley
Assistant Director for Strategic Communications & Brand Enhancement
Colorado State University Athletics]
 |
