Ella Ogier (Photo by Max Bechtoldt)
By Alex McCreery (@mccreery_alex) – Reporter
Twitter: @mccreery_alex
No. 11 seed San Jose State Spartans were annihilated by the No. 6 seed Colorado State Rams in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament, 82-43.
The Spartans started the game cold as ice, including two open 3-pointers that rolled around the rim and refused to go in. This allowed the Rams to go on a 6-0 run.
During this run, Rams’ guard McKenna Hofschild would break the single-season assist record of 186 with this pass. She ended the game with 16 points and eight assists.
Spartans’ guard Ella Ogier would answer the Rams run with a jump shot, but the Rams were shooting so well they could score with their eyes closed. The Rams shot 8-15 in the first quarter, while the Spartans only shot 5-23.
The Rams went on another run, this time a 7-0 run, but the Spartans answered again. This time it was guard Stephanie Torres with a bank shot floater to bring the score to 17-7 in favor of the Rams.
The Rams scored one more time before the end of the first quarter, and forward Cydni Lewis ended the quarter with a tough shot. Lewis finished the game with 10 points and six rebounds, shooting 4-11 from the field.
In the second quarter, the Spartans’ shooting struggles would continue. After scoring in their first possession in the quarter, they failed to score in the next 4:45. Despite this, the Rams were also unable to score. Like the Spartans, the Rams scored in their first possession of the quarter then failed to score for about the next three minutes. Hofschild would break the cold streak and put the Rams up 24-13.
Ogier answered the Hofschild shot, which energized the Spartans. Ogier led the Spartans in scoring 16 points, shooting 6-18 from the field.
Spartans guard Sidney Richards would score on the next possession and after a turnover by the Rams, Torres would be fouled from behind the arc and knock down three free throws. This brought the Rams lead to 29-20.
The Rams answered right back with, you guessed it, another 7-0 run which would close out the first half. The Rams led 36-20 at the half. Forward Kendyll Kinzer and forward Sydney Mech led the Rams to shoot a combined 3-5 from long range. They finished the game with 11 points and 14 points, respectively.
To start the second half, Lewis hit the Spartans’ first 3-pointer.
Rams guard Upe Atosu answered Lewis’ shot with two free throws. Atosu led both teams in scoring with 17 points, shooting 3-5 from deep and 4-4 from the line. This was immediately followed up by Ogier, who drove to the cup and scored, being fouled in the process, which sent her to line where she converted the and-1 play.
Rams forward Karly Murphy then cut back door and scored an easy layup which started yet another 6-0 run for the Rams and put them up 44-26.
Lewis would stop the run with another 3-point bomb but the Spartans could not stop the charging Rams. The Rams went on an 11-0 run. During that run, the Spartans failed to score a field goal for 4:48.
Ogier was fouled and went to the charity stripe, where she knocked down both free throws but the Spartans were down 57-34 going into the fourth.
The fourth started with a small back and forth but the damage was done. The Rams went on an 8-0 run early and finished the game on a 13-0 run with their bench unit. The Spartans lost 82-43.
The main contributor to the Spartans blowout was the lack of shot-making. The Spartans only shot 24% from the field compared to the Rams, who shot 51%. In addition, the Spartans gave the Rams easy looks at the rim. The Rams scored 34 of their 82 points in the paint.
Unfortunately, this is the end of the Spartans season. They will regroup and look forward to next season.
