Dec. 9, 2009

Complete Release

Colorado State (6-3), off to its best start since 2004-05, will play Colorado for the 40th time since the Rams basketball program began in 1974-75.

The Buffaloes are 6-1 on the season with their only loss coming to Minnesota in Minneapolis. The Fort Collins trip will be only the third road game for Colorado this season. The team will have played three road games before conference play begins in January.

Tipoff between CSU and CU is at 7 p.m. MT on Friday in Moby Arena.

The game will be broadcast live on AM 1410 KIIX. Brian Roth calls the action and Matt Wozniak provides the color analysis. Live game audio will also be available via Rams All-Access subscription on CSURams.com.

Rams vs. CU series... 
Friday's meeting between Colorado State and Colorado marks the 40th overall meeting between the two schools.

The Buffaloes hold a 29-10 advantage in the all-time series, including a 10-8 mark in Fort Collins. CU has won three consecutive decisions, and six of the last seven overall (CSU defeated CU 86-83 in Fort Collins in 2005). However, three straight victories by the Rams from 1999-01 have kept the series very close in recent years.

About Colorado...   
The Buffaloes enter into action this week with a 6-1 record, their best start since the 2003-04 season.

Junior forward Brittany Spears and senior guard Bianca Smith lead the team in points per game with 19.4 and 12.4 respectively, while Spears has 9.9 rebounds per game. In the team's most recent matchup vs. Seton Hall, Spears put up 24 points and 12 rebounds for her 19th career double-double, fourth of the season. She was 5-8 from three-point range.

The Buffs dominated Seton Hall winning 80-54. Three other players scored in double digits including freshman Chucky Jeffery, with a career-high 19 points. Sophomore Alyssa Fressle netted a season-best 10 points and Smith contributed 11.

Colliers International Recap...  
California: The Rams were unable to overcome a quick-transitioning Cal Bears team in the first round of the Colliers International Classic Saturday. They fell 78-44.

The Rams were able to keep up with the No. 19/20 Cal team in the first half. Kim Mestdagh sunk a three-pointer right before the buzzer and the Rams went into the locker down by nine.

With every basket made for the Rams, the Bears seemed to have an answer. California then began to pull away when the Rams were unable to score. CSU shot at a 26.1 percent clip from the floor compared to Cal’s 49.3 percent.

Southern Illinois: Despite 15 turnovers in the first half and foul trouble early in the game for sophomore Meghan Heimstra, the Rams earned another road win in the consolation game of the Colliers International Classic. CSU defeated the Southern Illinois Salukis, 62-53, Sunday afternoon.

Sophomore Kim Mestdagh put up a career-high 30 points in the contest, as well as nine boards, three steals and two blocks. Natalie van den Adel also scored a career-high 14 points and Chatilla van Grinsven tied her career high in rebounds with 10 on the day.

Mestdagh jump-started the Rams offense in the second half with a quick jumper. After a layup from SIU’s Stephany Neptune, who had 14 points, the Rams built their lead to as high as 15 and never trailed through the last 20 minutes. They only registered six turnovers after halftime.

The last time... 
The last time CSU went 6-3 to start the season was in 2004-05 under then-head coach Chris Denker. That year the Rams finished 15-13 overall and 6-8 in the Mountain West.

With a win Friday vs. CU, the Rams would have their best start since they began 9-1 in 2001-02 en route to the NCAA tournament. Last season, the Rams didn’t pick up their sixth win until Jan. 14, and in 2007-08, CSU won only four all season.

Heimstra Heats up...   
In nine games this season sophomore forward Meghan Heimstra has scored a total of 89 points and has 90 rebounds. Heimstra recorded her fourth double-double this season in the team's loss to Cal with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Mestdagh sets record highs...  
Sophomore Kim Mestdagh is improving with every game the Rams play this season. Mestdagh set a career high in points starting with the Nov. 15 game vs. Wichita State. She had 21. Since then Mestdagh has broken that record three times with 22 points vs. Texas State (11/27), then 25 points vs. Delaware (11/28) and her current high score of 30 points vs.Southern Illinois (12/6), which secured her a spot on the Colliers International all-tournament team.

Mestdagh’s 30 points Sunday were the most by a CSU player in 40-minute regulation game since Becky Hammon poured in 30, March 14, 1999, to lead the Rams to an 86-70 win over Southwest Missouri State in the second round of the NCAA tournament, in front of 8,741 Moby Arena fans. Sara Hunter had 41 in a 101-96 overtime loss vs. San Francisco on Nov. 13, 2007. Hammon scored 30 or more in eight games that season.

Rams seeing double...   
Since the start of the season, five Rams have scored double figures in at least one game. Sophomore Kim Mestdagh leads the pack with nine consecutive games, followed by junior Bonnie Barbee with five. Meghan Heimstra has four, followed by Chatilla van Grinsven with three games and Natalie van den Adel rounds out the bunch with two games.

Up next...    
Colorado State takes a short trip to Greeley, Colo., to play the Northern Colorado Bears on Dec. 21. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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