Colorado State Overcomes Injury, Edges UNLV in MW Semifinals Thriller

Hot Start Gives Way to Double-Digit Deficit (Image Credits: Unsplash)

Las Vegas – Colorado State withstood a fierce late rally from the No. 2-seeded UNLV Lady Rebels to secure a 66-59 victory in the Mountain West Conference women’s basketball tournament semifinals at the Thomas & Mack Center.[1][2]

Hot Start Gives Way to Double-Digit Deficit

The Lady Rebels jumped out aggressively, opening a 10-2 lead in the first quarter behind senior guard Aaliyah Alexander’s scoring punch.[1] UNLV held a four-point edge entering the second, but a late scoring drought allowed Colorado State to claw back. The Rams knotted the score at 28-28 by halftime with a buzzer-beating three-pointer as the shot clock expired.[1]

Colorado State seized control early in the third quarter, grabbing its first lead on a three-pointer. The period featured multiple lead changes, including Shelbee Brown’s three-point play for UNLV, but the Rams entered the fourth up 42-38. Despite the size mismatch, Colorado State dominated the paint 28-10 overall.[1][3]

Rams Pull Away Despite Key Injury

The fourth quarter began with Colorado State erupting for a 6-0 run, pushing the lead to 47-38 and later to 13 points midway through.[1] UNLV coach Lindy La Rocque called timeout at the 4:11 mark, but the Rams held firm even after star guard Lexus Bargesser suffered an injury in the second half.[3] Substitute Marta Leimane stepped up off the bench, delivering a career-high 16 points in a Mountain West tournament game, along with four assists.[3]

Leimane reflected on her expanded role afterward. “I knew that I have a big role to fill, because Lex is a really, really good player for us… Just wanted to do it for her and for our team.” Colorado State coach Ryun Williams praised drivers Meadow Roland and Destiny Brown for their toughness inside.[3]

Lady Rebels’ Rally Falls Just Short

Trailing by double digits, UNLV mounted a desperate 7-0 surge in the final two minutes, trimming the gap to four at 59-55 with 59 seconds left.[1] Alexander fueled the charge, finishing with a season-high 22 points on efficient shooting, including long-range threes. Mariah Elohim added 11 points, while Brown and Roland hauled in 12 and 10 rebounds, respectively.[2]

However, poor shooting plagued the Lady Rebels, who hit just 31.7 percent from the field and 6 of 25 threes. Sydni Summers’ final heave from deep rimmed out as time expired, sealing the outcome. The fourth quarter saw Colorado State outscore UNLV 25-21 after quarters of 11-15, 17-13, and 13-10.[4]

Key Stats at a Glance

• Top Scorers: Aaliyah Alexander (UNLV, 22 pts), Brooke Carlson (CSU, 19 pts), Marta Leimane (CSU, 16 pts).
• Rebounds: Shelbee Brown (UNLV, 12), Kloe Froebe (CSU, 11), Meadow Roland (UNLV, 10).
• Paint Points: CSU 28, UNLV 10.
• Records: CSU 26-7, UNLV 21-11 (both 15-5 MW).

For Colorado State, Brooke Carlson tallied 19 points in the win.[2]

The defeat ends UNLV’s season on a bittersweet note after five straight semifinal appearances, while Colorado State eyes its first tournament crown since 2016. Both teams split the regular-season series. What are your thoughts on the Lady Rebels’ run and CSU’s upset? Share in the comments below.