Wyoming
Big crowd sees CSU women’s basketball team thump Wyoming | Takeaways
Big crowd.
Big rival.
Big win.
The Colorado State women’s basketball team checked all the boxes with a dominant 83-54 Border War victory over Wyoming on Feb. 7 at Moby Arena.
The win snaps a mini two-game losing skid for the Rams.
Here are takeaways from the game.
CSU lands the desired fast start
CSU coach Ryun Williams knew the big crowd could impact the start, with extra eyes and therefore extra pressure on the team.
Channeling that energy positively was going to be key.
“There is that overexcitement to where maybe you don’t play at your optimal level. You’ve got to get to that level and make it a basketball game,” Williams said in the days before the game. “Yeah, the juices are going to be flowing but you’ve got to get that thing calmed down in your head sooner rather than later and just do your job.”
CSU’s last two games created heightened importance on that quick start.
The Rams (18-6, 9-4 Mountain West) entered the Wyoming (8-15, 5-9 MW) game off back-to-back losses to Mountain West leaders San Diego State and UNLV. CSU scored 12 total first-quarter points in those games, including just three in front of a big “Education Day” crowd against San Diego State.
In this one? The Rams had an early 12-2 run to take control and had 24 points from five different scorers in the first 10 minutes.
CSU averaged just 47.5 points per game in those last two defeats and had 47 at half against Wyoming.
“We wanted to be very, very aggressive. We wanted to play to attack, play to win,” Williams said. “I thought we had a great mentality to start the game.”
The Rams handled the moment perfectly, starting fast and dominating throughout.
Brooke Carlson was dynamic, hitting three of her four 3-point attempts and pouring in a career-high 23 points while also adding four assists and two steals. Kloe Froebe hit three 3-pointers and scored 17 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists.
CSU shot 51% from the game and 54% (13-24) from 3-point range. There were four players in double figures and nine Rams scored.
CSU shows off four-quarter effort
One of the challenges for CSU in losses in league play has been one bad quarter changing a result.
For as big as the start to the game was, the beginning of the second half felt as important. Would CSU bury Wyoming or let it become a game?
No such concern. CSU started the second half fast by holding Wyoming scoreless for the first 4:22 of the third quarter as the Rams’ lead ballooned.
The Rams locked down defensively and held Wyoming to seven third-quarter points and scored 17 or more in each quarter.
“We’re learning that we’ve got to stay urgent and you’ve got to execute and do your job for four quarters,” Williams said. “The mentality never changed through four quarters.”
Wyoming star Malene Pedersen entered the game leading the Mountain West in scoring at 17 points per game, but the Rams limited her to 11 on 3-13 (23%) shooting.
Big crowd at Moby Arena sees CSU win
The rivalry game was tagged with a “Pack Moby” effort by CSU’s administration. The Rams were selling $1 tickets in an effort to sell out the arena.
Shortly before tip, the Rams announced a sellout crowd. With a wave of enthusiasm around women’s basketball sweeping the nation in recent years, this was a chance for CSU to perhaps land some new fans.
“It’s important that we provide that kind of atmosphere for our teams and for our community,” CSU athletic director John Weber said.
The crowd was lively from the start and the team responded with a quality performance.
“That’s a really cool thing. It’s neat for our kids. I think they deserve it,” Williams said. “The community has really supported us.”
CSU players were mobbed with young autograph seekers after the game and many were on the court long after the game signing for fans.
“It was really nice to see the community show out for us and for women’s sports. Being able to have them here meant a lot to us,” Froebe said.
Big week ahead for Colorado State
February is a packed month of key games for CSU. In a scheduling quirk, most of the most important and marquee Mountain West games for the Rams fell within about a month.
It’s when CSU faces most of the top contenders for the league, plus rivalry games against Wyoming.
The back-to-back losses to San Diego State and UNLV were the start of that stretch. This win over Wyoming could mark a key reset.
The Rams now have a challenging road week. CSU plays at San Diego State (Feb. 11) and New Mexico (Feb. 14) in the next week. Those two are responsible for two of CSU’s four league losses so far.
It’s a week that will have a huge impact on the Mountain West standings with the conference tournament (March 7-10) fast approaching.
Sports reporter Kevin Lytle can be found on social media on X, Instagram and Threads @Kevin_Lytle and on Bluesky.
This story has been updated with additional notes, quotes, context and a photo gallery.
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Wyoming Sun Bucks is a net gain for children, families
Dear Casper,
Rep. Ken Pendergraft’s recent column opposing the Sun Bucks program raises concerns about cost, but it does so in a way that risks giving readers an incomplete picture.
It is true that the Department of Family Services requested approximately $3.5 million for startup and operations. However, that figure represents a combined state and federal investment, split evenly. Wyoming’s share is half of that — and more importantly, those dollars are not intended to purchase food directly. They fund the administrative framework required to deliver federally funded benefits to eligible children.
Those responsibilities are not trivial. They include verifying eligibility, processing applications, maintaining technology systems, preventing fraud and ensuring benefits are accurately distributed. Without that infrastructure, the program simply cannot function, and no child would receive assistance.
The initial startup cost of $1.6 million covers one-time expenses such as building the IT system, setting up application processing, contracting with the EBT vendor that issues and loads benefit cards, and establishing temporary staffing and support systems to serve families statewide. This is not “an office for one person,” but the foundation of a program designed to reach roughly 32,000 children.
Once operational, the ongoing cost to Wyoming is estimated at about $483,000 per year in state funds. In return, the program would deliver approximately $3.84 million annually in federal food benefits to Wyoming children. That is a significant net gain for families across the state.
While the article emphasizes administrative expenses, it overlooks the scale of the benefit those costs unlock. The question is not whether administration exists — it must — but whether the outcome justifies the investment. In this case, a relatively modest state contribution enables millions in direct food assistance to flow into Wyoming communities.
Reasonable people can debate the role of government programs. But that debate should be grounded in a full accounting of both costs and benefits. When viewed in that light, the Sun Bucks program is less about bureaucracy and more about whether Wyoming chooses to participate in a federally funded effort to help ensure children have access to food during the summer months.
Mike Thompson, Chairman of the Department of Family Services Oversight Council
Evansville
Wyoming GOP endorsement of candidates
Dear Casper,
I have read about the plans for the Wyoming Republican party to endorse specific candidates in the upcoming primary election. It is my understanding that the state law currently prevents the Wyoming Republican party from officially endorsing a candidate. I agree with the party’s position that this is not in keeping with the party and its members’ First Amendment right to free speech.
However, I think that the party should be careful in exercising this right. As the purpose of the primary election is to select the candidate that the majority of the registered Republican party members feel is best suited for the position, it feels like there could be a conflict of interest in explicitly endorsing a specific candidate without receiving the input from all of the registered members of the party.
Without seeking the input of the entire Republican electorate, how will the party itself provide a fair and accurate endorsement of a candidate? I certainly hope that the party leadership is not intending to offer an endorsement on behalf of the entire party based simply on what they (the leadership) might believe. To offer such an endorsement without seeking the input from all of the party members would be anti-democratic and would invoke Orwellian images of the party which, rather than listening to and responding to the input from the party members, would tell the party members what they should think.
If the members of the party leadership wish to offer an endorsement, they should do so as individuals and should not presume to speak for the entire membership of the party, at least not before the entire Republican electorate has had a chance to provide input regarding a party-level endorsement.
To circumvent this problem, I would recommend that the Republican party hold a vote among all of its registered members to determine whom the party ought to endorse. Maybe we could hold an event where polling places are established, where party members can go to indicate their preference for that endorsement. This would provide a fair and democratic method to ensure that the Republican party’s endorsement reflects the will of the party members.
I think that there might be an event similar to what I have described scheduled for Aug. 18. Maybe the party could do more or less the same thing for their endorsement event — or just wait until then.
Carlos Buckner
Casper
Related
The 2026 Wyoming High School boys’ soccer season is close to its finish. Only three weeks remain. 4A teams will conclude the regular season, as they jockey for positions going into next week’s regional tournaments. Meanwhile, 3A schools have this week and next week left in the regular season. They are trying to reach the top four of the league standings, as those are the teams that qualify for the state tournament in two weeks.
WYOPREPS WEEK 8 BOYS SOCCER SCHEDULE 2026
Three matches this week feature ranked opponents squaring off. Sheridan will host Thunder Basin on Friday. In 3A on Saturday, top-ranked Cody is at No. 5 Mountain View, and four-rated Torrington goes to No. 2 Buffalo. Just like the ladies, you have some rivalry matches on the schedule with Rock Springs-Green River, Jackson-Star Valley, and Thunder Basin-Campbell County. Wednesday will bring new soccer rankings. This is the boys’ schedule for Week 8. Schedules are subject to change.
TUESDAY, MAY 5:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: #2 Sheridan 2 Campbell County 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Riverton 3 Natrona County 1 (conference match)
CLASS 3A
Pinedale at Rawlins – postponed to May 11 – changed to May 9 for boys’ match only!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6:
CLASS 4A
Laramie at Cheyenne Central – postponed to May 9
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East – postponed to May 9
Read More Soccer News from WyoPreps
WyoPreps Boys Soccer Standings on 5-4-26
WyoPreps Week 7 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Soccer Polls 4-29-26
Nominate a Boys Soccer Player for WyoPreps Athlete of the Week
WyoPreps Week 6 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches & Media Soccer Polls 4-22-26
WyoPreps Boys Soccer Standings on 4-20-26
WyoPreps Week 5 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches & Media Soccer Polls 4-15-26
WyoPreps Week 4 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 3 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 2 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 1 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
THURSDAY, MAY 7:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: #1 Jackson 8 Star Valley 2 (conference match)
Final Score: #4 Thunder Basin 3 Campbell County 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Rock Springs 2 #5 Green River 1 (conference match)
FRIDAY, MAY 8:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: Cheyenne Central 6 Cheyenne South 0 (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Sheridan 3 #4 Thunder Basin 1 (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Kelly Walsh 6 Riverton 0 (conference match)
Final Score: Laramie 3 Cheyenne East 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Evanston 2 Natrona County 2 – TIE (conference match) – Red Devils scored with 1 second left for the draw.
CLASS 3A
Final Score: #4 Worland 1 Rawlins 0 (conference match) – Kobe Bradshaw scored the GW goal on a PK in the 1st half.
Final Score: Douglas 2 Torrington 2 (conference match) – Shootout = Torrington wins 4-3!
Final Score: #1 Cody Lyman (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Lander 3 Pinedale 0 (conference match)
Final Score: Powell 1 #5 Mountain View 0 (conference match) – Gianrey Dallesandro with the GW-goal, assisted by Ethan Frame.
Final Score: #3 Buffalo 1 Newcastle 0 (conference match) – forfeit win for the Bison.
SATURDAY, MAY 9:
CLASS 4A
Laramie at Cheyenne Central, 11 a.m. (conference match)
Evanston at #2 Kelly Walsh, noon (conference match)
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East, noon (conference match)
Riverton at Natrona County, noon (conference match)
Rock Springs at Star Valley, 1 p.m. (conference match)
CLASS 3A
Pinedale at Rawlins, 11 a.m.
#1 Cody at #5 Mountain View, noon (conference match)
Powell at Lyman, noon (conference match)
Torrington at #3 Buffalo, 2 p.m. (conference match)
#4 Worland at Douglas, 2 p.m. (conference match)
Final Score: Rawlins 1 Newcastle 0 (conference match) – forfeit win for the Outlaws.
Cheyenne Central vs. Cheyenne East HS Softball 2026
The Indians faced the rival Thunderbirds on April 15, 2026
Gallery Credit: David Settle, WyoPreps.com
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