AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (Interstat) — In a Mountain West Conference clash defined by precision in the final seconds, the Colorado State women’s basketball team escaped Clune Arena with a 65-63 victory over Air Force on Wednesday night.

The game was decided in a frantic final sequence over the last four seconds. With Colorado State leading 65-63, Air Force’s Alexis Cortez inbounded the ball to Keelie O’Hollaren, whose three-point attempt from the wing missed. The Falcons’ Marissa Hargrave secured the offensive rebound but immediately turned the ball over, with Colorado State’s Caitlin Kramer securing the steal as time expired.

The dramatic finish capped a fourth quarter that saw Air Force mount a significant comeback. The Falcons, who trailed by as many as 11 points in the period, outscored Colorado State 25-22 in the final frame, largely on the back of a stellar performance from guard Milahnie Perry. The Tampa, Florida, native scored a game-high 31 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and added three assists.

Colorado State, however, had just enough to hold on, thanks to critical free throws down the stretch. Lexus Bargesser, who finished with 19 points, made four consecutive free throws in the final 31 seconds to maintain the Rams’ narrow lead. Her final two makes, with nine seconds remaining, pushed the advantage to 65-60 and ultimately provided the winning margin.

The contest was a defensive struggle for three quarters, with both teams shooting under 45% from the field. Colorado State built its lead through superior ball security and rebounding. The Rams committed only 11 turnovers compared to Air Force’s 16, and outrebounded the Falcons on the offensive glass, 6-3. That edge led to a 9-2 advantage in second-chance points.

Kloe Froebe supported Bargesser’s effort with 17 points for Colorado State, while Madelyn Bragg added 12 points and two blocks. For Air Force, O’Hollaren complemented Perry’s outburst with 16 points, including three three-pointers.

The game was tightly contested throughout the first half, with the teams tied at 15 after the first quarter. Colorado State used a 16-13 second quarter to take a 31-28 lead into halftime. The Rams then held Air Force to just 10 points in the third quarter, extending their lead to 43-38 heading into the final period.

With the win, Colorado State improved to 14-4 overall and evened its conference record after a recent two-game skid that included losses to New Mexico and Boise State. Air Force fell to 8-9 overall, unable to build on a 19-point road win at San Jose State in its previous outing.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Colorado State entered the game with an 81.4% probability to win. The Rams will look to continue their momentum when they host San Jose State on Saturday. Air Force travels to face Wyoming on the same day.