Preview: Grand Canyon Antelopes vs. Colorado State Rams - Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championship

LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — The No. 2-seeded Colorado State Rams, riding a seven-game winning streak, are heavily favored against the Grand Canyon Antelopes when the teams meet Sunday in the Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championship.

The game tips off at 3 p.m. EDT at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Colorado State (24-7) enters the tournament as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won 12 of its last 13 games. The Rams dominated the regular-season series against Grand Canyon, winning 67-50 at home on Jan. 21 and 61-47 on the road Dec. 31. Their balanced attack is led by guard Brooke Carlson, who has scored in double figures in six consecutive games, averaging 13.2 points and 4.7 assists during that stretch.

Grand Canyon (13-18) advanced to face the Rams with a 75-58 victory over Utah State on Saturday. The Antelopes have shown resilience, winning four of their last seven games after a difficult mid-season stretch. Guard Norah Moo, coming off a 12-point performance in the first round, will be a key factor. Her scoring surge often correlates with team success; Grand Canyon is 3-1 this season when Moo scores eight or more points.

The Rams’ defense, which held opponents under 52 points in four of their last five wins, will aim to stifle a Grand Canyon offense that averages just 60.2 points per game. Conversely, the Antelopes must find an answer for Colorado State’s efficient offense, which averages 66.5 points and shot 47% from the field in the two head-to-head wins.

While the records and previous meetings point decisively toward Colorado State, the single-elimination format of March provides a proven avenue for upsets. Grand Canyon will need a near-perfect defensive effort and efficient scoring from Moo and fellow guard Julianna LaMendola, who scored 15 points Saturday, to challenge the tournament’s second seed.

The winner will advance to the Mountain West tournament semifinals on Monday.