SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — Colorado beat San Diego State 64-55 on Wednesday at Viejas Arena, using a decisive fourth-quarter stretch to secure a women’s NCAA Division I victory. The Buffaloes improved to 3-0, while the Aztecs dropped to 3-1. Colorado never trailed after the opening minutes and answered each San Diego State run with enough scoring and defense to keep control down the stretch.

The Buffaloes started quickly behind Zyanna Walker and Jade Crook, building an early advantage with jumpers and layups. Walker hit a jump shot 15 seconds into the game, Crook added a layup and Kennedy Sanders converted a layup and a floating jumper as Colorado moved in front. Barnhard’s jump shot put the Aztecs on the board after Colorado had opened with four straight points. Sanders also made a free throw, and Walker scored again before Claire O’Connor made two free throws and Logyn Greer hit a 3-pointer. San Diego State’s early offense came from Bailey Barnhard and Dionne Madjo, while Alayna Kraus closed the first-quarter scoring with a jumper off a turnover. Colorado led 16-6 after the first quarter. The Aztecs had difficulty finding rhythm early, and Colorado’s lead grew behind balanced scoring inside and out.

San Diego State settled in during the second quarter, with Kennedy Lee and Eva DeChent attacking inside and Kraus adding jumpers. DeChent made a layup and a jump shot, Madjo made two free throws and Nayli Padilla converted a driving layup as the Aztecs trimmed the margin. Padilla’s drive brought the Aztecs within three at 23-20. Colorado kept its footing through Greer, Kira Reynolds and Anete Adler. Greer made a layup and a free throw, Reynolds scored on a driving layup and Adler made a layup and a free throw. Walker added another jump shot and Greer scored on a driving layup late in the half, helping Colorado take a 28-20 lead into halftime. San Diego State’s best stretch of the half came when DeChent and Kraus combined for consecutive baskets, but Colorado answered with Reynolds and Adler before Greer’s late layup.

San Diego State made its strongest push in the third quarter. Lee opened with a 3-pointer, Barnhard made a jump shot and Nat Martinez converted a layup and free throw to bring the Aztecs within 32-28. Walker answered with a 3-pointer, but Barnhard hit from beyond the arc and Martinez later made a 3-pointer to cut Colorado’s lead to 43-40 with 1:03 left in the quarter. Colorado responded just before the period ended when Adler made a layup with 7.8 seconds remaining, sending the Buffaloes into the fourth quarter with a 45-40 advantage. The quarter also included free throws from Colorado’s Mecailin Marshall and Kennedy Sanders and San Diego State’s Alyssa Jackson and Martinez, keeping the Aztecs within striking distance.

The most important stretch came early in the fourth. Walker made a layup, Adler scored twice in the paint and added a free throw, and Walker added another layup before Adler made another layup. That 9-0 run pushed Colorado’s lead from 45-40 to 54-40 and forced San Diego State to chase the game. DeChent hit a 3-pointer and Barnhard added another 3-pointer to keep the Aztecs within reach, and DeChent later made a floating jumper and a free throw before adding a layup and a free throw. Colorado answered each time, getting a layup from Greer, a layup from O’Connor and a jump shot from Adler. Sanders made a layup and Mecailin Marshall made a driving layup to help close it out. Lee made a 3-pointer in the final seconds for San Diego State, but Colorado had done enough. The Buffaloes’ defense also benefited from San Diego State’s turnovers, and Colorado protected its lead at the free-throw line and in the paint down the stretch. Colorado’s response came from multiple players and kept the Aztecs from cutting the deficit to one possession.

DeChent led San Diego State with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 29 minutes. Walker paced Colorado with 17 points, five rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes. Adler added 14 points, three rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes, and Greer finished with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and one block in 30 minutes. Barnhard had 10 points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks for the Aztecs, while Martinez had 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes. Lee added eight points, five rebounds and one assist, and Sanders chipped in eight points, two rebounds and three assists for Colorado. O’Connor scored four points and Kraus had six points and three rebounds for San Diego State.

Colorado shot 26 of 59 from the floor, 2 of 12 from 3-point range and 10 of 15 from the free-throw line. San Diego State shot 18 of 48 overall, 6 of 16 from beyond the arc and 13 of 14 from the line. Each team had five offensive rebounds. Colorado finished with 13 assists, two blocks and 11 turnovers. San Diego State had seven assists, five blocks and 19 turnovers. Colorado scored 64 points from 72 possessions with an offensive rating of 88.7, while San Diego State scored 55 points from 69 possessions with an offensive rating of 80.1.

Colorado’s season record moved to 3-0 after earlier wins over Morgan State and Fresno State. San Diego State fell to 3-1 after previously beating Cal State Fullerton, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio. Colorado’s earlier wins this season included a 73-56 victory over Fresno State and an 83-38 victory over Morgan State. San Diego State had beaten Cal State Fullerton 77-51, North Texas 73-57 and Texas-San Antonio 65-56 before the loss. The Buffaloes next host Youngstown State, while the Aztecs next visit Cal State Northridge.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of San Diego State 66, Colorado 65. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Colorado with a 55.9 percent probability to win. Colorado had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -5.5. The total score of 119 went over the over/under line of 127.5.