The Colorado State women’s basketball team outscored Denver 27-11 in the third quarter to hold on for a 61-56 road victory at Magness Arena on Thursday night.

Grace Colaivalu had 13 points, four assists and three rebounds for the Rams, who won their first road game of the season to improve to 4-2 overall this year. Hannah Tvrdy added 12 points and seven rebounds for CSU while Lauren Loven and Jordyn Alt each had nine points for DU.

CSU had its issues offensively in the first 20 minutes. The Rams scored just six points in the second quarter and were 1 of 14 from the 3-point line in the first half with the teams knotted at 25. The tide turned after the break as the Rams were 6 of 9 from behind the arc in the decisive third quarter.

“We came out in that third quarter in attack mode,” CSU coach Ryun Williams said. “We need to play that way more often.”

A layup by Annie Brady in the first minute of the fourth quarter gave Colorado State an 18-point lead, but DU (4-4) soon put together a spirited comeback. The Pioneers made five 3s in the fourth to make it a four-point game with 2 minutes, 34 seconds to go.

A steal by Sofie Tryggedsson at the 1:25 mark then helped secure the Rams’ victory.

“I liked the poise down the stretch,” Williams said. “We could’ve folded with all that inexperience out there that led to them getting back in the game, but yet we still kept our composure and made some plays.”

CSU returns to Moby Arena to host BYU on Saturday at 2 p.m.