Cowgirls hold off Adams State

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming guard Randi Richardson is bumped by Adams State's Jocelyn Padilla Tuesday night.

Wyoming-Adams State boxscore

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

After two tough outings, the Wyoming Cowgirls just wanted a win.

While it was still a struggle at times offensively, Wyoming broke a two-game slide with a 58-48 win over pesky Division II Adams State Tuesday night at the Arena-Auditorium.

Not only had the young Cowgirls lost two straight, but they were pasted in their last outing before Christmas, 67-38 against Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash. Two days earlier, Wyoming lost by 15 at home against Saint Louis.

The holiday season just got a little brighter going into a new year, Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said. Tuesday’s win came at the perfect time.

“We had our confidence shaken pretty good over the last couple of weeks,” Legerski said. “We did a little self evaluating over the holidays and talked about what we needed to try to do as a team. I thought one of the things is we asked this team to do was step up as a group and make more plays, take more shots."

It was more of a relief for senior Megan McGuffey.

“It feels good to get a win after those two losses," McGuffey said. “We’re still learning every game and we’re getting better. It just feels good to get a win.”

Kristen Scheffler was the lone Cowgirl to score in double figures with 10. Four other Cowgirls were close, as sophomore Jade Kennedy and freshman Emma Langford added nine each and seniors Megan McGuffey and Elisabeth Dissen both scored eight points. Kennedy also had 10 rebounds and Dissen added nine.

“We had to take all of the pressure off of Emma and Megan, to try to go out there and get us 20 to 25 points every night,” Legerski said. “I’m pleased with that, when you take a look at the number of people -- nine, eight, eight, 10, nine (points). We have five people within a basket of double digits. I think that is important for this group."

Wyoming (7-5) held Division II Adam State scoreless for nearly seven minutes midway through the second half and pulled away in the final minutes. Misti Solomon led Adams State (5-7) with 12 points, followed by Vera Jo Bustos with 11.

The Cowgirls continued to struggle offensively, shooting just 35 from the field, hitting just 6 of 24 3-pointers. Wyoming was 16-of-23 from the free-throw line, to just 5-of-6 for Adams State, which shot just 37 percent from the field and hit just 1 of 9 3-pointers.

“We lost Scheffler too many times tonight,“ Adams State coach Kelly Kruger said. “She hit some big 3s in the first half and another big 3 in the second half."

Wyoming led 28-23 at halftime and only 37-35 five minutes into the second half before scoring eight unanswered points. The Cowgirls led by as much as 12 and Adams State never got any closer than nine.

“All-in-all, I’m very excited with what this group did,” Legerski said. “It’s been a while since we had a victory. I think at times you could see that with our confidence.”

The Cowgirls will close the non-conference portion of their schedule Saturday when they host San Francisco at 2 p.m.

Cowgirls back in action

The Wyoming Cowgirls will close the non-conference portion of their schedule this week, beginning by hosting Adams State, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium.

Wyoming will also host San Francisco Saturday, before opening Mountain West Conference play on Jan. 7.

The Cowgirls, 6-5 on the season, will look to break a two-game slide on the heels of a four-game win streak.

Wyoming fell to Saint Louis 74-59 at home on Dec. 20 and then were drubbed 67-38 on the road to Gonzaga two days later.

Adams State, a Division II program, comes into the game with a 5-6 record overall and a 1-3 mark in the RMAC. Vera Jo Bustos leads the way with 15.9 points and five rebounds per game, while Kendra Coveal is adding 11 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Three Cowgirls are scoring in double figures, led by freshman Emma Langford with 13.5 points per game. She is followed by guard Megan McGuffey with 11.5 points and Kristen Scheffler with 10.2 points. McGuffey also leads the way with 6.9 rebounds per contest.

Langford, who currently leads the team in points, assists, steals and minutes played, ranks in the Top 15 in each of those categories in the Mountain West Conference. Scheffler is second in the league in three-point field goals made (2.73 tpfgm), while being ranked 14th in percentage (30-80, .375) and 21st in scoring. McGuffey is eighth in rebounding, 11th in assists and 17th in scoring as well.
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Wyoming Cowgirls (6-5 overall)
Probable Starters Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
3 Randi Richardson G 5-7 RSo. TR Arlington, Wash. 2.8 ppg, 1.7 aspg
24 Megan McGuffey G 5-11 Sr. 3L Cheyenne, Wyo. 11.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.7 aspg
33 Elisabeth Dissen C 6-1 Sr. 3L Hillsboro, Ore. 8.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg
10 Rebecca Vanderjagt F 6-3 Sr. 3L Townsville, Australia 2.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 aspg
21 Emma Langford F 6-2 Fr. HS Arthurton, Australia 13.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.8 aspg
Off The Bench Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
4 Gemma Koehler F 6-1 Jr. 1L Geelong, Australia Has not played this season
12 Kristen Scheffl er G 5-11 Fr. HS Lovell, Wyo. 10.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.2 aspg
13 Ashley Sickles F 6-1 Fr. HS Cresco, Iowa 2.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg
14 Jade Kennedy F 6-1 So. 1L Cairns, Australia 4.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg
15 Leah Fitzgerald C 6-2 Fr. HS Colorado Springs, Colo. Has played in two games
20 Aubrey Vandiver G 5-11 Jr. 2L Laramie, Wyo. Has not played this season
22 Brenna Freeze G 5-11 Fr. HS Albuquerque, N.M. Has played in two games
41 Hillary Carlson F 6-3 So. 1L Cheyenne, Wyo. 7.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg
45 Mallory Cline C 6-4 Jr. 2L McClave, Colo. Has played in one game
Head Coach: Joe Legerski (Wyoming, ‘79), Sixth Year
Assoc. Head Coach: Gerald Mattinson (Weber State, '81), Sixth Year
Assistant Coaches: Kristin Becker (Vanderbilt, ‘90), Third Year, Katie Kern (New Mexico, ‘99), Third Year
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Adams State Grizzlies (5-6 overall, 1-3 in the RMAC)
Probable Starters Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
4 Vera Jo Bustos G 5-8 So. 1L Las Vegas, N.M. 15.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg
10 Misti Solomon G 5-7 Jr. JC Snowfl ake, Ariz. 6.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg
23 Kendra Coveal F 5-8 So. 1L Albuquerque, N.M. 11.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg
24 Jocelyn Pardilla G 5-2 Sr. 3L Dededo, Guam 6.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg
40 Nicole Tatum F 5-10 Sr. 3L Rio Rancho, N.M. 8.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg
Off The Bench Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
5 Weslyn Kimberlin G 5-3 Fr. HS Tucson, Ariz. 0.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg
20 Crystal Loch G 5-6 So. 1L Alamosa, Colo. 4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg
32 Chloe Cable P 6-0 R-Fr. RS Glendale, Ariz. Has not played this season
33 Deanna Reich F 6-0 Fr. HS Mesa Ariz. 3.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg
34 Kelsie Kruger F 5-11 So. 1L Alamosa, Colo. Has not played this season
42 Autumn Boyer G 5-8 Fr. HS South Sioux City, Neb. Has not played this season
50 Brandie Telfer F 5-11 Sr. 3L Craig, Colo. 1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg
Head coach: Kelly Kruger (Northwestern (Iowa), '81), Third Year
Assistant coach: Nicole Bullock (Southwest Minnesota State, '02), First Year

Cowgirls get rematch with Gonzaga

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming freshman Emma Langford looks to get past a couple of Saint Louis defenders on Saturday.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowgirls are a couple of weeks away from opening Mountain West Conference play.

Yet, it will seem like a league matchup when the Cowgirls face highly regarded Gonzaga for the second time this season, beginning at 7 p.m. Monday in Spokane, Wash.

“It feels more like a conference game trying to prepare for them for the second time,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said Saturday after his Cowgirls fell to Saint Louis 74-59. “But it is what we did to be able to get the games scheduled. This is what has worked out."

The two teams met earlier in the season in Laramie, as Gonzaga held on for a 68-58 victory.

The Cowgirls, 6-4, will have a big challenge ahead of them against the Bulldogs, who are 10-3 on the season. The Zags are led by 6-foot-2 Heather Bowman at 19.3 points a game and sophomore guard Courtney Vandersloot at 16.8 points a game.

“Bowman and Vandersloot are very talented. We’re going to need a big effort out of this group,” Legerski said.

Since beating Wyoming, Gonzaga has won five of eight games with notable wins over Utah, then No. 15 Virginia and Montana.

Like on Saturday, as well as in the first meeting with Gonzaga, the Cowgirls can’t afford to start slow Monday night on the road.

“Possession by possession is going to be very important,” he said. “ We’re going to have to do a better job on the inside with Bowman … that is very easy for us to talk about, but very difficult to happen.

“I knew scheduling that game would be a big challenge for us. And that is what this group needs. When we begin conference play, we’re going to open up with Utah and San Diego State. Those are the two teams who are picked to win, and this is the caliber of team that we will play in Gonzaga.”

On Saturday, the Cowgirls fell behind by 14 at halftime and by as much as 22 in the game before chipping away and making a run in the final minutes. Wyoming closed within eight, but could get no closer. The Cowgirls missed six straight free throws in that comeback attempt and could never recover.

Wyoming shot 30 percent from the field in the first half and 37 percent in the game. The Cowgirls hit on just 6 of 24 3-pointers. No one struggled more than leading scorer, freshman Emma Langford, who was 3 of 17 from the field for six points.

For the Cowgirls to stay with the Zags on Wednesday, Legerski said that they’ll need a big effort from Langford.

“Right now, there is no doubt that this group goes as Emma goes," he said. “Emma had a difficult night shooting the basketball. I thought she played hard, she grabbed seven rebounds, which is a high for her. She had six assists, so she was trying to do things. The ball just wouldn’t drop for her. When you start dropping 16, 18 points a game, now all of the sudden we’re in a situation where it is difficult off of our bench to ask somebody to make those points up for us.”

Despite the quick turnaround, Legerski said the Cowgirls can’t dwell on Saturday’s loss.

“We need to move on,” Legerski said. “It’s not easy to say, we’re just going to go to Gonzaga, who I think is a Top 25 team and play at their place. But it is what the schedule is.”
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Wyoming Cowgirls (6-4 overall)
Probable Starters Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
3 Randi Richardson G 5-7 RSo. TR Arlington, Wash. 2.9 ppg, 1.8 aspg
24 Megan McGuffey G 5-11 Sr. 3L Cheyenne, Wyo. 11.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.8 aspg
33 Elisabeth Dissen C 6-1 Sr. 3L Hillsboro, Ore. 9.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg
10 Rebecca Vanderjagt F 6-3 Sr. 3L Townsville, Australia 2.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 aspg
21 Emma Langford F 6-2 Fr. HS Arthurton, Australia 14.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.2 aspg
Off The Bench Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
4 Gemma Koehler F 6-1 Jr. 1L Geelong, Australia Has not played this season
12 Kristen Scheffl er G 5-11 Fr. HS Lovell, Wyo. 11.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.2 aspg
13 Ashley Sickles F 6-1 Fr. HS Cresco, Iowa 2.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg
14 Jade Kennedy F 6-1 So. 1L Cairns, Australia 4.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg
15 Leah Fitzgerald C 6-2 Fr. HS Colorado Springs, Colo. Has played in one game
20 Aubrey Vandiver G 5-11 Jr. 2L Laramie, Wyo. Has not played this season
22 Brenna Freeze G 5-11 Fr. HS Albuquerque, N.M. Has played in one game
41 Hillary Carlson F 6-3 So. 1L Cheyenne, Wyo. 7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg
45 Mallory Cline C 6-4 Jr. 2L McClave, Colo. Has played in one game
Head Coach: Joe Legerski (Wyoming, ‘79), Sixth Year
Assoc. Head Coach: Gerald Mattinson (Weber State, '81), Sixth Year
Assistant Coaches: Kristin Becker (Vanderbilt, ‘90), Third Year, Katie Kern (New Mexico, ‘99), Third Year
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Gonzaga Bulldogs (10-3 overall)
Probable Starters Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
11 Janelle Bekkering F/G 6-0 So. 1L Taber, Alberta, Canada 5.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg
12 Vivian Frieson F 6-0 Jr. 2L Seattle, Wash. 8.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg
21 Courtney Vandersloot G 5-8 So. 1L Kent, Wash. 16.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg
30 Heather Bowman F 6-2 Jr. 2L Spokane, Wash. 19.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg
32 Jami Schaefer G 5-11 Sr. 3L Spokane, Wash. 5.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg
Off The Bench Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown
1 Carter Schick G 5-7 RFr. HS Olympia, Wash. Has played in two games
3 Ariam TecleMariam G 5-9 Fr. HS Tacoma, Wash. Has played in three games
10 Tatriana Lorenzo G 5-7 So. 1L Wahiawa, Hawaii 1.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg
20 Amanda Brown G 5-6 Sr. 2L Sacramento, Calif. Has played in three games
31 Shannon Reader C 6-2 Fr. HS Lake Oswego, Ore. 2.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg
33 Kayla Standish F 6-2 Fr. HS Ellensburg, Wash. 5.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg
34 Tiffanie Shives G 5-7 Jr. 1L Lansing, Mich. 10.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg
35 Claire Raap F 5-11 So. 1L Prosser, Wash. 3.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg
44 Kelly Bowen F 6-0 Fr. HS Victoria, Australia 4.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg
Head coach: Kelly Graves (New Mexico, '88), Ninth Year
Assistant coaches: Jodie Kaczor Berry, Lisa Mispley Fortier, Michelle Elliott

Cowgirls struggle in loss to Billikens

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming's Megan McGuffey goes up for a jumper Saturday aginst Saint Louis.

Wyoming-Saint Louis box score

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Maybe the Cowgirls had too much time on their hands this week after all.

Whatever the reason, Wyoming came out sluggish and could never get over the hump, falling to Saint Louis 74-59 on Saturday in the Arena-Auditorium.

Wyoming coach Joe Legerski was hoping that the week without classes would put the Cowgirls at ease. It could have affected them in reverse, as cold shooting and a step behind on defense was about all they were able to show for their efforts.

Legerski said that especially for the young players, routine is important to them.

“They are used to being able to go to class, then they come in, go to practice, do some film work, use the weight room,” Legerski said. “One of the challenges is how they handle their free time. I would like to think that they are free of worries about the academic side of things, yet all of the sudden now they have so much free time that they are trying to fill. Hopefully, going on the road puts us back in a routine.”

The Cowgirls, 6-4, will face Gonzaga Monday night in Spokane, Wash., at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, the Billikens (4-7) led 40-26 at halftime and by as much as 18 early in the second half, before the Cowgirls (6-4) made a push to make it a game in the final minutes.Wyoming chipped away at the Saint Louis lead and cut it to eight with 6:41 to play. But the Cowgirls missed their final six free throws and a couple of layups and never challenged again.

Wyoming shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half and 37 percent in the game, connecting on just 6 of 24 3-pointers. The Cowgirls were led by senior Elisabeth Dissen’s 15 points, followed by senior Megan McGuffey and freshman Kristen Scheffler with 14 points each.

Leading scorer Emma Langford (15.8 ppg.) was just 3 of 17 from the field, scoring six points.

“We just couldn’t get our shots to go down,” McGuffey said. “We were definitely just missing something tonight."

Just what was missing for the Cowgirls?

“I really do not know, truthfully," McGuffey added. “I think we just dug ourselves in too big of a hole in the first half. We came out on our heels and they weren’t afraid to attack us. We just couldn’t get ourselves out of it."

Legerski said that going into the game, one of the things that worried him was the speed of the Billikens. He was right.

“Saint Louis’s quickness was something that we were going to have to handle,” he said. “I didn’t think we did a great job of that.”

Saint Louis also took advantage on the free-throw line, hitting 23-of-27, to just 7-of-14 for Wyoming. The Cowgirls were also 0-for-6 in the second half.

Legerski said that one of the things he looks at is the number of free throws shot and the amount of fouls that were with those free throws. The foul count was pretty even (17-15 Saint Louis), but the free throws were not.

“That tells me we weren’t moving our feet; we weren’t getting into defensive positions and we were fouling shooters most of the evening, putting them to the line," he said. "Also, they were tremendous from the free-throw line and we struggled throughout the evening, specifically in the second half.

"I think it is the first game that I have been involved in where you did not make a free throw in a half. It magnifies it because we were missing front ends of one-on-ones. When you get the lead cut down to eight, now those free throws really are big because you could have gotten it down a little lower than that.”

Theresa Lisch scored 22 points and Amanda Kemezys added 20 as Saint Louis, which snapped a three-game slide with the win. Heather King finished with 12 points and Katie Paganelli added 11. The Billikens closed by scoring 10 of the last 13 points.

“This was a huge win for our program and for our team,” Saint Louis coach Shimmy Gray-Miller said. “Coming into the game, I felt like we had to be one of the best three-win teams in the nation. To come to Wyoming in an environment like this, with the weather conditions and our team three days away from going home for Christmas, to play this well was great for our team.”

Cowgirls home again for Billikens

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming coach Joe Legerski talks to his team during a timeout against North Dakota State in Casper.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowgirls are back home for the first time in about a month as they host Saint Louis Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium.

Don’t get too used to it as they go back out on the road on Monday for a rematch at Gonzaga before returning home again on Dec. 30 at home with Adams State.

A 6-3 start was helped along with a 3-1 road swing, including last Saturday’s win over North Dakota State at the Wyoming Shootout in Casper.

Wyoming head coach Joe Legerski was more than pleased with how his team played in the last month away from home.

“That’s better than what we had hoped for,” Legerski said of the three road wins. “With such a young group, it is very difficult to find wins on the road and then when you look at competition we are playing, we were constantly traveling.

The Cowgirls have had just three home games so far this season, making Saturday’s contest with Saint Louis a chance to familiarize themselves with their home court and their fans again.

“Getting our fans back in the game huge part of what we are trying to do,” he said. “Also playing in the A-A, it is a great shooting environment for us; they are at home, feel more comfortable here. Most importantly, it is our fan base. We’ve been able to improve in that area over the years that I have been here. Our fans are tremendous.”

School’s out (for the holidays)
With finals now in the books, Legerski also said the Cowgirls have been able to free up some much needed time to just concentrate on basketball.

The sixth-year head coach said they have been able to bring the team in at different times to lift, as well as get their practices completed by early afternoon.

The Cowgirls now have a few less things to worry about -- at least through the holiday break.

“I think what is happening for the players is all of the sudden the pressure of finals is over. They are able to enjoy themselves and play freer, witf no concerns about what is going on academically," he said. “We always tell them that the grades are in the books, so there is no sense on worrying about them now. I think you’ll see that in our game this week."

Kennedy stepping up
It’s been no secret that the Cowgirls are a different team now without the services of graduating seniors Hanna Zavecz, Justyna Podziemska, Dominique Sisk and Jodi Bolerjack.

Among the young player beginning to make their marks is sophomore Jade Kennedy. The 6-foot-1 Australian forward is making her presence known as a rugged rebounder with the knack of getting the loose ball in traffic.

Kennedy is averaging 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds a game. In the last three games, Kennedy has grabbed 27 rebounds.

“She is getting what I call the difficult, tough rebounds,” Legerski said. “Her shooting is going to come around, she is a tremendous shooter. Once again, she is getting her first minutes as a Wyoming basketball player. Rebounding is something that is constant, but she has been grabbing offensive rebounds and giving us second chances and that’s why Jade’s minutes continue to go up.”

About Saint Louis
The Billikens are 3-7 overall after a 68-60 loss to Oakland on Tuesday night. They have gone 2-3 overall in their last five games.

Senior Theresa Lisch is leading the way with 17.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest, while Katie Paganelli is adding 10.4 points and four rebounds. They return four starters and six letterwinners to a team that went 10-20 overall and 5-9 in the Atlantic 10 Conference a year ago.

The biggest challenge with facing Saint Louis, Legerski said, is trying to determine the pace of the game.

“They’ll get up and down the floor, they want to press the issue," he said. “We’re more of a half court team.”
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Wyoming Cowgirls (6-3 overall)
Probable Starters Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
3 Randi Richardson G 5-7 RSo. TR Arlington, Wash. 3.0 ppg, 1.8 aspg
24 Megan McGuffey G 5-11 Sr. 3L Cheyenne, Wyo. 10.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 aspg
33 Elisabeth Dissen C 6-1 Sr. 3L Hillsboro, Ore. 8.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg
10 Rebecca Vanderjagt F 6-3 Sr. 3L Townsville, Australia 2.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.6 aspg
21 Emma Langford F 6-2 Fr. HS Arthurton, Australia 15.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.0 aspg
Off The Bench Pos. Ht. Yr. Exp. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
4 Gemma Koehler F 6-1 Jr. 1L Geelong, Australia Has not played this season
12 Kristen Scheffl er G 5-11 Fr. HS Lovell, Wyo. 10.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.2 aspg
13 Ashley Sickles F 6-1 Fr. HS Cresco, Iowa 3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg
14 Jade Kennedy F 6-1 So. 1L Cairns, Australia 5.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg
15 Leah Fitzgerald C 6-2 Fr. HS Colorado Springs, Colo. Has played in one game
20 Aubrey Vandiver G 5-11 Jr. 2L Laramie, Wyo. Has not played this season
22 Brenna Freeze G 5-11 Fr. HS Albuquerque, N.M. Has played in one game
41 Hillary Carlson F 6-3 So. 1L Cheyenne, Wyo. 7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg
45 Mallory Cline C 6-4 Jr. 2L McClave, Colo. Has played in one game
Head Coach: Joe Legerski (Wyoming, ‘79), Sixth Year
Assoc. Head Coach: Gerald Mattinson (Weber State, '81), Sixth Year
Assistant Coaches: Kristin Becker (Vanderbilt, ‘90), Third Year, Katie Kern (New Mexico, ‘99), Third Year
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Saint Louis Billikens (3-7 overall)
Probable Starters Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
2 Alisha Goodwin G 5-8 Fr. Swansea, Ill. 7.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg
3 Theresa Lisch G 5-9 Jr. Belleville, Ill. 17.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg
10 Janisha Gearlds G 5-7 Fr. Bolingbrook, Ill. 6.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg
30 Heather King F 5-11 Sr. Palos Hills, Ill. 5.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg
55 Amanda Kemezys C 6-4 Jr. Fairview Heights, Ill. 9.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg
Off The Bench Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown 2008-09 Stats
5 Nicole Johnson C 6-3 So. Southlake, Texas 0.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg
12 India Warfi eld F 5-11 Fr. Dayton, Ohio 0.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg
13 Jameela Haynes F 6-0 Sr. Miami, Fla. 0.2 ppg, 0.4 rpg
23 Katie Paganelli G 5-9 Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio 10.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg
32 Kayci Will F 6-1 Fr. Neoga, Ill. Has not played this season
33 Lauren Woods F 6-0 So. Belleville, Ill. 6.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg
35 Kaelin Reid C 6-2 Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio 2.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Head Coach: Shimmy Gray-Miller (Michigan, '94), Fourth Year
Assistant Coaches: Tony Francis, Stephanie Rich, Honey Brown
Director of Operations: Jarietta Benton

Cowgirls start quick for a change

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming's Jade Kennedy is fouled by a pair of North Dakota State players on Saturday.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

CASPER -- The Wyoming Cowgirls didn’t have to worry about a slow start this time against North Dakota State.

On Saturday at the BlueCross BlueShield Wyoming Shootout at the Casper Events Center, the Cowgirls got up big early before having to close strong for the 68-51 victory at the Casper Events Center.

“We knew we couldn’t have starts like we had against Weber State, especially,” Wyoming senior Megan McGuffey said. “We just tried to pick up the intensity, especially on the defensive end. That really helped out a lot.”

Wyoming used a 12-0 run for a 25-8 lead 13 minutes into the game.

“We talked being aggressive and getting to the basket and we talked about the aggressor wins,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said. “I thought Emma Langford just really came out on the block. That was about as quiet of a 21 points that you will ever see out of player. Emma was solid, she got to the basket tonight.”

Langford led all scorers with her 21 points, including 6 of 8 shooting from the field in the first half for 13 points.

“We started hitting some layups and that helped us get going,” Langford said.

Along with freshman guard Kristen Scheffler’s late-game shooting heroics, Legerski said it was a total team effort on Saturday.

“Rebecca Vanderjagt has nine rebounds tonight, Emma Langford has 21 points, Megan McGuffey was solid throughout the whole evening,” he said. “Elisabeth (Dissen) just battles. Nothing bigger than Jade Kennedy rebounding (seven rebounds). I can go on and on with this team with tributes and that was what we talk about in a team effort.”
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As well as the Cowgirls played early and late, there was a mid-game lull that saw North Dakota State battle back. The Bison pulled within five before Wyoming closed on a big run.

“When you play at the high level we’re playing at, you can build big leads but you can never really be happy with them or feel comfortable with them,” McGuffey said. “We let them have their runs, but fortunately they never got it too close.”

Added Legerski: “You’re not going to be able to play for 40 minutes at our highest level and I know that. But I think we’re able to do that in more segments than fewer segments.”
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Wyoming (6-3) returns to the Arena-Auditorium next Saturday against Saint Louis on a three-game win streak. It took a while, but it’s the consistency the Cowgirls and Legerski have been looking for.

“We’d win a game, lose a game, win a game, lose a game,” McGuffey said. “These three wins in-a-row really help us out. We’re a little ways over .500, so that gives us some breathing room and we’re happy to play at home next week.”

Legerski said he has talked to his young team about putting some wins together to build some confidence. It especially helps that they were able to do that away from home.

“Getting two big wins on the road last week, especially with comeback at Weber State,” he said, “what a confidence builder. We changed some things with our pre-game warm-up. I don’t know if that helped a lot, but I liked the way we came out tonight.”
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Despite the loss, former Cowgirls assistant and current North Dakota State head coach Carolyn DeHoff was pleased with how her team came back.

“We were back on our heels defensively and they got up on us, and we challenged our kids,” DeHoff said. “We said, ‘Let’s pick it up full court and get the tempo in our favor,' and for the most part, we did that. We created 22 turnovers, 14 I believe in the second half. I commend our kids for getting after this and giving themselves a chance.”

Inger Hodgson led the Bison with 17 points and nine rebounds.

Scheffler takes over in Cowgirls win

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming freshman Kristen Scheffler shoots over the North Dakota State defense Saturday in Casper.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

CASPER -- Kristen Scheffler is just a freshman, Wyoming head coach Joe Legerski keeps reminding himself.

With that said, Legerski had Scheffler in mind late against North Dakota State in the BlueCross BlueShield Wyoming Shootout Saturday at the Casper Events Center.

Clinging to a five-point lead with barely three minutes left in the contest, Scheffler scored seven points in exactly a minute to give Wyoming (6-3) some breathing room. The Cowgirls outscored the Bison (4-4) 14-2 for the 68-51 victory.

“It’s a five-point game with three minutes to go and Kristen Scheffler just took over,” Legerski said. “She has that kind of ability.”

The Bison battled back from a 17-point first-half deficit and cut the lead to 54-49 with 3:21 left. Scheffler came back with her only 3-pointer of the game and then canned two straight jumpers just inside of the 3-point arc.

Suddenly, it is a 12-point game again.

“That’s huge for us. She is a great player, she is so talented,” Wyoming senior Megan McGuffey said. “I think we’re trying to get her more comfortable where she can step up and take those shots for us because she is such a great shooter.”

It just so happened that it wasn’t coincidence that Scheffler hit the big shots down the stretch; she was set up to do just that.

“We have a set for her. Whether or not she wants to do it or not, that’s up to her. She is a freshman,” Legerski said. “I think she grew up tonight.”

Scheffler finished with 13 points in the game, all in the second half. She was just 0-for-2 from the field in the first half, despite 14 minutes of court time.

“Coach has told me to be more aggressive offensively,” Scheffler said. “With the motion that we were running, it just sets me up for the shot.”

Legerski said that the most difficult thing for Scheffler is that she is a freshman and they have “greater belief” in her than what she does.

“I think she has grown,” Legerski said. “We keep telling her all of the time that she has the ability to take over and tonight she did.”

Admitted Scheffler: “Sometimes I should be more aggressive the whole game. Sometimes I just focus on passing and giving it to people who are open.”

The Lovell native isn’t a newcomer to the Casper Events Center, as she has a few appearances in the state tournament with the Bulldogs. This may be her best game in the building, though.

“I haven’t always shot well in this building. I guess today wasn’t too bad,” she said. “My 3-point shot wasn’t falling, but that was OK.”

Cowgirls, Bison see similarities

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The uniforms are different, but there will be a lot of similarities -- and familiarities -- when the Wyoming Cowgirls take on North Dakota State Saturday in the first game of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Wyoming Shootout at the Casper Events Center.

Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. The Wyoming men take on Northern Iowa at 3:30 p.m.

Wyoming head coach Joe Legerski will be looking across the bench at a couple of old friends, as North Dakota State is coached by Carolyn DeHoff, the former Cowgirl assistant coach and Cheyenne East star. DeHoff, who left Wyoming to be an assistant at Weber state, went to Utah when Legerski became the Cowgirls head coach in 2003.

Also on the bench for the Bison is former Cowgirl director of operations Mary Grothe, who is now an assistant coach for North Dakota State.

Legerski is happy to see DeHoff get her shot with the Bison.

“Carolyn really understands the game of basketball,” Legerski said. “I’m just glad that she has this opportunity, and she is going to be highly successful.”

As would be expected, the former Utah assistant coaches run a similar, motion offense.

“When I was at Utah, that’s what we ran with Coach (Elaine) Elliott,” Legerski said. “Carolyn was part of that and you see them spreading the floor. Their top three scorers are all perimeter players. That really shows that they are getting the ball up and down and they are looking for a perimeter shot. It is going be very much looking at Wyoming does, as very similar to was North Dakota State is doing now.”

North Dakota State is 4-3 overall and is led by sophomore Abby Plucker, at 16.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Guard Inger Hodgson is adding 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds. This is the first meeting between the two schools.

With two tough road wins over Weber State and Idaho State last week, the Cowgirls are now 5-3 on the season. Three Cowgirls are currently scoring in double-figures, led by freshman Emma Langford (14.6 points per game). She is followed by senior Megan McGuffey and freshman Kristen Scheffler with 10.5 points each. McGuffey also leads the Cowgirls with 7.5 rebounds per contest.

The Cowgirls are 7-2 in shootout games at the Casper Events Center. Legerski, however, said the home court advantage is based on their fan base and they are playing on a home court that they only play on once a year.

“Because we are so young, if there is a home court advantage, it is lost this season,“ he said. “There’s no doubt I wish we were playing in the Arena-Auditorium. It’s a great homecourt advantage for us. We’re going to need our fans to turn out in Casper.”

Tickets for this year’s Wyoming Shootout are still available and may be ordered through the Casper Events Center Ticket Office at 1-800-442-2256 or 307-577-3030. Ticket prices range from $18 for reserved seating to $15 for general admission. Tickets admit fans to both the men’s and the women’s game.
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Wyoming Cowgirls (5-3 overall)
Probable Starters
3 Randi Richardson G 5-7 RSo. TR Arlington, Wash. 3.4 ppg, 1.9 aspg
24 Megan McGuffey G 5-11 Sr. 3L Cheyenne, Wyo. 10.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg
33 Elisabeth Dissen C 6-1 Sr. 3L Hillsboro, Ore. 8.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg
10 Rebecca Vanderjagt F 6-3 Sr. 3L Townsville, Australia 2.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.4 aspg
21 Emma Langford F 6-2 Fr. HS Arthurton, Australia 14.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.3 aspg
Off The Bench
4 Gemma Koehler F 6-1 Jr. 1L Geelong, Australia Has not played this season
12 Kristen Scheffl er G 5-11 Fr. HS Lovell, Wyo. 10.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg
13 Ashley Sickles F 6-1 Fr. HS Cresco, Iowa 3.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg
14 Jade Kennedy F 6-1 So. 1L Cairns, Australia 4.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg
15 Leah Fitzgerald C 6-2 Fr. HS Colorado Springs, Colo. Has played in one game
20 Aubrey Vandiver G 5-11 Jr. 2L Laramie, Wyo. Has not played this season
22 Brenna Freeze G 5-11 Fr. HS Albuquerque, N.M. Has played in one game
41 Hillary Carlson F 6-3 So. 1L Cheyenne, Wyo. 8.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
45 Mallory Cline C 6-4 Jr. 2L McClave, Colo. Has played in one game
Head Coach: Joe Legerski (Wyoming, ‘79), Sixth Year
Assoc. Head Coach: Gerald Mattinson (Weber State, '81), Sixth Year
Assistant Coaches: Kristin Becker (Vanderbilt, ‘90), Third Year
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North Dakota State Bison (4-3 overall)
Probable Starters
5 Katie Birkel G 5-8 Fr. Lincoln, Neb. 10.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg
20 Inger Hodgson G 5-9 Jr. Barneveld, Wis. 12.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg
30 Jerri Penley C 6-2 Sr. Willis, Mich. 7.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
32 Abby Plucker F 5-11 So. Parker, S.D. 16.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg
40 Jill Zaruba F 6-2 Jr. Monticello, Minn. 6.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg
Off The Bench
14 Nicole Vigil G 5-7 Jr. Albuquerque, N.M. 3.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg
21 Megan Shea F 6-0 Jr. Plymouth, Minn. Has not played this season
31 Ashley Samuelson F 6-0 Jr. Underwood, Minn. 4.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg
34 Skye Smith G 5-9 Jr. New Orleans, La. 3.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg
44 Whitney Trecker G 5-9 So. New Prague, Minn. 2.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Head Coach: Carolyn DeHoff (Arizona State, '91), First Year
Assistant Coaches: Mary Grothe (Lynchburg, '04), Jaime Berry (NDSU, '03),
Kelly Roysland (Minnesota, '07)
Director of Operations: Alison Prichard (Princeton, '08)

Carlson stepping up at the post

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming sophomore Hillary Carlson, right, goes up against fellow post, senior Elisabeth Dissen, in a recent practice.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

For those who have been around Wyoming sophomore Hillary Carlson, it is kind of hard to imagine her getting mad out on the basketball court.

Yet, Carlson has put up a little mad production in the last few games for the Cowgirls, who will be shooting for their third straight win Saturday against North Dakota State in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Wyoming Shootout at the Casper Events Center (1 p.m.).

Last season, Carlson, a lanky 6-foot-3 center out of Cheyenne, played sparingly as a freshman on a senior-dominated team, averaging 2.4 points and 0.6 rebounds in 19 contests.

Even in her first four games this season, she scored just 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. But in her last four games, Carlson is averaging over 12 points and four rebounds a game.

“In the first couple of games, I was timid and kind of nervous,” said Carlson. “But you just kind of snap out of it and get those angry moments where you take it to the basket, get a foul and make the shot.”

Confidence in her ability to take the ball to the basket strong has made a difference this season, especially in the last few games.

“I’m trying to be more aggressive and I have been more successful on the court,” she said. “That has given me more confidence. Everyone has been real encouraging for me to just play my game. It’s been good.”

Last season, the former Wyoming High School Player of the Year got a taste of college basketball. This season, her role is changing.

“For Hillary, the talent has been there, it’s just the adjustment to Division I basketball and the physicalness of Division I basketball,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said. “She is a slight post player. Yet, she is beginning to find a way to get to the basket and get to the free-throw line. That’s very important for us.”

After her rookie season, Carlson spent the summer in the gym, whether it was on the court shooting or in the weight room. It was the next step on the aggressive progressive ladder.

“I think I have gotten a little stronger. I just kept at it,” she said.

Being more physical hasn’t always been easy for Carlson, who is not the most physical-looking post player. In some ways, she can use her slight of frame to her advantage -- mentally.

“People can judge a book by its cover. Being tall and skinny, they might think I’m not going to hack it in the post. But I try,” Carlson said. “Compared to high school, it is definitely more physical. I think I knew that it was going to be physical, so that is why I was kind of scarred in the beginning. Now, it’s not so bad.”

Not only is Carlson hitting a few shots for the Cowgirls, she is hitting big shots. Her coming out party, so to speak, came in the fifth game, a 62-55 win over Boise State. Carlson scored 13 points and hit two big free throws down the stretch -- after missing two just a couple minutes earlier.

Last week on the road, Carlson scored 15 points, including the game-winner in the big come-from-behind victory over Weber State, and then added 13 points two days later in the win over Idaho State.

“It feels really good to know that I can do that and I can do it more than once,” Carlson said. “It gives me more confidence that I can do this. I’ve seen myself miss free throws in the middle of the game, and towards the end when they are crucial, I don’t know if they are easier, but they are more important, so I want to make them more.”

Carlson’s confidence and play is giving Legerski assurance in having her on the floor at crunch time. That was not only evident at Weber State, but it was apparent against Idaho State when Legerski had her shoot a pair of technical free throws. She canned them both.

“That’s never happened before, so I didn’t know who he was going to pick. I felt good that he picked me,” said Carlson, who is now averaging 8.0 points a game and 3.5 rebounds a game.

“I think Hillary is really starting to emerge as a go-to player with this group,” Legerski said. “She is starting to be more aggressive, she’s starting to find out what that is like and how successful she can be at it. She has really stepped up and made some big shots for us during the year. I even asked her to step up to the line to shoot technical fouls shots during the Idaho State game. That’s just how much confidence I have in Hillary right now in how she is playing.”

Last week’s wins over Weber State and Idaho State were the first consecutive victories for the young Cowgirls this season. With a tough Mountain West Conference slate in the horizon, these final non-conference games are important not only for their experience, but for their confidence.

“We were kind of in a win-lose pattern. Now, we’ve won two in-a-row, so hopefully we can keep on a roll and get our third straight win,” Carlson said.

The goal for the Cowgirls as a team is shaping up a lot like what Legerski is expecting out of Carlson as an individual.

“Just get better every day,” she said with a smile.

Cowgirls stop Idaho State

Wyoming-Idaho State boxscore

POCATELLO, Idaho — The Wyoming Cowgirls won their second straight game for the first time this season, stopping Idaho State 61-55 on Saturday.

With the thrilling 78-75 comeback win at Weber State on Thursday, the Cowgirls are now 5-3 on the season.

“At the start tonight, I told them that we can’t go out there and win one and lose one, and that’s what we’ve been doing,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said on the post-game radio show on the Cowboy Sports Network. “It was time to start putting some of these together. We have not played our best basketball by any stretch of the imagination. But we’ve played well enough to be in all of our games and we’ve found ways to win the last two, with the Weber State victory probably one of the most amazing comebacks that I have been involved with, and then tonight was just a hard-fought physical game.”

The Cowgirls were led by senior Megan McGuffey with 14 points and seven rebounds. She was followed by sophomore Hillary Carlson with 13 points, while sophomore Jade Kennedy had a career-high 11 rebounds. Wyoming shot 21-of-54 (.389) from the filed and 15-of-22 (.682) from the free-throw line. They out-rebounded the Bengals 38-36 and committed 15 turnovers.

Chelsea Pickering led Idaho State (3-6) with 19 points, while Oana Iacovita recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Bengals shot 21-of-60 (.350) from the field and 6-of-15 (.400) from beyond the arc.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, with Wyoming leading 19-17 at the break. The Cowgirls used a 10-1 run to overcome a three-point deficit early in the second half and never trailed again. Wyoming led by as much as 13 (52-39) before the Bengals closed the gap at the end.

“I think this game was very physical,” Legerski said. “When that happens, I think that takes away from the focus shooting the basketball and worrying about the defensive side, which showed in the shooting percentage of both teams. It shows the way people are defending, not giving up anything and it really felt like a conference game, where each possession is so important. I thought Megan McGuffey gave us a big lift today, and came out and really attacked the basket. Also, Hillary Carlson is playing extremely well with her 13 points and five rebounds, but her three blocked shots were big.”

Wyoming will host North Dakota State Saturday at the BlueCross BlueShield of Wyoming Shootout in Casper, with tip-off at 1 p.m.

Cowgirls rally for win over Weber State

Richard Anderson photo

Wyoming sophomore Hillary Carlson, shown earlier this season, hit a big three-point play with 6.4 seconds left to lift the Cowgirls to an improbable 78-75 win over Weber State Thursday night.

Wyoming-Weber State boxscore

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowgirls had nothing to lose in the second half Thursday night against Weber State.

Wyoming already trailed by 23 points at halftime and came out with a little different mindset and it paid off. The Cowgirls rallied in the final 20 minutes for an improbable 78-75 win over the Wildcats at the Dees Events Center in Ogden, Utah.

Despite the huge deficit, there was no panic in the Wyoming locker room at halftime.

“The biggest thing was to just stay calm with this group,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said on his postgame show on the Cowboy Sports Network. “When we went in at halftime, I pulled up a chair and sat down. We talked about Weber State playing with a great deal of energy and they basically made everything they shot. It almost put us back on our heels."

The Wildcats (3-3), who defeated Washington earlier in the season at home, came out on fire, hitting 15-of-20 from the field, including five 3-points, for a 47-24 halftime lead.

But Wyoming senior Megan McGuffey came out and opened with a 3-pointer to give the Cowgirls some life. UW would eventually go on an 18-1 run to pull back within two with about six minutes left.

After several lead changes, the Cowgirls (4-3) made the big plays at the end to win the game.

Trailing 75-73, sophomore Hillary Carlson grabbed a miss by freshman Emma Langford and put the ball in the basket as she was fouled with 6.4 seconds left. Carlson converted the three-point play for a one-point lead.

Weber State tried a full-court, out-of-bounds pass but threw the ball away giving the Cowgirls the ball back under their own basket. Langford was fouled and she connected on both of her free throws with 5.0 seconds left. Weber State then fumbled the ball into Langford’s hands and never got a shot off to end the game.

Legerski said they basically changed everything in the second half.

“We had a game plan where we were only going to switch some on ball screens. I thought we really had some problems with that …. maybe a little too much thinking," he said. “We just came out and said, switch everything they do and make plays, and more importantly when we rotate, somebody has to rebound the backside defensively.”

Langford led the Cowgirls with 20 points, followed by Carlson with 15 points and McGuffey and senior Elisabeth Dissen with 13 and 12 respectively. Scheffler and Jade Kennedy had nine points each, which Kennedy leading the way with nine rebounds.

“We got a big lift out of Jade Kennedy and Hillary Carlson off of the bench,” Legerski said. “None so more than what Jade was able to do rebounding. Nine rebounds, nine points. Hillary had 15 and 6 and none bigger than when we found Hillary at the end and she made the conversion of the three-point play to put us up. Then it was just about defense at the end. Emma steps up at the line and makes two free throws. The good part was we were able to defend and not even give up a shot. That was big in this game.”

The Cowgirls shot 54 percent in the second half.

“With this group, I have been trying to find their role,” Legerski said. “Megan, Elisabeth and Rebecca (Vanderjagt), as seniors, have always been in role positions. Now all of the sudden they are asked to step up in a primary leadership role. I think by changing that, sometimes there is more pressure on people. It looked that way at the beginning. I thought we started to relax in the second half. We had nothing to lose, we’re down 23 points. It’s easy to shoot because, now for all intense purposes, the game may have been over. We started making some shots and started to get on the roll.”

Wyoming will return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. against Idaho State at Pocatello.

Hanging onto the ball key for Cowgirls

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming freshman Ashley Sickles looses the ball earlier in the season against Gonzaga.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Field goal attempts equal more opportunities to score. Turnovers take away those opportunities.

For the Wyoming Cowgirls these days, turnovers are an issue.

“We’re averaging close to 20 turnovers a game” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said. “You start doing that, you’re going to end up being .500, and that’s where we sit right now. We just need to make sure that we become better with the basketball and we do it quickly.”

The Cowgirls, 3-3, look to work on some of those problems this week on the road when they face Weber State Thursday night and Idaho State on Saturday.

At times this year, the young Cowgirls have shown the ability to overcome their own mistakes with outstanding shooting from Emma Langford and Kristen Scheffler. But the two freshmen have also played like freshmen at times.

Without the experience of junior point guard Aubrey Vandiver, who is still out with an illness, the calming effect has not been there for the youngsters at times.

“I think it is huge not having Aubrey,” Legerski said. “We were solid at the point guard position coming in, and with the loss of Aubrey, we’ve had to play people with zero experience. It’s a growing time for them, a learning time for them. But it is also a difficult time for this team.”

Time is running out for Wyoming if it wants to see Vandiver on the court. Legerski said if she isn’t ready by the first of the year, she will be redshirted.

“Then we’ll wait for her to finish her last two years after that,” he said.

The tough Wyoming schedule won’t get any easier for the Cowgirls on Thursday, as they face a good Weber State team, beginning at 7 p.m.

“The schedule is what it is,” Legerski said. “Weber State is undefeated a home, they’ve had a big win against the University of Washington at home and they are playing very well. They’ll come at you in an attacking mode, a lot of ball screens, trying to get to the basket. If you make mistakes, they’ll shoot the 3. Caitlin Anderson leads Weber State (3-2), averaging 20.2 points and 9.6 rebounds, while Ali Thorderson is adding 14.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.

Langford leads Wyoming in scoring with 15.5 points and 4.2 assists per game. Senior Megan McGuffey is leading the way with 7.7 rebounds, while chipping in 9.5 points per contest.

“”We’re going to have to take care of the basketball, start making those free throws and getting those opportunities, what I call easy baskets,” Legerski said. “If we start doing that, we’ll be OK.”

Cowgirls fall to Ducks

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon took advantage of 22 Wyoming turnovers to hold off the Cowgirls 51-45 on Saturday.

“We gave the other team too many opportunities with our turnovers,” said UW head coach Joe Legerski. “Oregon has great size, which we had a difficult time handling. We went to the zone, which really got us back in to the game. I attribute some of it to our youth, but at some point we need to get over those growing pains and move forward as a group.”

Freshman Emma Langford led the Cowgirls with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists, while sophomore Hillary Carlson added eight points and three other players had six points. Senior Rebecca Vanderjagt finished with a team high six rebounds. As a team, Wyoming shot 18-of 50 (.360) from the field and 5-of-13 (.385) from beyond the arc.

Oregon was led by Amanda Johnson with 13 points and seven rebounds. Micaela Cocks and Ellie Manou each finished with 12 points each. The Ducks shot 17-of-52 (.327) from the field and 13-of-14 (.929) from the free-throw line.

The Cowgirls got off to a slow start, but battled back with seven straight points to cut the Oregon lead to 25-22 at halftime.

The Ducks would come out in the second half and lead by as much as 14 (47-33), before the Cowgirls made a late push.

Wyoming continued to try and chip away at the lead as they went on a 7-2 run to make it a 49-40 game with just over four minutes left in the game. Langford and freshman Ashley Sickles would hit a couple of baskets to pull them to within four, 49-45, with 51.7 seconds remaining in the game. That was as close as Wyoming would get as Oregon hit a pair of late free throws to close the scoring.

The Cowgirls continue on the road next week, facing Weber State on Thursday and Idaho State on Saturday.

Cowgirls rally past Boise State

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming sophomore guard Randi Richardson looks to get past a Boise State player Tuesday in the Cowgirls 62-55 come-from-behind win.

Wyoming-Boise State box score

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

If Wyoming coach Joe Legerski knew that every time his team would fall behind, it would come back and win, there would be fewer worries on the Cowgirls bench.

But Legerski knows better. For the third straight game, the Cowgirls (3-2) dug themselves a bit of a hole. At least for two of those three games, they found a way to get out of it. On Tuesday, Wyoming did just that, stopping Boise State 62-55 in the Arena-Auditorium.

Against North Dakota last week, Wyoming falls behind by 11 before winning by 25. Against Gonzaga on Sunday, the Cowgirls trailed by 16 before coming back to cut the lead to four, only to lose by 10. Against Boise State, Wyoming found itself down by 15 in the first half and was down by 13 at halftime.

“It was a tale of two halves, there is no doubt,” Legerski said.

This is not exactly how Legerski draws things up. Just why this young Cowgirl team has a problem getting out of the gates remains to be seen. In fact, Legerski wants to know and he plans on asking them. On Tuesday night, he traced their slow start to energy … or the lack of it.

“I thought we came out, for whatever reason and played with very little energy, very little emotion,” Legerski said. “Whether that is the carry-over from Sunday’s game, whether all of the sudden you are turning around and playing almost immediately, whether they were looking forward to Thanksgiving …”

Senior forward Megan McGuffey isn’t sure what happened or why it is happening to the Cowgirls. But it is. She said it is never a good thing to be down, let along by double figures.

“Luckily in the second half, we picked up our defense and started picking up some shots,” McGuffey said.

The difference between first and second halves came on the defensive end. Legerski said they talked about coming out and extending their defense and getting into Boise State’s passing lanes. And of course, they talked about playing with some energy.

“Or you were going to come out and sit by me,” Legerski said.

The Cowgirls got the message.

“They are the only ones who could turn it around, and I thought they did a tremendous job,” he said. “When you take a look at the shooting percentages -- in the first half 45 percent from Boise, to 15 percent in the second half. I thought we really picked up the pace defensively and tried to make some things happen.”

As was the case in the previous two games, the Cowgirls had figure out how to stop their opponent before making a game of it. Wyoming did that, holding the Broncos to just four field goals in the second half that included a nearly 10-minute basket drought. Wyoming outscored Boise State 38-18 in the final 20 minutes.

It all came from, you guessed it, energy.

“When I talk about that, it is about getting to shooters. I thought in the first half, Boise State did a great job of getting 3-point shooters open,” he said. “We broke down defensively more than once. We needed to come out and really get to some shooters. We were able to do that and we started to make some shots and that brings your confidence back.”

The Cowgirls energy on the court then drifted into the stands, as the Wyoming fans came alive as well.

“Our fans are tremendous. They make a difference,” Legerski said. “That’s the biggest change over my six years here. We may have dropped a game my first or second year. The fans now are not going to let you.”

After shooting just 29 percent from the field in the first half, the Cowgirls chipped away at Boise State’s lead and caught and passed the Broncos (48-46) on a pair of free throws each by sophomore Hillary Carlson and freshman Emma Langford. It was Wyoming’s first lead of the game at the 6:17 mark.

The two teams traded leads before the Cowgirls got driving layups by Carlson and McGuffey for a 59-55 advantage with a minute to play. Wyoming closed with one free throw by senior Rebecca Vanderjagt and two by Carlson to clinch the win. Langford bounced back from a tough game on Sunday to lead the Cowgirls with 21 points, while Carlson had a season-high 13 points. McGuffey added nine points and 13 rebounds.

“It’s always to have these games early when they kind of have you in a corner pinned,” McGuffey said. “We really overcame a lot of adversity. In that second half. It was a great win for the team.”

The difference came on the free-throw line, as Wyoming was 22-of-32, while Boise State was 12-of-19.

“We couldn’t keep them off of the free-throw line,” Boise State coach Gordy Presnell said.

Brittany Moore led Boise State (2-3), with 16 points, including 13 in the first half. Boise State hit 6 of 9 3-pointers in the first half, but just 1-of-5 in the second half.

“In the first half, we shot the ball so well from the perimeter that we might have had a false lead to begin with,” Presnell said. “We shot the ball so well and we haven’t done that all year."

Wyoming gets back to the road on Saturday when it faces Oregon in Eugene.

Cowgirls host Boise State

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming senior Elisabeth Dissen goes up for a shot against Gonzaga on Sunday.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowgirls just finished playing a strong Gonzaga team on Sunday and head coach Joe Legerski could only look forward and scratch his head.

No breather here. In fact, another tough matchup as the Cowgirls host Boise State Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium.

It’s a schedule that ,if it doesn’t damage the young Cowgirls’ psyche, will only make them battled tested for the Mountain West Conference season.

After an opening win over Denver, the Cowgirls went to Missoula and played a good Montana team before falling in the final minutes by seven. Next was North Dakota at home against a coach who has won 86 percent of his games -- the Cowgirls won 100-75.

Gonzaga is the defending West Coast Conference champs and 5-0 this season and the Cowgirls fell behind big early before losing by 10.

Boise State is the defending WAC champions and favored to win this year.

“The challenge for us right now is we are in a section of our schedule where Boise State is the two-time defending Western Athletic Conference champ and they have been picked to win it again this season,” Legerski said. “We ended up finishing a game with Gonzaga, which is in the same situation. We’re playing high level, high quality teams. The biggest thing is that we have to be able to move forward as a group and just worry about getting better ourselves and making sure that we get good play from our seniors and then our freshmen continue to grow.”

Then, there is Pac 10 Oregon on the road on Saturday.

The Broncos are currently 2-2 overall this season. Marisa Stotler leads the way, averaging 11.5 points and eight rebounds per game, while Ja'Lara Walker is adding 10.3 points and five rebounds. They return three starters and eight letterwinners to a team that went 24-9 overall and 12-4 in the Western Athletic Conference a year ago.

Legerski said the Broncos’ depth will be hard to match.

“They are going to play 10 players double-digit minutes,” Legerski said. “When you have that, it makes the scout a little more difficult because you cannot zero in on one person. They’ll have six or seven different players take anywhere from five to eight shots. What we have to do is approach this game where we’re going to try to contain them, keep them in front of us and challenge shots.

“I was pleased with the rebounding that we had against Gonzaga. We’re going to need that kind of effort against Boise State, to get to the glass really strong. They are going to end up having a little more quickness that we do. The defense as a team is going to be very important.”

The Cowgirls are led this year by a pair of freshmen -- guard Kritsen Scheffler and wing Emma Langford. Both are averaging 15.5 points a game.

On Sunday, Scheffler had a career-high 21 points and Langford, who scored 26 against North Dakota, struggled with just five points and 10 turnovers.

Senior Megan McGuffey is averaging 10.5 points and 7 rebounds a game.

Legerski said that Scheffler will start again at the point guard position, with sophomore Randi Richardson continuing to recover from a knee injury that she suffered against North Dakota.

“We’re going to be able to bring Randi back,” Legerski said. “It is so early in the season. She could have played more on Sunday, but that was just the decision. Kristen was playing very well and we just decided to go that way. Randi will be a big part of our rotation.”

Junior guard Aubrey Vandiver, who would have been the starting point guard, is still struggling with mononucleosis. Legerski said there is no time table for Vandiver’s return.

“I spoke to Aubrey on Sunday before the game and she even went home then to rest some more,” he said. “I think we just want Aubrey to get healthy and then we’ll worry about basketball.”
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WYOMING COWGIRLS (2-2 overall)
Probable Starters
12 Kristen Scheffler G 5-11 Fr. 15.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg
24 Megan McGuffey G 5-11 Sr. 10.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg
33 Elisabeth Dissen C 6-1 Sr. 8.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg
10 Rebecca Vanderjagt F 6-3 Sr. 3.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.0 aspg
21 Emma Langford F 6-2 Fr. 15.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.0 aspg
Off The Bench
3 Randi Richardson G 5-7 RSo. 4.5 ppg, 2.0 aspg
4 Gemma Koehler F 6-1 Jr. Has not played this season
13 Ashley Sickles F 6-1 Fr. 4.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg
14 Jade Kennedy F 6-1 So. 6.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
15 Leah Fitzgerald C 6-2 Fr. Has played in one game
20 Aubrey Vandiver G 5-11 Jr. Has not played this season
22 Brenna Freeze G 5-11 Fr. Has played in one game
41 Hillary Carlson F 6-3 So.3.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg
45 Mallory Cline C 6-4 Jr. Has played in one game
BOISE STATE BRONCOS (2-2 overall)
Probable Starters
13 Jamia Malone G 5-7 Sr. 4.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
20 Jenna Galassi G/F 5-10 Sr. 2.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg
22 Brittany Moore G 5-7 Sr. 2.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg
34 Janie Bos F/C 6-1 So. 3.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg
42 Ja’Lara Walker C 6-4 Jr. 10.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Off The Bench
2 Heather Pilcher G 5-8 Fr. 6.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg
3 Courtney VanBrocklin G 5-7 Fr. 3.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg
12 Tasha Harris G 5-7 Sr. 17.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg
15 Jessica Thompson G 5-9 Sr.Has not played this season
21 Melissa Rima F 6-2 So. 3.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
23 Marisa Stotler F 6-1 So. 11.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg
24 Stacie Gross F 6-0 Fr. 2.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
25 Ainsleigh Sanders F 6-1 So. RHas not played this season
32 Sierra Moeller F 6-1 So. 1L 4.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg
50 Rebecca Kepilino F 6-0 Jr. Has not played this season

Cowgirls fall to Gonzaga

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming's Jade Kennedy loses the basketball as she collides with Gonzaga's Kelly Bowen on Sunday. Kennedy was called for an offensive foul on the play.

Wyoming-Gonzaga box score

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Joe Legerski knew that these kind of days were out there. He just hopes that they are far and few between.

Sunday was one of those days. The young Cowgirls showed their youth and inexperience, falling to a veteran Gonzaga team 68-58 in the Arena-Auditorium.

The Cowgirls fell behind early, by as much as 16 points, and trailed by 12 at halftime. Wyoming made a couple of pushes in the second half, but could get no closer than four points. The Bulldogs, now 5-0 on the season, took control down the stretch to remain unbeaten.

“I thought tonight we played as freshmen at times,” Legerski said. “Gonzaga is very talented. They came out very aggressive, and I think we tried to make plays that were not there. When you try to do that against a very talented team, the rotations take passes away. At times we did not adjust.”

Wyoming senior post Elisabeth Dissen said they just got behind against a good team and could not quite come back.

“We picked it up a lot in the second half and played very hard,“ Dissen said. “We got down to (four), but just couldn’t get it any closer.”

While the Cowgirls (2-2) had problems hanging on to the basketball (20 turnovers), they also had troubles shooting, especially in the first half (25 percent from the field). Wyoming missed several close-in shots that would come back to haunt them.

“We missed a lot of easy shots and I give Gonzaga credit for that,” Legerski said. “They really made it a situation where we were starting to rush everything. I thought they rotated tremendously on defense. Now all of the sudden when we have some draw and kicks, we’re looking for defenders instead of looking for the basket. When you shoot poorly from the free-throw line and you miss as many bunnies as we missed tonight, that tells me we are looking for things instead of focusing on shooting the basketball."

Freshman wing Emma Langford and senior Megan McGuffey combined to make just 4-of-25 from the field in the game.

One Cowgirl who didn’t have problems shooting the ball was freshman guard Kristen Scheffler, who led the way with 21 points, including hitting 6 of 8 3-pointers. It was Scheffler’s first start of her college career, as she replaced sophomore Randi Richardson, who is struggling with a slight knee injury.

“I was nervous. But once you get out on the court you do what coach taught us. It wasn’t too bad once we got started,” Scheffler said.

Scheffler and Langford are tied with the team lead in scoring at 15.5 points a game.

“Coach gave me the green light. In practice one time, I actually had to sit out because I didn’t shoot. I just don’t hesitate and shoot when I am open,” Scheffler said.

Legerski said that Scheffler is a player who coaches often describe as having “it.”

“She plays with a great deal of confidence She is a tremendous shooter and she does not get rattled,” Legerski said. “She plays way beyond her age. We’re excited to be able to see that.”

Dissen, who finished with nine points and 10 rebounds, said that although they were sluggish on offense, they learned from their mistakes and it will benefit the team down the stretch.

“We need to be tougher and not be afraid to take the same shots that we always take, even though they are a good defensive team,” Dissen said.

The Cowgirls had problems against the hawking Gonzaga defense, with Langford guilty of 10 of those miscues. While Langford has shown an unique offensive ability as a freshman (26 points last Thursday), she has also been prone to turn the ball over at times this season.

“We try to talk to Emma about not trying to make something happen on every catch. It’s OK to make a pass and allow somebody else to make something happen,” Legerski said. “Emma is going to grow. I think we all just got used to seeing Emma make shots and make plays and think that she was never going to have an off night. I know tonight, she had a difficult evening. Emma will come back in practice and get right back at it and work extremely hard. She’ll have very few of these games.”

The Cowgirls chipped away at the Gonzaga lead in the second half and moved within four points with 6:18 left on a basket by Dissen.The Bulldogs, however, got 11 points by Heather Bowman in the final minutes to preserve the win.

“Positively, there was no give up with this team. To be down 13 at halftime, as many as 16 in the first, to fight back and get it as close as five, I thought it showed a tremendous amount of determination. I was pleased with the way we played,” Legerski said.

Bowman led the Bulldogs with 28 points, followed by Courtney Vandersloot with 18. Gonzaga is the returning West Coast Conference champions with four starters back from that team.

The Cowgirls won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as they host Boise State Tuesday at 7 p.m. After Thanksgiving, Wyoming hits the road for the first of three games away form the A-A when they take on Oregon. The Cowgirls will also face Weber State and Idaho State in early December on the road.

“I think sometimes it makes it easier to play right away because we start concentrating on that game,” Dissen said. “We’ll go in tomorrow with the normal practice time and look at that game, with this game behind us. We’ve learned from it and we’ll move on.”