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)