From left, Emma Langford and Megan McGuffey
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Wyoming Cowgirls gave league-leading Utah a battle, but came up short in the final minutes as the Utes held on for a 64-57 win on Sunday.
Utah, 9-0 in the Mountain West, 16-6 overall, had its way against the Cowgirls the first time these two teams met in Laramie. Not this time. Wyoming stayed close and led on a few occasions in the first half and early in the second half before the Utes used an 8-0 to recapture the momentum. Utah was up by as much 11 before the Cowgirls made one final push.
The loss dropped Wyoming to 3-6 and 11-11.
“We are really pleased with the effort from the team,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski. “I thought the whole second half we played from behind. We played well and kept the game close, but most of the time we were down.”
Freshman Emma Langford continued to show flashes of her early-season self, as she led the Cowgirls with 20 points and four rebounds off of the bench. Senior Megan McGuffey finished with 14 points.
“Emma Langford and Megan McGuffey played extremely well and made plays for us,” Legerski said. “It was a possession here or there that made a difference.”
It was another strong performance from Utah’s Morgan Warburton and Kalee Whipple, who combined to score 50 of the team’s 64 points (77 percent). In the 70-52 win in Laramie, the two finished with 53 points. On Sunday, Warburton scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Whipple added 22 points and six rebounds.
Again, both teams struggled out of the gate in the second half. McGuffey’s 3-pointer put the Cowgirls up 31-30 by the first media timeout. It proved to be the final Wyoming lead, as Utah would score eight unanswered points and never look back.
The Cowgirls came back and cut the lead to five on Langford’s 3-pointer, but Utah scored five of the next seven points to end the threat. Wyoming did get back within six, but could get no closer .
"I was pleased with the effort today, this is a very difficult place to play," Legerski said. "I think in 36 years of basketball, Wyoming has won here twice. So going in, the odds are stacked against you and Utah has a tremendous winning streak going, they play extremely well at home. I thought Warburton and Whipple once again really stepped up and it was a huge difference in the ball game."
The Cowgirls return to action next Sunday when they host San Diego state at 2 p.m.
By Wyoming Sports.org
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Wyoming Cowgirls gave league-leading Utah a battle, but came up short in the final minutes as the Utes held on for a 64-57 win on Sunday.
Utah, 9-0 in the Mountain West, 16-6 overall, had its way against the Cowgirls the first time these two teams met in Laramie. Not this time. Wyoming stayed close and led on a few occasions in the first half and early in the second half before the Utes used an 8-0 to recapture the momentum. Utah was up by as much 11 before the Cowgirls made one final push.
The loss dropped Wyoming to 3-6 and 11-11.
“We are really pleased with the effort from the team,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski. “I thought the whole second half we played from behind. We played well and kept the game close, but most of the time we were down.”
Freshman Emma Langford continued to show flashes of her early-season self, as she led the Cowgirls with 20 points and four rebounds off of the bench. Senior Megan McGuffey finished with 14 points.
“Emma Langford and Megan McGuffey played extremely well and made plays for us,” Legerski said. “It was a possession here or there that made a difference.”
It was another strong performance from Utah’s Morgan Warburton and Kalee Whipple, who combined to score 50 of the team’s 64 points (77 percent). In the 70-52 win in Laramie, the two finished with 53 points. On Sunday, Warburton scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Whipple added 22 points and six rebounds.
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"That was one of those games with injuries and foul trouble, we really didn't have five on the floor," Utah coach Elaine Elliott said. "We had a makeshift lineup in the first half and we couldn't run anything with that lineup. But we survived when everything certainly didn't go our way."
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It was a struggle for both teams offensively through the first four minutes of this nationally-televised game on CBS College Sports, as they combined for just one basket each. The Utes would come out of the timeout and go on an 8-0 run to regain the lead, 10-2. An Elisabeth Dissen field goal would end an almost five minute scoring drought for Wyoming and the Cowgirls chipped away for their first lead of the game at 17-16. The two teams traded leads before 3-pointers by Wyoming’s Kristen Scheffler and Utah’s Josi McDermott would lock it up at 28-each at halftime.
Again, both teams struggled out of the gate in the second half. McGuffey’s 3-pointer put the Cowgirls up 31-30 by the first media timeout. It proved to be the final Wyoming lead, as Utah would score eight unanswered points and never look back.
The Cowgirls came back and cut the lead to five on Langford’s 3-pointer, but Utah scored five of the next seven points to end the threat. Wyoming did get back within six, but could get no closer .
"I was pleased with the effort today, this is a very difficult place to play," Legerski said. "I think in 36 years of basketball, Wyoming has won here twice. So going in, the odds are stacked against you and Utah has a tremendous winning streak going, they play extremely well at home. I thought Warburton and Whipple once again really stepped up and it was a huge difference in the ball game."
The Cowgirls return to action next Sunday when they host San Diego state at 2 p.m.
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