Langford looking to get back to old self

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“I’m just pushing through it, trying not to think about it and trying to get back to the way I was playing. Yeah, I am dealing with a back problem, but I am getting through it and getting into rehab and all that stuff. I’m just playing through it and getting back.” -- Wyoming freshman Emma Langford

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By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

For much of the non-conference season, freshman Emma Langford looked like she would run away with the Newcomer of the Year award for the Mountain West Conference.

Then, she ran into a back injury and the conference schedule. Suddenly, Langford was on the bench and probably wondering if she would ever find her shot again.

As of late, the Australian native has been showing glimpses of her early self in a Cowgirl uniform.

On Wednesday night, she scored eight big points down the stretch to help the Cowgirls rally for a 52-50 win over New Mexico in the Arena-Auditorium.

“We have been waiting for Emma for a long time,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said. “I thought at Colorado State (18 points), she really seemed to be coming out of some things. Then she slipped back. I think she wants to win so much that at times she tries to hard. We just have to get her to get in the flow of things.”

It hasn’t helped that Langford has been hobbled with a back injury in the past month or so, which at times has limited her practice time. It’s been a physical and mental battle for her.

“I’m just pushing through it, trying not to think about it and trying to get back to the way I was playing,” Langford said. “Yeah, I am dealing with a back problem, but I am getting through it and getting into rehab and all that stuff. I’m just playing through it and getting back.”

Langford, averaging 10.1 points a game in her rookie campaign, came into Wednesday night averaging just 5.9 points a game in league play, shooting just .250 from the field. She had hit just 3-of-14 3-pointers in the previous seven league contests.

She hit a 3-pointer, two free throws and then a layup with 1:55 to play for a five-point Wyoming lead before she fouled out.

“It sure was nice to see one 3-pointer go in for her,” Legerski said. “That is something she can really do. We talk to her about that she has to do more things. Tonight, she got five rebounds and four assists. She is starting to turn into more of an all around player than just somebody who can score. Her confidence has no doubt been shaken over the last six weeks, and it is very important for her to have some games where she can build upon that.”