Cowgirl basketball opens at Denver

by UW Athletics Media Relations

The Cowgirl basketball team will open up the 2009-10 regular season with one game on the road and another at home this weekend.

Wyoming faces the Denver Pioneers Friday in Denver at 5:30 p.m. before hosting the Montana Lady Griz Sunday at 2 p.m. Live stats can be followed on www.wyomingathletics.com.

Wyoming went 2-0 during the exhibition season with a 72-36 victory over the Adams State Grizzlies and a 76-53 win over CSU-Pueblo. Aubrey Vandiver led the way with 14 points and six rebounds in the first game, while Emma Langford tallied a team high 19 points against the ThunderWolves.

This is the season opener for the Pioneers as well, who went 1-0 in exhibition play with an 82-54 win over Regis. They return three starters and six letterwinners to a team that went 16-15 overall and 10-8 in the SunBelt Conference a year ago. This is the 17th meeting between the two schools. Wyoming leads the series 13-3. The last time the two teams met was November 14, 2008 as the Cowgirls downed the Pioneers, 61-54, in Denver. Denver is coached by Erik Johnson who is in his second season with the program.

Montana went 1-0 in exhibition play and will take on Colorado State before playing the Cowgirls. The Lady Griz return two starters and eight letterwinners to a team that went 28-5 overall and 15-1 in the Big Sky Conference a year ago. This is the 34th meeting between the two teams. Montana leads the series 26-7. The last time the two teams met was Nov. 16, 2008, as the Lady Griz defeated the Cowgirls 71-64 in Missoula. Montana is coached by Robin Selvig who is in his 32nd season with the program.