Cowgirls to host talented Aztecs

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowgirls get an extra spark in their step at home; the shots seem to fall almost at will.

That will have to be the case Wednesday night (7 p.m.) when the Cowgirls host San Diego State.
Oh yeah, the Cowgirls have to outscore the Aztecs.

“We have to be able to be aggressive offensively,” Wyoming coach Joe Legerski said. “I think that is what it comes down to, we have to be able to step up and as I always say, score some points. One thing that is very apparent, when we are held in the 50s, we don’t have a great chance. We have to get up and down the floor, we have to shoot the ball well, we have to put the ball on the floor and attack. It is very difficult at times. Yet, we have to stay the aggressor.”

When the Cowgirls score less than 60 points a game, they are 0-4. When they score more than 60, they are 14-3.

The Cowgirls are also 8-1 at home, 5-6 on the road and 1-0 on a neutral court.

“Playing at home always helps, regardless of the opponent,” Legerski said. “We’re more comfortable at home, we get great fan support. That’s the biggest difference for us playing on the road or at home. The next home games that we have with San Diego State and New Mexico are two teams that are playing very well, in the top half of our league. We’re going to need everything we can get from our fans, to being aggressive. To shooting the ball well and have an opportunity to win.”

The Aztecs, 6-3 in the MWC and 14-7 overall, are coming off a 65-58 loss against New Mexico. San Diego State is led by Jene Morris, who is averaging 15.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Jessika Bradley is averaging a team-high seven rebounds, while adding 8.3 points per game.

The Aztecs beat the Cowgirls 65-50 earlier in the season at San Diego. In that game, the athletic and physical Aztecs outrebounded Wyoming 41-29, grabbing 19 offensive boards that led to a 23-7 edge in second-chance points.

As is the case in most games, rebounding is a big key in Wednesday’s matchup.

“I think rebounding is important, but there are factors that you have to look at,” Legerski said. “Case in point, we had three offensive rebounds against Air Force. But we had very few missed shots. All of the sudden, the rebounding totals are going to be skewed on different or the other in a game. But we need to rebound, we need to get second-shot opportunities and you need to limit second-shot opportunities for your opponents.”

The Cowgirls, 14-7, 5-4, are coming off a big 69-52 win over rival Colorado State. They are led by junior Hillary Carlson, who is averaging a 15.2 points and 2.6 blocks per game. She is followed by fellow junior Aubrey Vandiver with 13.5 points and a team leading 9.5 rebounds per game, while Emma Langford is adding 11.7 points and 3.4 assists.