Three Cowgirls scored 20 or more points for the first time this season in a dominant victory over the UNLV Rebels 99-68 on Saturday in the penultimate game at the AA for the women’s season.
“The balance was really there between Kaitlyn [Mileto], Kayla [Woodward] and Marquelle [Dent] to be able to score and more importantly you look at their assists,” head coach Joe Legerski said.
The UNLV Lady Rebels were coming off a three game road win streak as well as a five game win streak total before facing the Cowgirls. UNLV defeated the Cowgirls in their last contest, 58-55 in Las Vegas.
“The outcome of basketball games is determined by points. No matter what you do defensively, rebounding, it always comes out to who has more points,” coach Legerski said.
Senior Kayla Woodward paved the way for the Cowgirls. She scored 23 points, a game high. Kaitlin Mileto had 21 points and Marquelle Dent got her third double-double with 20 points and 10 assists. Dent is now seventh in cowgirl basketball history for assists with 336.
“For Marquelle to end up with a double-double tonight with 20 points and 10 assists in 30 minutes of the game that speaks volumes of how she played and got stronger as the game went on,” said coach Legerski.
“That was pretty awesome and fun to be a part of,” said Woodward.
Junior guard Jordan Kelly also notched nine rebounds, leading the Cowgirls. The Pokes shot a season high 61 percent from the field and 57 percent from behind the arc. As a team the Cowgirls had 42 points in the paint, 23 second chance points and out rebounded the Lady Rebels 34-26.
“You always sense it as a player when your shot’s falling, but I had no idea that we shot that well,” Mileto said.
“It’s rather simply stated that you need to shoot the ball well and make shots, which tonight was an example of that. It seemed like every shot we took especially in the first half found the bottom of the net,” said coach Legerski.
Wyoming plays its final conference road game of the season on Tuesday night against the Utah State Aggies. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. MT in Logan, Utah.
