The University of Wyoming Cowgirls basketball team beat Fresno State 74-57 this Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Arena Auditorium in Laramie.
Junior Bailee Cotton and sophomore Taylor Rusk both had 19 of the Cowgirls’ 74 points. Senior Liv Roberts had the second most points for Cowgirls, putting up 16.
“Since we lost (to Fresno State) the first time around, we sort of came back with a vengeance,” Bailee Cotton said. “We knew we could beat them and I think this game we really showed them what we can do.”
The Cowgirls lost to Fresno 60-47 on the road earlier this season. With only two more regular season games following this, the Cowgirls knew what they needed to do.
“It’s hard to play on the road but we know when we’re at home that the fans on our side and that the energy is going to be up,” Taylor Rusk said. “We’re a lot better of a team at home and we know that.”
After the first quarter the Cowgirls lead Fresno 20-12. After struggling offensively in the second quarter, the Cowgirls still led 35-28 going into halftime.
Coming out of the halftime intermission the Cowgirls went on a 13-0 run on Fresno, extending their lead to 20 points several minutes left in the third quarter.
“They started pressuring us and trapping us and I think we just kind of panicked right at the end of the first half,” Rusk said. “Once we got the ball to the middle of their zone and took our time, everything just started to click.”
At the end of the third quarter the Cowgirls still led 56-40 over Fresno State. During the fourth quarter, the Cowgirls kept playing consistent defense and offense and ended the game on top, beating Fresno 74-57.
“I’m extremely proud of this team,” head coach Joe Legerski said. “The challenge against Fresno is immense. The pressure they were able to apply and the traps they were running on, trying to trap us on the back court, so we had to change some things offensively to get people in position to attack… I’ve got to give credit, Fresno, they forced us to change our game at halftime.”
The Cowgirls take on Air Force this coming Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
