The Wyoming Cowgirls (17-12) lost 82-81 against the UCLA Bruins (16-12) in another heart-wrenching triple overtime contest during the WNIT Sweet Sixteen on Thursday, March 24.
“To keep playing is just fun. You keep going and keep moving forward and keep getting more opportunities,” Head coach Gerald Mattison said.
“Maybe when this is done, I’ll look back. I don’t remember a situation, and I’ve been around for many years, going down the stretch where I’ve been involved with a team playing three of four teams in overtime.”
Fans of the Cowgirls were disappointed but proud of the way the team played.
“I’m a huge basketball fan, and I love coming to the games to support the cowgirls. This game especially has been wild and so fun to watch, win or lose,” Austin Shields said.
Cowboy’s Head Basketball Coach Jeff Linder even bought 300 tickets for students to use tonight, in an attempt to get some fans to attend the game,
This was the biggest student turnout of any women’s basketball game this season, and the fans did not disappoint.
They were standing and cheering on the Cowgirls even when they were losing. There was definitely love and pride mixed in with anxiety in the stands tonight.
“I definitely was nervous going into the third overtime,” Fan Braxton Applegate said.
“There was so much on the line, and even though we lost, it was so much fun just to be there and feel the energy in the arena.”
The energy was a lot of back and forth between pride for the Cowgirls and anxiety over what was going to happen next.
The Bruins had the lead at the end of each quarter until the fourth quarter, when the Cowgirls made an incredible comeback that tied the game.
They continued to tie the game up until the very last couple of seconds in the third overtime when UCLA made a comeback, beating them by only one point.
The Cowgirls led in rebounds with 54 and tallied 17 points from the free throw line, but it wasn’t enough. 25 turnovers played a role in the Cowgirls struggle to overcome UCLA.
UCLA’S Charisma Osborne led the Bruin squad in scoring, earning them 20 points throughout the game.
Two Pokes, #11 Alba Sanchez Ramos and #14 Quinn Weidemann, scored 21 points for the Cowgirls leading their squad in scoring.
But even with the Cowgirls having the top scorers and home-court advantage, it wasn’t enough to overcome the UCLA Bruins.
UCLA will now go on to face Oregon in the WNIT Elite Eight.
