LARAMIE, Wyo. (January 17, 2019) – The Wyoming Cowgirl basketball team returns to the court following a Wednesday bye to face the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium. The Cowgirls are a perfect 8-0 at home this season, but face a stiff test as New Mexico brings its 14-2 record to 7,220 feet.
 
The University of Wyoming Athletics Department is offering federal employees impacted by the partial federal government shutdown up to four free tickets to enjoy UW home athletic events during the federal government shutdown. Cowgirl fans can show a valid federal employee I.D. at the ticket office for their tickets.
 
The game will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network and on Stadium, and can be heard across the 25 stations of the Cowgirl Radio Network with Reece Monaco on play-by-play and Wyoming Hall of Famer Margie McDonald with color commentary.
 
A LOOK AT THE COWGIRLS
The Cowgirls are 9-4 this season coming off a tough 50-42 loss on the road to Utah State. The Cowgirls are led offensively by senior forward Marta Gomez who averages 14.0 points per game while adding 4.7 rebounds per contest. Senior forward Bailee Cotton averages nearly a double-double with 10.8 points per contest and pulling down a team best 8.3 rebounds per game. Cotton has also taken a team-leading seven charges this season. Junior Taylor Rusk is scoring 10.5 points per contest while adding 44 assists and only 12 turnovers, the third best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country. Freshman Quinn Weidemann is the nation's No. 5-ranked three-point shooter, making 2.0 treys per game at a 48.1 percent (26-of-54) clip. Senior guard Clara Tapia is tied with Rusk in the assist department with 44 on the year. Defensively, freshman guard Karla Erjavec has recorded 18 steals this season, while Cotton has 10 blocks.
 
Offensively, the Cowgirls are shooting at a 46.5 percent (354-of-762) clip from the field while shooting 41.8 percent (115-of-275) from three and 74.7 percent (124-of-166) from the free throw line to average 72.8 points per game. The Cowgirls average 15.2 assists and just 10.9 turnovers per game. Opponents are shooting 42.5 percent (294-of-691) from the field, 36.8 percent (74-of-201) from three and 69.4 percent (109-of-157) from the free throw line to average 59.3 points per game. Cowgirl foes average 10.6 assists and 16.0 turnovers per game.
 
Head coach Joe Legerski is in his 16th year at the helm of the Cowgirls, and he has compiled a 298-181 record as Wyoming's head coach. He is the winningest coach in program history.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
The Lobos are 14-2 this season, including a 4-1 mark in the Mountain West following a 70-62 win over San Diego State. New Mexico is led by preseason all-MW selection Jaisa Nunn, who averages 14.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Just behind her in scoring, Aisia Robertson averages 14.6 points and a team-best 7.4 assists per game. Joining those two in double-digit scoring is Jayla Everett, who averages 13.2 points and 4.2 rebounds each contest. Nike McClure controls the paint for the Lobos with 7.0 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. Robertson has a team-best 42 steals this season on the defensive end.
 
The Lobos are shooting 40.9 percent (450-of-1099) from the field, 29.3 percent (112-of-382) from three and 64.5 percent (202-of-313) from the free throw line to average 75.9 points per game. New Mexico averages 15.9 assists and 16.9 turnovers per contest. Defensively, teams are shooting 34.7 percent (356-of-1025) from the field, 24.4 percent (83-of-340) from three and 64.5 percent (171-of-265) from the free throw line to average 60.4 points per game. Lobo foes average 10.8 assists and 20.0 turnovers per game.
 
Head coach Mike Bradbury is 54-28 in three seasons at New Mexico and 231-145 in 12 seasons as a Division I head coach.
 
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST NEW MEXICO
The Lobos narrowly hold a 39-37 lead in the longtime series between these two schools, but the Cowgirls have claimed the last six meetings and nine of the last 12. Last season, Wyoming picked up three wins against the Lobos, winning at home, in Albuquerque and at the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas.

UP NEXT
The Cowgirls will hit the road to take on San José State on Wednesday, January 23, in a Mountain West matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. (MT).