LARAMIE, Wyo. (Dec. 5, 2022) – All 12 Cowgirls that played scored Monday night as the Wyoming Cowgirls cruised to a 80-24 victory over New Mexico Highlands. The win gives UW a season-high three consecutive wins. The 56-point margin of victory is the ninth best in program history.
Wyoming (5-3) shot a season-high 53.3-percent from the floor and canned a season-best 10 3-pointers in the win. The Cowgirl defense was stifling, holding the Cowgirls of New Mexico Highlands to just 15.5-percent shooting from the field and forced 14 turnovers. Wyoming committed just seven turnovers and dished out a season-best 23 assists on the night.
"I thought our starters came out with that focus and that toughness that we have been talking about," said Head Coach Heather Ezell postgame.
"They were ready to go, and I thought they set the tone early. It was huge that we were able to play everyone tonight and getting a chance to play kids in different positions, seeing how they guard, getting some of the players playing more minutes and longer stretches. I thought all our kids produced well. I was happy with the effort."
Allyson Fertig got the Cowgirls off to quick start, scoring Wyoming's first three baskets as it forced a New Mexico Highlands timeout less than two minutes into the game. Out of the timeout, the Cowgirl start didn't stop, as three consecutive 3-pointers from the Cowgirls put the score at 15-2. Wyoming found itself in a drought the rest of the quarter but led 15-6 after one.
The Cowgirls opened the second with another strong start from the starting five, as Wyoming scored the first eight points of the frame. UW led 25-8 at the second quarter media timeout. The rest of the first half was controlled by Wyoming as it took a 36-12 lead into halftime.
The second half began, and it was all Cowgirls as UW scored 25 of the 30 points in the third quarter. 10 of those points were courtesy of Quinn Weidemann in a span of a minute and 22 seconds. Wyoming was cruising after three, 61-17.
In the fourth, it was run-out-the-clock time for Wyoming as they slowed down the pace on the offensive end of the court.
Grace Ellis and Weidemann led the Cowgirls with 13 points each in the win and combined to shoot 10-of-12 from the floor and 4-for-6 from 3-point range. Fertig, meanwhile, was just a rebound shy of a double-double as she had 10 points and nine boards. Bailey Wilborn added nine points off the bench, a high-water mark for her as a Cowgirl.
Tess Barnes had another solid all-around performance, as she scored seven points off the bench, pulled down four rebounds and had four assists to go along with a pair of blocks. Fertig led the way on defense for the Cowgirls with a season-best three blocks. Marta Savic recorded a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with four points. Paula Salazar had her best game of the season as she scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds. Grace Moyers hit a three in the win, her first-career points in the Brown & Gold.
Next up, the Cowgirls close-out their current three-game homestand as Kansas City comes to Laramie for a 1 p.m., contest Sunday. It will be Wyoming's final home non-conference game this season.
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