Air Force Academy
Wyoming
Wyoming Defeats Falcons,
2/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 5, 2004
A quick offensive start by Ashley Elliott and Wyoming would help lead the Cowgirls to a 69-37 victory over the Air Force women's basketball team Thursday night in Laramie. The Cowgirls nailed six three pointers in the first 10 minutes, including four by Elliott, en route to the 32-point win.
The Cowgirls entered the game with the worst scoring offense in the league, averaging 50.8 points per game. Apparently no one told the players, as they came out firing on all cylinders early. The team hit 10 of their first 15 shots, including six treys, to take a 28-14 lead midway through the first half.
The Falcons' defense held Wyoming to just nine points in the final nine minutes of the half, but their offense struggled. The Falcons failed to cash in on several scoring opportunities, missing numerous lay ups and short jumpers. The team's leading scorer, Letricia Castillo, missed her first seven field goal attempts and the route was on. Wyoming was able to slowly increase its lead to 16 points, the largest of the game. The Cowgirls held a 37-25 advantage at the break.
Wyoming hit consecutive three pointers to open the second half and chances for an Air Force comeback looked grim. The Falcons would score just two points in the first eight minutes of the second half and would finish the half with just 12 points, their fewest in a second half this season.
Wyoming would finish the game with 14 three pointers, the most made in a single game by the Cowgirls this season and an Arena Auditorium record. Elliott, who is the conference's second leading scorer, finished the game with 29 points to lead all scorers. She was 10-of-17 from the field. Her seven three pointers tied a career high. Brenda Pickup added 10 points and would lead her team in rebounds with seven.
Air Force finished the game shooting 30.6 percent (15-of-49) from the field. They attempted just six free throws in the game, all in the second half. The Falcons, who have three players averaging in double figures in scoring, failed to have a player score more than eight points in the game. Castillo recovered from her slow start to score eight points. Briana Thomas and Amoy Jackson each notched seven. Jackson would leave the game early in the second half following a mid-court collision.
The Falcons, who have lost their previous 10 games, fall to 3-16 overall and 0-6 in the league. It was their worst loss against Wyoming since the Mountain West was formed in 1999-00. They play the final game of the two-game road trip on Saturday (Feb. 7) against interstate rival Colorado State. They are looking for their first road league win in their Mountain West history.
