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Colorado State Rams Wyoming, 59-56
CSU to face New Mexico in semifinals on Friday.
March 13, 2003
LAS VEGAS - For the third time in four years, the Colorado State women's basketball team defeated the Wyoming Cowgirls in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Championship, this year defeating them 59-56 in front of 3,563 fans at the Thomas and Mack Center. Junior forward Joy Jenkins nailed three free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining to break the 56-56 tie and give the Rams the victory. She led the team with 11 points, while senior forward Jackie Campbell, senior guard Katie Borton and freshman center Lindsay Thomas each chipped in 10 points. All eight players who saw action in the game scored at least two points and had at least one rebound. Senior center Shannon Strecker added three blocked shots in the game and Thomas led the team with seven rebounds. Senior forward Carrie Bacon led the Cowgirls, tying her season-high with 26 points and was the only Cowgirl in double figures in scoring. Ashley Elliott led Wyoming with seven rebounds and had a team high five assists. "This was good game," said Head Coach Chris Denker. "It was hard fought and our players fought and scratched their way through. We struggled with the physicality early and we showed a lot of character doing that. Carrie Bacon had a great, great game for Wyoming." There were seven ties and 12 lead changes in the contest. Colorado State took an eight point lead, 51-43, with 11:35 left in the contest after a 9-0 run when Wyoming would use a 15-2 run of its own to take a 56-53 lead with 3:40 in the game. Borton would then hit a three-pointer at the 1:27 mark to stop a 6:51 scoring drought and knot the game at 56-56. Jenkins would then put up a desperation shot with time expiring and would be fouled by Brenda Pickup to send her to the line for three attempts.
"We (Ashley Augspurger and I) kept hot-potato-ing it back and forth and
I put up a shot," said Jenkins. "I was fouled on the arm and all I
could think of was if I make one then they have to make a shot to beat
us."
Colorado State advances to the semifinal game for the fourth straight season and will face New Mexico, which defeated San Diego State in the opening round of the tournament earlier this evening. The Lobos and Rams split the games in the regular season, with each team winning on their home court. |
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