The Wyoming Cowgirls (13-9, 7-3) led from start to finish, routing the Broncos 79-45.
For a Boise State team who had the offense flowing earlier this week in a 89-80 win over New Mexico, the exact opposite occurred Saturday against Wyoming. The Broncos shot 30.5 percent from the field, including no less than 21 missed shots in the paint.
Credit as well to the Cowgirls defense, holding Boise State (15-8, 5-5) to only five attempts from three-point range. But many of those missed shots in the key were right at the rim, leading to a frustrating afternoon for the Broncos.
Boise State has now lost four straight games in Laramie, including a cold-shooting night in last season's loss. The good news? The Broncos get an opportunity to even the score on February 18 at ExtraMile Arena. And Boise State did defeat Wyoming in Boise last season, plus another victory over the Cowgirls in the Mountain West tournament.
Tatum Thompson was the only Bronco who scored in double digits, finishing with 11. Thompson also finished with five rebounds, tied with Alyssa Christensen for the team lead.
Wyoming's big three of Allyson Fertig, Emily Mellema, and Malene Pedersen had their way with Boise State on Saturday. Fertig finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds. Mellema scored 22 on 10 of 13 shooting (plus four steals), and Pedersen finished with 15 points and five assists.
The disappointing showing by Boise State is best served as fuel for the fire going forward. The best way to do that? Acknowledge the shortcomings and erase the effort, knowing big games loom in the coming weeks.
First half: Tough from the start
Along with cold shooting, foul trouble doomed Boise State in the first half. Easy missed layups contributed to the start, where it took over three minutes for the Broncos to score their first points on a Mya Hansen floater.
Wyoming jumped out to a 10-2 lead, hitting five of their first seven shots. Thompson sliced into the lead with an old fashioned three-point play, cutting the score to 10-7 at the 5:01 mark.
Boise State proceeded to not score another point the rest of the quarter, with the Cowgirls using a 10-0 run to close out the frame. During those final five minutes, Thompson and Abby Muse each picked up their second fouls.
The second quarter was not much better. Christensen also picked up her second foul and Wyoming continued to attack the interior. This eventually opened up shots from deep for the Cowgirls, with two late threes, extending Wyoming's lead to 38-21 at the break.
Muse also picked up her third foul with just over a minute left.
Nine of Thompson's points were in the first half. Only three other Broncos found the scoring column and Boise State was 8 of 29 from the field and 0 for 3 on three-point attempts.
Second half: Broncos never threaten
To open the third quarter, hopes were Boise State found changes in the locker room and could make a run. Saturday proved to be one of those games where nothing went as planned.
Muse picked up her fourth foul within 30 seconds of the half and Wyoming started by hitting four of their first five shots. No matter what combination of players the Broncos put together, no flow emerged. More shots in the paint certainly did not help, with everyone from guards to forwards missing shots at the rim.
Boise State, trailing by 26 entering the fourth, emptied its bench. Wyoming, however, kept their starters in for roughly the first six minutes of the quarter, their lead swelling in the process.
Allie Hueckman hit Boise State's only three-pointer of the night late in the game.
Elodie Lalotte finished with nine points off the bench. Natalie Pasco finished with six (all in the first half), with Hansen and Mary Kay Naro adding four each.
Rebounding was also a problem for Boise State, with the Cowgirls collecting 43 to the Broncos 28.
The loss dropped Boise State to seventh place in the Mountain West, though they are only two games back of third. The Broncos stay on the road, taking on the eighth place Nevada Wolf Pack on 2/5 before returning home to host Colorado State on 2/8.
Image credit: Flickr
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