University of Wyoming release:

With the clock winding down in regulation, a three-point field goal by senior Kaylee Hoffman gave the Wyoming Cowgirl basketball team (2-0 overall) a 73-70 win over the Denver Pioneers (0-2 overall) on Tuesday night.

It was the Cowgirl seniors who led the way in the victory. Fallon Lewis recorded a career high 17 points along with a team high nine rebounds. She was followed by Chelan Landry with a career high 14 points while shooting 10-11 from the free throw line. Kayla Woodward recorded 13 points and six rebounds in her effort. Wyoming shot 23-62 (.371) from the field and 22-29 (.759).

Denver was led by Morgan Van Riper-Rose with a game high 22 points and eight rebounds. Three other players recorded eight points each. The Pioneers were 23-66 (.348) and out rebounded Wyoming 50-45.

"As I told the team in the locker room what a team effort this was tonight. Everybody stepped up and contributed tonight," said head coach Joe Legerski. "You take a look at the points and everyone that got in the game was able to deliver. We got tremendous play from Jordan SibrelKaylie Rader and Whitney Gordon. In the second half, we got in foul trouble and Chelan and Kaylee gave us a big lift. At the end, we made substitution to get Kaylee in the game defensively and she hit the game winner. Chelan pushed the ball, got to the paint, passed it out and Kaylee took her time and made a big shot."

The Pioneers jumped out early to a 6-0 lead with two field goals and a free throw. Kaitlyn Mileto got the Cowgirls on the board with a jumper with 17:41 on the clock. Each team hit a three-point field goal as Denver took an 11-5 lead into the first media timeout. Out of the break, DU scored seven of the next ten to extend the lead to double-figures, 18-8. Both teams went several minutes without scoring until a basket by Woodward stopped the drought for the Cowgirls. Her basket would start a 7-2 run for UW closing the gap to five, 20-15. Free throws from Spittel would slow down the Cowgirls, but baskets from Lewis and Mileto made it a two-point contest, 22-20. Neuhaus scored a layup to put the Pioneers up four, 24-20. Wyoming continued to battle back and evened up the score at 25 all. Jordan Johnston hit a three to give DU the three-point lead, 28-25. Free throws by Lewis made it a one point game, but the Pioneers went on a 7-0 run to give them an eight-point advantage, 35-27. The Cowgirls would fight back closing out the final three minutes on a 10-3 run to pull within one, 38-37, at half.

Woodward led all scorers for Wyoming with ten followed by Lewis with nine and Mileto with six. Lewis led the way with seven rebounds. DU was led by Van Riper-Rose with ten points and four rebounds, while Johnston added seven points.

Lewis scored a layup about a minute into the second half to give the Cowgirls their first lead of the game. DU scored the next four straight to give them a 42-39 lead. Over the next couple of minutes, the two teams played even as the Pioneers took a 46-43 lead in to the first media timeout. The game stayed within a basket range until a 6-2 run by Denver gave them a 54-49 lead with 11:57 to go. Two straight baskets by the Cowgirls made it a one point contest, 54-53. DU responded with five unanswered to pull ahead by six, 59-53, with eight minutes on the clock. Started by free throws by Whitney Gordon, they would go on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the game, 60-59. A free throw by Edwards tied it up at 60 all, but the Cowgirls scored five of the next six points to go up 65-61 with five minutes left in the game. After a layup by Wirth, Landry hit four straight free throws to make the score 69-63. Van Riper-Rose scored a layup with followed by two free throws to make it 70-67. With 13 seconds left, Van Riper-Rose hit a three-point shot to tie the score at 70 all. The Cowgirls had one last chance and Chelan Landry got the pass to Kaylee Hoffman who hit the three-point shot with two seconds on the clock to win the game 73-70.

The Cowgirls will return home on Friday, Nov. 12 as they host the Montana State Bobcats. The game is set to tip-off at 7:00 p.m. in the Arena Auditorium.

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