Cowgirls Outlast Badgers, 50-42
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball team gutted out its
48th-straight non-conference home win on Sunday afternoon, earning a 50-42
victory over Wisconsin in the inaugural Big Ten-Big 12 Challenge in front of
2,189 fans inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Despite hitting just 13 of their 57 shots (23 percent) from the floor, the
Cowgirls once again used a strong defensive effort to improve to 8-0 on the
year. ’s defensive pressure gave the Badgers (2-7) trouble all day as the
Cowgirls forced 25 turnovers and outscored Wisconsin by a 23-5 count off
miscues.
“It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it is a win. We knew coming in that it was
going to be hard to get them out of the style they like to play. They like
the game in the 50s, are big and strong and take away the lane. I thought
they did exactly what we saw on film,” head coach Kurt Budke said.
“I can’t remember very many wins like that in my career. It is kind of what
these kids have been doing so far is finding a way to get it done, hanging
in and hanging around and finding a way to get it done.”
The Badgers jumped out to a quick six-point lead four minutes into the
contest and led for much of the half until the Cowgirls took a 25-24 lead on
a pair of free throws by Tiffany Bias at the 4:27 mark. took its largest
lead of the half 30 seconds later at 29-24 on a layup by freshman Kendra
Suttles.
shot 32 percent in the first half, but took a 31-29 lead into the
intermission after forcing 14 turnovers.
The second half saw both teams hit just five field goals apiece and combine
to hit two of their 26 3-point attempts.
Senior Lakyn Garrison hit her lone 3-pointer at a crucial time, connecting
from the top of the key to put in front for good, 41-40, with 5:47 on
the clock.
With both squads struggling offensively, neither side led by more than two
until Bias hit a layup to put the Cowgirls in front 43-40 with 4:20
remaining. The Andover, Kan., native scored the game¹s next four points on
free throws before sophomore Toni Young added a layup with just under two
minutes remaining to extend the lead to 49-40.
Bias led all scorers with 14 points, while Suttles came off the bench to add
10 of her own.
Taylor Wurtz paced the Badgers with eight points and a game-high 15
rebounds.
Updated 12-06-2010
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