The Wyoming Cowgirls improved to (5-2) on the young season with a 78-74 victory over Denver University in Laramie on Tuesday evening. Three players scored in the teens for the Cowgirls, led by 18 points from Karla Erjavec who hit seven shots from the field. Senior Bailee Cotton made hay at the free throw line with eight of her 14 points coming from the charity stripe. Cotton dominated the glass with 14 rebounds. Marta Gomez finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Quinn Weidemann chipped in a pair of three-point baskets and Taylor Rusk and Tereza Vitulova each scored seven points.

Erjavec was clutch down the stretch as Wyoming saw a 13-point halftime lead evaporate. Trailing by one point in the final minutes, she shook loose from her defender and completed a three-point play to help the Cowgirls retake the lead. On the next possession she drained a three-point basket to help put UW up for good. It was quite a performance for the 5’ 10” freshman who hails from Zagreb, Croatia.

The loss dropped Denver to (6-2) for the season despite four players in double-figures for the Pioneers. Courtney Smith and Madison Nelson each scored 15 in the effort.

The Cowgirls will play game two of a four-game home stand on Saturday, December 8 as they share the Arena-Auditorium with the UW Wrestling team. The ladies play the University of Idaho in the A-A at 1 p.m. followed up by a clash between #19 North Dakota State taking on #21 Wyoming on the mat at 5 p.m.

• Cowboys host South Carolina Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
The Cowboys return home as they play a Power-5 opponent in Laramie Wednesday evening with a 7 p.m. tip-off. Join Dave Walsh and Kevin McKinney for pre-game coverage on The Spur in Southwest Wyoming (105.3 FM / 940 AM Kemmerer & Diamondville), (1210 AM Afton Wyoming).

This is the first time South Carolina has played in Laramie since 2002. Many Cowboy fans will remember this was the game where Marcus Bailey injured his knee his senior season although the Pokes went on to win the game, 77-63. There are plenty of other connections between the two schools. UW head coach Allen Edwards’ brother Doug is on the Gamecock staff and Edwards played his high school ball under USC head coach Frank Martin.

The Cowboys are (2-6) on the season while the Gamecocks are (4-3)