MOSCOW, Idaho—Junior Mikayla Ferenz scored a season-high 30 points but the Vandals could not hold off Wyoming on Saturday. Idaho played Wyoming tight all the way to the final buzzer, but the Cowgirls were able to hang on 70-64. 

How it Happened
Wyoming (6-3) gave Idaho a dose of its own medicine. The Cowgirls hit 10 3's on the night to out-shoot the Vandals from the perimeter. Idaho, coming off 15 3's in its win over Cal State Fullerton, was held to just five on the night. 

The Cowgirls started the night 6-for-15 from the field in the first quarter. Wyoming hit three 3's in the first 10 minutes, including a Clara Tapia 3 at the buzzer to put UW up 17-13. The Vandals shot just 1-for-3 from long range.

Idaho's woes from beyond the arc continued in the second. The Vandals shot 0-for-6 from 3 in the quarter, forcing the team to find scoring from other points on the floor. Ferenz and Geraldine McCorkell totaled 15 of Idaho's 17 second-quarter points. Idaho outscored Wyoming 14-2 in the point in the period. The Vandals enjoyed a 10-0 run that put Idaho up by seven, 30-23. Ferenz and McCorkell accounted for all 10 of the Vandal points in the streak. The Cowgirls answered back with a 10-2 run to close the final three minutes of the half, taking a 33-30 lead at the break.

Wyoming used another 10-0 run early in the third quarter, gaining its largest lead of the night, 43-32. Key 3's from Taylor Pierce and Ferenz helped Idaho answer back an 8-0 run, slimming the UW lead to 43-40. Both ended the quarter shooting 7-for-21 with 21 points as Wyoming maintained a three-point lead going into the fourth. 

Idaho (3-5) opened the fourth with a 6-0 run to retake the lead, 58-54. Wyoming answered back with a pair of baskets from Marta Gomez and Bailee Cotton, tying the game at 58 with 7:01 to play. Both defenses tightened up in the fourth, with each side holding the opposition scoreless for extended streaks. A McCorkell 3 gave Idaho a 63-60 lead with 4:54 left on the clock. Idaho's three-point advantage held until Taylor Rusk hit a 3 for the Cowgirls with 1:50 to play, tying the game at 63. Wyoming outscored Idaho 7-1 in the final 47 seconds to close out the game. 

Keys
The pair of Ferenz and McCorkell fueled the Vandal offense, scoring 52 of its 64 points. Ferenz went 12-for-21 from the floor to reach 30 points for the first time this season. McCorkell shot 50 percent (8-16) from the field, posting 22 points. 

Idaho found success down low, scoring a season-high 30 points in the paint. The Cowgirls totaled 14 offensive rebounds that netted Wyoming 18 second-chance points. 

Quotes
Head Coach Jon Newlee
Overall thoughts on the game
"It was a hard-fought basketball game. It always is when we play Wyoming. We know it is going to come down to the wire. We did not do a great job of keeping them off the glass and they made some big shots as the shot clock expired. Great job by them to stick with it. They hit their shots and we did not."

On Wyoming's long possessions
"They took the shots we wanted them to. We just didn't get around them on the glass. That was tough. We could have finished it out if we got some defensive rebounds there I thought. We didn't get any of them."

Junior Mikayla Ferenz
On finding ways to score
"It is hard [when the 3's aren't falling]. Taylor and I usually make those shots. They were pressuring us so it was easy to get to the basket. They were not great on-ball defenders. You just have to take what the defense gives you. I feel like that is going to happen a lot this year, defenses running out on Taylor and I. Especially after she hits nine 3's in a game."

Notes
Idaho has now hit a 3FG in 302 straight games…Idaho's five 3FGM was the least this season and fewest since its five against North Dakota last season (2/11/17)…Idaho got outscored 10-2 by Wyoming's bench…Idaho had a season-low six assists…Allison Kirby and Sarah Bersang both fouled out for Idaho.

Upcoming
The Vandals are off until Dec. 15 when they take on Seattle U. It will be Idaho's first game in the Cowan Spectrum and the first game of a doubleheader with the men's team. Tip is set for 5 p.m. PT.