Cowgirls look to avoid three-game skid against UNLV

Cowgirls coach Heather Ezell said that process began for most of the players almost immediately.

“A lot of our players turned that page on Sunday,” the coach said. “We got back into practice on Monday ready to go and ready to work to get ourselves the best prepared we can be for (tonight).”

The Cowgirls will be forced to turn the page quickly, as they host UNLV tonight in the Arena-Auditorium. UW will put its undefeated record at home on the line as it looks to avoid a three-game skid in a pivotal game against the two-time defending Mountain West champions.

“We’re happy to be back at home and excited to have UNLV (tonight),” Cowgirls guard Emily Mellema said after Saturday’s loss to the Rams. “Right now, we are focusing on turning the page to UNLV and going 1-0 with them.

“We’re really excited. This is the time for us that we need to start making some climbs, and hopefully (the CSU loss) and the Boise (loss) gives us a few lessons so that we can start doing that.”

The Cowgirls biggest factor in tonight’s game will come from getting Allyson Fertig involved more in the offense. The 6-foot-4 junior has led the team in scoring all season long, averaging just over 12 points per game. But Boise State and CSU have effectively neutralized Fertig’s impact on the game, holding her to an average of just five points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Fertig getting more involved on the offensive end will come from her ability to get better looks inside, but it will also stem from her teammates knocking down shots to help alleviate some of the pressure on her in the paint.

“The four of us outside just need to continue to be a threat outside and make them have to guard us, too,” Mellema said. “Obviously, having Allyson inside and making quick moves when we do get her the ball (is important to get her going), but again, the rest of us have to be threats.”

UNLV presents a unique challenge. The Rebels do a lot of things well on both sides of the floor, which makes game-planning against them a tall task. On top of that, the Rebels have one of the most dynamic players in the Mountain West.

Forward Desi-Rae Young sits second in the conference in scoring with just under 20 points per game. She also leads the conference in rebounding at 9.6 per game.

For Ezell, slowing down UNLV on both sides of the court will come down to focusing on what the team does best, rather than trying to recreate every set the Rebels run.

“It’s not going, ‘Hey, let’s scout every action and every set they run,’” Ezell said. “It’s mainly our principles and making sure we understand where we can provide gaps, who we can chase and who we can go under, as well as what we want to do in the post.

“If we can understand that and lock in on personnel, that takes care of a lot of their sets.”