Basketball New Zealand

Micaela Cocks (Image Sport NZ)

GoDucks.com
When the University of Oregon needed her most, Tall Ferns guard Micaela Cocks took over on the offensive end and led the Ducks to a 78-66 victory over Wyoming on Sunday afternoon at Arena Auditorium.

A one-time 22-point advantage was dwindled to as little as nine as Wyoming opened the second half on a 15-9 run, but Cocks scored 15 of her team-leading 17 points in the second half to lead Oregon to its ninth win of the season.

The Ducks, now 9-2, are off to their best start since the 2004-05 season – the last time Oregon advanced to the NCAA Tournament – and have matched their win total from last year’s 9-21 campaign.

Wyoming (9-2) was handed its first loss at home this season.

Oregon was without senior guard Taylor Lilley for almost the entire second half, as the sharp-shooter left the game with about 17m 30s to play after suffering a right ankle injury. Before the setback, Lilley had been leading the Ducks with 14 points and a game and career-high six steals.

Wyoming closed within nine, 52-43, after two quick three-pointers from Aubrey Vandiver with 14: 53 to go. But the Ducks responded with a 9-2 run thanks to buckets from Nia Jackson, Kristi Fallin, Victoria Kenyon and Cocks that had Oregon back up 61-45 with 10:22 remaining.

Cocks’ second-half three-pointer extended her streak of games with a trey to 27 and she is the only UO player to reach double figures in all 11 games this season. She has now led Oregon in scoring for three consecutive game.

But it wasn’t just Cocks on the scoreboard for Oregon, as Jackson scored 14 and added three assists and three steals. Sophomore forward Amanda Johnson added 10 points and six rebounds, while Kenyon had a solid effort with eight points and a team-leading eight rebounds.

The Ducks shot 46.2% (30-of-65) for the game, dropping off more than 10 points from the first half to second as the elevation of 7,220 feet began to take its toll.

Oregon outscored Wyoming 42-18 in the paint, and scored 27 points off Wyoming’s 26 turnovers.

Wyoming was led by Vandiver’s double-double of a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Hillary Carlson added 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Cowgirls shot 34.9% from the floor.

Oregon’s fast-paced offense and high-pressure defense frustrated Wyoming as the Ducks went into the locker room with a healthy 45-28 advantage.

The Cowgirls shot just 32.3% from the floor in the first half, as the Ducks forced 21 turnovers to get Wyoming out of its rhythm.

Lilley led Oregon with 14 points, but seven Ducks got on the scoreboard in the first half as Oregon shot 51.5 percent (17-of-33).

Oregon led by as many as 22 in the first half, but Wyoming did close the first period on a 10-5 run.

The Ducks established a 20-point lead, 24-4, with 11:27 remaining in the first half after Lilley converted a layup on the dish from Lindsey Saffold.

Oregon’s full-court pressure helped the Ducks surge to an 11-0 lead, holding Wyoming without a field goal until the 14:17 mark, as the Cowgirls went 0-for-9 during the stretch and committed nine turnovers.