The Lady Frogs are building another conference winning streak after pulling away with a win against Colorado State on Wednesday.Despite a losing road record this season, the win in Fort Collins, Colo., increased the team’s Mountain West Conference record to 7-3 as the Frogs start looking toward the conference tournament in March.
“We had another roll game, which is big for us,” said senior forward Hanna Biernacka.
Biernacka said a slow start in the first half didn’t deter the team from making big plays in the second. During the game, the Lady Frogs set a school record sinking 75 percent of its 3-pointers (12-16), half of which came during the second period.
But, Biernacka said, the team will need its defense to step up even more in its home game Saturday against Air Force.
“They work hard and they play hard,” Biernacka said about the team’s upcoming opponents. “We’re going to have to outwork them.”
Senior forward Ashley Davis, who scored 20 points Wednesday, said the Lady Frogs need to start coming out harder in the first half as the season gets closer to an end.
“When you’re striving for a championship like we are, you have to start scoring in the beginning of the game,” Davis said. “It’s going to be hard to try and come back against stronger teams in the conference tournament.”
Davis said the Air Force game Saturday will be tough but that the Frogs are ultimately a stronger team.
“We’re stronger at the guard position,” Davis said. “We have guards that can take it to them.”
Freshman guard Shayla Moore, who tallied nine points Wednesday, seems primed to do just that.
The key to the team’s success is playing team ball, Moore said.
“We gelled well together,” Moore said about Wednesday’s game. “But we’re going to have to work hard and play together going into Air Force.”
Davis said he agreed the team was coming together well.
“We’re on a roll now,” Davis said. “We’re finding our identity.”
All three girls have confidence the Lady Frogs can take the conference championship this year.
“Our team is good enough to win it,” Moore said. “That’s been our goal since the beginning of the season.