The Wyoming Cowgirls basketball team will face UCLA in the first round of the NCAA tournament Monday night.
The 14th-seeded Cowgirls are playing in just their second-ever NCAA tournament, while UCLA is making its fifth straight appearance and was 16-5 on the regular season. Wyoming left for Austin,Texas Tuesday and will be allowed to practice onThursday, if players pass their COVID-19 tests. Wyoming enters the tournament on a six game winning streak.
Head Coach Gerald Mattinson said this week that his squad is playing at a high level.
"I think we are playing at our peak, and I think that's where you want to be...playing your best at this time of year," said Mattinson.
He said the key is that the team's offense has caught up with its defense.
"We've defended every game, and I just kept telling them and felt all along that if we could combine the two, that we're gonna be somebody that's hard to beat," added Mattinson.
While he's thrilled to take a team to the tournament, Mattinson added that he's also happy for the entire state. Gametime is Monday night at 8 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN.