First Conference Road Win For Cougar Women, Defeat Air Force

Colorado Springs, CO. (Feb. 1, 2001) Four players in double figures gave BYU's women's basketball team a huge advantage and their first conference win on the road with a 74-59 victory over the Air Force Academy, Thursday.

The win improves the Cougars record to 3-3 in MWC action and 11-8 overall. The Falcons fell to 0-6 in conference competition and 3-16 on the year.

Despite playing most of the game without two of their starters, BYU dominated the entire game taking an 18-point 37-19 advantage at the break. Heather Cheesman came off the bench to lead the Cougars with 15 points and five rebounds. Other double-digit scorers included Stacy Jensen with 14 points, Jennifer Lietner with 13 and Lisa Osguthorpe contributing 12 points in the contest.

"This was a total team win for us," said head coach Trent Shippen. "We played very well, came ready, we stuck to our game plan and we had several players step up to the challenge."

BYU's biggest challenge was playing without their leading scorer, All-American Erin Thorn who injured her knee in the CSU game last month. Also out of the Cougars line up was center Caroline Beus who twisted her ankle in Thursday's game.

The Cougars held the Falcons to a low 19 percent shooting from the field in the first half of play and out rebounding them 34 to 22. BYU shot 55 percent from the field and 80 percent at the free-throw line.

For the Air Force it was Wendy Stillman coming off the bench to lead her team with 15 points and four rebounds. The Falcons finished the game shooting 36 percent from the field.

The Cougars stay on the road for more conference action, as they travel to Albuquerque to take on the New Mexico Lobos, Saturday night in a 7 p.m. tip off. That game can be heard live on the web by clicking on the KBYU-TV sports web site.