Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
West Virginia
Cowgirls Pick up First Win in New Arena
December 29, 2000 | Cowgirl Basketball
Dec. 29, 2000
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State had four players score in double figures, including a team-high 15 by Jessica Spinner, as the Cowgirls opened up the new Gallagher-Iba Arena with a 95-62 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers here Friday night before 2,510 fans.
Freshman Trisha Skibbe joined Spinner in the double-figure scoring category with 12 points, while Shelby Hutchens chipped in 11 and Jessica Bates added 10. Junior Kara Faulk was one point shy of her second double-double in as many games with nine points and 12 rebounds.
OSU outrebounded WVU, 53-33, including 24 offensive rebounds. West Virginia also turned the ball over 24 times, and shot just 35 percent >from the floor. Oklahoma State, however, shot its best of the season with a 48.7 percent peformance.
The Cowgirls never trailed in the game, and led by 10 points just seven minutes into the game at 14-4. That lead increased to 33 just seven minutes later as OSU went on an impressive 27-2 run, mostly fastbreak layups and short jumpers, and led, 41-8, with six minutes in the half.
"I was really pleased with the early part of the game," said OSU Coach Dick Halterman. "I was expecting a really tight ball game. We weren?t as intense in the second half and they were getting better looks (at the basket)."
After missing all seven attempts from three-point range in the first half, the Mountaineers shot 10-of-15 from behind the arc in the second period, including a 4-of-7 performance from their leading scorer, Alia Clark.
When asked about the first game for OSU in the new Arena, Faulk responded, "It was very exciting. We were pumped up before the game started. We didn?t expect that many fans to show up and that felt really good to have a home crowd."
The Cowgirls improve to 8-3 on the season and extend their home non-conference winning streak to 21 games. OSU will open the Big 12 Conference season on Wednesday, Jan. 3, as the Cowgirls taked on the Baylor Lady Bears in a 7 p.m. tipoff in Waco, Texas.
