The Wyoming Cowgirls put on an impressive defensive display in a commanding 59-40 victory over New Mexico on Wednesday night at the Arena-Auditorium, Casper Star-Tribune reports.
The return of senior center Allyson Fertig provided a boost for Wyoming, helping the team avenge its earlier loss to the Lobos.
Wyoming (18-10, 12-4 Mountain West) controlled the game from the start, holding New Mexico to just 32% shooting from the field and a difficult 4-for-22 from beyond the arc. The Cowgirls effectively shut down New Mexico’s leading scorers, Viane Cumber and Destinee Hooks, who combined for only 11 points despite averaging over 15 points per game each.
“We worked on defense for two days straight in what we wanted to do,” UW head coach Heather Ezell said. “We wanted to tweak some things from what we did last time against them, and credit to our players because I thought we executed it perfectly.”
Cumber, one of the top three-point shooters in the Mountain West, was limited to 2-of-11 from beyond the arc, finishing with just eight points in 33 minutes. Amhyia Moreland led the Lobos with 12 points off the bench.
Fertig, returning to the lineup after missing Wyoming’s last game, led the Cowgirls with 15 points and nine rebounds in 34 minutes. The senior moved into fifth place on Wyoming’s all-time scoring list, passing Hanna Zavecz with 1,757 career points.
“I thought we had probably an 80 percent Al, and I knew there was going to be a little bit of rust to knock off,” Ezell said. “But what a difference it makes just to have her out there.”
Despite not being at full strength, Fertig’s presence helped Wyoming maintain control throughout the game. Malene Pedersen contributed 11 points and six rebounds, while McKinley Dickerson provided a spark off the bench with 10 points.
Wyoming jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first 11 points of the game. Pedersen and Emily Mellema capitalized on open lanes for easy layups, while Tess Barnes connected on a three-pointer to fuel the strong start.
The Cowgirls maintained a steady lead throughout the first half, going into the break up 31-23. Wyoming’s defense tightened even further in the second quarter, holding New Mexico scoreless for a five-minute stretch.
Dickerson played a crucial role late in the third quarter, scoring six points in the final minute of the period to help Wyoming close on a 9-0 run. That stretch gave the Cowgirls a commanding 49-32 lead heading into the final frame.
“I was super happy with the way (Dickerson) came in and was right in attack mode,” Ezell said. “I didn’t think there was anybody on New Mexico that could stop her on the block, and that proved to be true.”
Wyoming remained in control the rest of the way, never allowing the Lobos to threaten a comeback. The Cowgirls finished with just six turnovers while winning the rebounding battle 41-36.
With two regular-season games remaining, Wyoming faces a critical stretch. The Cowgirls will travel to Colorado State on Saturday for a matchup between teams tied for second place in the Mountain West standings. They will then host first-place UNLV on senior night in what could be a pivotal game for conference tournament positioning.
“For us, we’re looking at CSU and going, ‘OK, they got us the first time, so it’s our turn,'” Ezell said. “That’s the focus now—go take care of business down there before we turn the page to the next one.”
Wyoming and Colorado State tip off at 6 p.m. Saturday in Fort Collins.
