Wyoming center Allyson Fertig continued her dominance over Air Force on Wednesday, delivering a commanding 30-point, 15-rebound performance to lead the Cowgirls to a 64-56 victory in Laramie.
Despite being accustomed to high-altitude conditions, Air Force (14-10, 4-8 Mountain West) struggled to contain the 6-foot-4 Fertig, who has consistently been a challenge for the Falcons throughout her career. The Glendo, Wyo., native has averaged 16.9 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting an impressive 83% (55-of-67) in eight career games against Air Force. Wyoming (15-9, 9-3) has won seven of those matchups.
The Falcons put up a fight, even holding a 26-20 lead at one point in the second quarter. However, Wyoming responded with a dominant 17-0 run, fueled by Fertig’s presence in the paint and key contributions from Malen Pedersen, who added 20 points. Fertig set the tone early, making her first seven shots, including her first 3-pointer of the season, despite Air Force’s attempts to slow her down with defenders all 6 feet or shorter.
Air Force remained competitive, with four players scoring in double figures—Madison Smith (15), Milahnie Perry (14), Jayda McNabb (12), and Keelie O’Hollaren (11). However, struggles at the free-throw line (8-of-15) proved costly.
“That hurt. You don’t have to go 100 percent. But if you do, that’s a one-point game,” Air Force coach Stacy McIntyre told XtraSports AM 1300’s Ryan Kaufman after the game. “Those create momentum shifts, and when we needed them, they didn’t fall.”
The loss extends Air Force’s winless streak in Laramie, where they are now 0-25 all-time. The Falcons will look to bounce back when they host Colorado State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a key Mountain West matchup.
