The Wyoming Cowgirls are set to play their first Mountain West Conference road game of the season as they face Fresno State on Saturday, University of Wyoming Athletics reports.
Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. Mountain Time, and the game will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network, with radio coverage by David Settle on the Cowgirl Radio Network. This marks the only meeting between the two teams this season.
The Cowgirls (7-6, 1-0 MW) opened their conference campaign with an impressive 73-53 victory against Utah State on Wednesday. Leading the charge was Malene Pedersen, who tallied 22 points, marking her second 20-point game of the season. Allyson Fertig contributed 14 points, while McKinley Dickerson and Kati Ollilainen added 11 points each. Ollilainen, making her first career start, also recorded five assists without committing a turnover. Emily Mellema showcased her versatility with six rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Fertig continues to be a standout performer, ranking among the top two in the Mountain West in seven statistical categories. She also leads or ranks near the top in multiple national and conference metrics. Mellema adds further depth, ranking fifth in the league in assists per game (3.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.67), while also contributing nearly two steals per game.
Defensively, Wyoming excels, leading the Mountain West in scoring defense at 58.5 points allowed per game. The team is also among the conference’s top performers in field goal percentage (43.2%) and blocks per game (3.5).
The Bulldogs (7-1 at home) are led by Mia Jacobs, a standout All-Mountain West honoree. Jacobs averages 17.8 points and 10 rebounds per game, ranking among the conference’s best. She has also shown range from beyond the arc, making 26 three-pointers at a 36.6% clip. Mariah Elohim adds scoring depth with 10.3 points per game and leads the team in three-pointers made with 31.
Fresno State averages 63.4 points per game while allowing 63.7. The Bulldogs excel at forcing turnovers, averaging 15.6 per game, and have solid perimeter shooting, converting 35% of their three-point attempts. However, they face challenges in rebounding, with a minus-three margin on the boards.
Fresno State holds a narrow 22-20 lead in the all-time series against Wyoming. The Cowgirls, however, have dominated recent matchups, winning the last five games and seven of the past eight. Wyoming has also found success in Fresno, winning their last two games on the Bulldogs’ home court. Key players like Fertig and Pedersen have delivered strong performances in this series, with Fertig averaging 17.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in four career games against Fresno State.
