LARAMIE — Wyoming basketball had a mixed evening Wednesday, with the Cowgirls securing their first victory of the season over Regis, 69-57, while the Cowboys stumbled against Texas Tech in a tough 96-49 loss.
The Cowgirls took control early in their home matchup, opening with an 8-0 run led by Malene Pedersen’s hot start. Regis cut the lead to two at the end of the first quarter, but Wyoming’s dominance in the paint set the tone as they took a 39-29 lead at halftime. Emily Mellema’s third-quarter scoring surge extended the Cowgirls’ advantage to 56-37, allowing Wyoming’s reserves to see playing time in the final minutes. Allyson Fertig led the team with a second consecutive 20-plus-point game, scoring 21 on 9-of-16 shooting, adding seven rebounds and four blocks. Pedersen followed with 17 points, and Mellema contributed 11.
Head coach Heather Ezell praised the team’s intensity but noted room for improvement. “At times we played really well, but there were moments when we relaxed and went through the motions,” she said. “I thought we did a better job tonight coming out of halftime focused, which was a big emphasis this week in practice.”
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The Cowgirls shot 46.6 percent from the field, with a significant edge in points in the paint (48-24) and a 44-34 overall rebounding advantage. Wyoming now looks to even its record as they travel to face Gonzaga on Sunday at 2 p.m. MT.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys faced a challenging game on the road against Texas Tech, who stifled Wyoming’s offense from the start. The Cowboys struggled with turnovers, committing a season-high 25, allowing the Red Raiders to score 40 points off those mistakes. Texas Tech jumped out to an early lead and capitalized on Wyoming’s scoring droughts, leading 46-20 at halftime.
Despite three-straight games in double figures for Obi Agbim, who led Wyoming with 15 points, the Pokes couldn’t find their rhythm, shooting only 34 percent for the game. Head coach Sundance Wicks emphasized the need to handle defensive pressure better. “There is no playbook for turnovers,” Wicks said. “The turnovers were a big thing, and it wasn’t good enough. This is a team loss tonight, and we need to learn from this.”
Texas Tech outshot Wyoming, finishing at 64 percent from the field and 56 percent from three-point range. The Cowboys will look to regroup as they return home to face Utah Tech on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT.
