LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls each faced tough conference matchups on Wednesday night, with the Cowboys taking Mountain West leader New Mexico down to the wire in a 71-67 road loss, while the Cowgirls secured a hard-fought 64-56 victory over Air Force at home.
Despite a strong shooting performance, the Cowboys fell just short in a back-and-forth battle inside The Pit. Meanwhile, the Cowgirls used a dominant second-quarter surge to take control against the Falcons, led by standout performances from Allyson Fertig and Malene Pedersen.
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Cowboys Take Mountain West Leader New Mexico Down to Wire in 71-67 Loss
The Wyoming Cowboys battled Mountain West leader New Mexico down to the final moments but ultimately fell 71-67 inside The Pit on Wednesday night. Despite shooting over 50 percent from both the field and beyond the arc, Wyoming struggled with 18 turnovers, which proved costly.
“For us to come in here and do what we did, it says a lot of who we are becoming,” Wyoming head coach Sundance Wicks said. “Once again, what this team lacks, and I told the locker room, is we lack real deep-seeded belief. Where does that come from? It comes from being in a culture and being around beliefs that minutes matter and moments matter. But it was death by a thousand paper cuts. Consistency requires time, and that’s where culture is important and what we are building.”
Wyoming shot 61.5 percent in the first half—its second-best first-half percentage this season—and finished the night shooting 53.8 percent overall and from three-point range. The Lobos were held to 41.8 percent shooting, and both teams grabbed 36 rebounds.
Obi Agbim led Wyoming with 22 points, marking his 21st game in double figures and seventh with 20 or more points. A.J. Wills added 12 points, his fourth double-figure game of the season, while Cole Henry contributed 10 points. Dontaie Allen led all players with a career-high 11 rebounds, and Jordan Nesbitt added eight points and seven rebounds.
The Cowboys started strong, taking a 7-2 lead in the opening minutes and extending it to 16-7 midway through the first half. Wyoming maintained its momentum, hitting key three-pointers to build a 39-29 halftime lead. However, New Mexico responded with a 10-0 run to open the second half, tying the game at 39-39. The teams traded leads, with Wyoming briefly pulling ahead 63-59 on an Agbim jumper with under four minutes left.
New Mexico’s Nelly Junior Joseph tied the game at 63-63 with two minutes remaining before a late Lobo three-pointer and free throws secured their 71-67 victory. The Lobos were led by Donovan Dent’s 20 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while Tru Washington added 15 points.
The Cowboys now turn their attention to the Border War against Colorado State, set for Saturday at 2 p.m. inside Moby Arena, airing on the Mountain West Network.
Second Quarter Surge Helps Cowgirls in 64-56 Win Over Air Force
Behind dominant performances from Allyson Fertig and Malene Pedersen, the Wyoming Cowgirls earned a 64-56 victory over Air Force on Wednesday night. Fertig (30 points) and Pedersen (20 points) combined for 50 of Wyoming’s total points, helping the Cowgirls overcome a slow start with a decisive second-quarter run.
Wyoming began the game hitting its first five shots but saw Air Force keep pace, leading to a 19-19 tie after the first quarter. The Falcons surged ahead early in the second, taking a 26-20 lead before Fertig sparked a turnaround with three consecutive layups. A Pedersen three-pointer pushed Wyoming ahead 29-26, and the Cowgirls closed the half on a 17-2 run to lead 37-28 at the break. Fertig dominated with 21 points and nine rebounds in the first half alone.
Both teams traded baskets in the third quarter, with Wyoming maintaining a double-digit lead for much of the period. Despite Air Force’s defensive adjustments, the Cowgirls entered the fourth up 48-39. A Pedersen three-pointer midway through the final frame helped Wyoming hold off the Falcons, who made a late push but couldn’t overcome the deficit.
Fertig finished 12-of-14 from the floor, including her first three-pointer of the season, while adding 15 rebounds and three blocks. Pedersen shot 7-of-11 and knocked down three of Wyoming’s six made three-pointers. The Cowgirls shot 46 percent overall and converted 12-of-16 free throws, while Air Force shot 40.7 percent but struggled at the line, going 8-of-15.
“I thought we were a little flat in the first quarter,” Wyoming head coach Heather Ezell said postgame. “It was a lot of a preparation thing. We expected (Air Force) to press us and get up and make every catch tough, and credit to them, they changed from the first meeting. It made us have to work a little bit differently than what we prepared for, so that first quarter was flat, but then I thought we figured it out in the second.”
The Cowgirls remain home for their next matchup, hosting San Jose State on Saturday at 2 p.m. inside Arena-Auditorium.
