Cowgirls Open Final Road Swing Tonight at New Mexico

* University of Wyoming press release

LARAMIE -- The Wyoming Cowgirls open their final road trip of the regular season Thursday with a 7 p.m., trip to New Mexico. The matchup with the Lobos is Wyoming’s second-to-last road game of 2022-23.

Thursday’s game will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network and can be heard across the Cowgirl Radio Network with David Settle on the call.

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ABOUT THE COWGIRLS
Wyoming (17-8, 10-4 MW) is coming off a 2-0 week at home last week which concluded with a 62-56 victory over Air Force. Allyson Fertig capped off her perfect shooting week from the field Saturday with a 7-for-7 day against the Falcons. Fertig tallied a game-high 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the game and finished the week 15-of-15 from the floor. Quinn Weidemann and Malene Pedersen also finished the game in double figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

For her efforts last week, Malene Pedersen was named the Mountain West’s Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season, announced Monday by the league office. Pedersen averaged 11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game against USU and AFA while shooting an even 50-percent.

Pedersen also received the honor Dec. 12, Jan. 9 and 30th.

The Cowgirls have been solid on the road this season, posting a mark of 5-2 in conference contests away from home in 2022-23. In conference action this season, Fertig is leading the way for the Cowgirls averaging 13.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting an incredible 61.3-percent from the field, a mark that leads the Mountain West. Weidemann and Pedersen also average in double figures in league games this season at 11.1 and 10.8 points per, respectively. Weidemann leads the team with 18 3-pointers made in MW action and is averaging better than a steal per contest. Pedersen, meanwhile, is shooting 50-percent from the floor and 96.4-percent at the free-throw line.

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
New Mexico is led by Shaiquel McGruder, who is averaging 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 2022-23. McGruder is also one of the Mountain West’s top defenders, averaging two blocks per game, a mark that ranks second in the league and 1.8 steals per contest, which ranks seventh. LaTascya Duff averages 13 points per game and leads the MW with 74 made 3-pointers (three per game) and is shooting 40-percent from beyond the arc

LaTascya’s twin sister, LaTora also averages in double figures this season at 10 points per game. LaTora is second in the conference averaging 4.8 assists per game.

The Lobos rank third in the Mountain West averaging 73.4 points per game and are shooting 43-percent from the field and 33-percent from 3-point range. UNM opponents are averaging 68.8 points per game while shooting 41-percent from the floor but just 29-percent from beyond-the-arc. New Mexico averages 8.6 steals per game and 15 assists per contest.

The Lobos are being out-rebounded by nearly four boards a game. UNM is 10-3 at home this season.

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST NEW MEXICO
Wyoming trails the all-time series 40-43 and won this season’s previous meeting Jan. 5 in Laramie, 78-69. The Cowgirls are just 12-25 in the series at New Mexico, but have won 4-of-5 at The Pit, recently, including winning on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Tommi Olson last season. In three career games against UNM, Grace Ellis is averaging 11.7 points per game on 56-percent shooting. Earlier this year against the Lobos, Pedersen tallied 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting.