LARAMIE, Wyo. (Dec. 29, 2025) – The Wyoming Cowgirls return from the holiday break with a conference road contest to close the year 2025 with a Wednesday afternoon contest at New Mexico. The Cowgirls and Lobos tip-off at 1 p.m., Mountain Time from Albuquerque.
Wednesday'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.
ABOUT THE COWGIRLS
Wyoming (4-7, 1-1 MW) closed before the break with a 53-36 road loss at Fresno State December 20. Malene Pedersen led the Cowgirls with 17 points in the loss and has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in all 11 games this season. Pedersen leads the Mountain West in scoring this season, averaging 16.8 points per game and is averaging 19 points per game through two league games. Pedersen is second in the conference in shooting, hitting on 49-percent of her shots this season. Her 48-percent shooting from 3-point range leads the MW while her 2.10 3-pointers per game ranks third in the Mountain West. Dating back to last season, Pedersen has scored in double figures in 31 consecutive games.
As a team, Wyoming is third in the league averaging 13.6 assists per game and has recorded 20-or-more assists three times this season. The Cowgirls have assisted on nearly 65-percent of their made field goals this season. Payton Muma continues to lead Wyoming with 2.9 assists per game on the season and leads the team with 17 steals. Henna Sandvik is second on the squad in scoring, averaging 8.8 per game while her 4.1 rebounds per contest are a team high.
UW is fifth in the league in scoring defense, allowing just under 59 points per game. The Cowgirls allow just 28-percent shooting from 3-point range this season, a mark that is third in the conference. Wyoming's 72.7-percent team free-throw percentage is third in the Mountain West while its assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fifth in the league.
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
New Mexico has the top scoring offense in the league this season, averaging 71.8 points per game. The Lobos shoot it at 41.6-percent overall as a team this season and makes nearly 31-percent from 3-point range. UNM is allowing 63.2 points per game while opponents shoot 38.3-percent from the floor and 30.5-percent from beyond-the-arc. New Mexico averages over 41 rebounds per game and has a plus-5.3 rebounding margin. The Lobos average 13.3 assists per game and 17.7 turnovers a contest. UNM forces opponents into 18.3 turnovers per game and is averaging nearly 11 steals per as a squad.
Destinee Hooks leads the Lobos in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game. Cacia Antonio also averages in double figures with 11.2 a contest. Antonio is second on the team in rebounding with 4.8 boards per contest. Emma Najjuma has a team-best six rebounds per contest. Alyssa Hargrove's 2.9 assists per game leads New Mexico. Nayli Padilla is shooting a team-best 36.5-percent from 3-point range and has 27 made 3-pointers on the season.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST NEW MEXICO
New Mexico leads the all-time series with the Cowgirls, 47-41. Wyoming's 59-40 win last season in Laramie snapped a four-game skid in the series for UW. The Cowgirls are looking for their first win in Albuquerque since February of 2022 and have lost the last three at The "Pit".
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