RENO, Nev. (Jan. 7, 2026) – The Wyoming Cowgirls got off to a slow start and spent the rest of the game clawing its way back and even forced overtime. But it was not enough Wednesday night as Wyoming fell on the road 70-60 at Nevada in OT.
Nevada came out on fire to start the game, making its first seven shot attempts, including its first three from 3-point range. The Wolf Pack jumped out to a 20-7 lead, including 20-10 at the first media timeout. Following the media, Nevada hit another 3-pointer as it led 23-12 after one.
It was a different story in the second quarter, as the Cowgirls outscored the Wolf Pack 15-7 in the frame. Wyoming made 5-of-7 from the floor down the stretch of the second quarter to get back within striking distance. Henna Sandvik's 13 first half points helped trim the UW deficit down to 30-27 at the half.
Both teams opened the third quarter with layups before a Jane Rumpf 3-pointer cut the Cowgirl deficit down to 37-36 before the third quarter media timeout, as both teams got tough shots to fall to open the half. Following the timeout, the Wolf Pack continued to get tough, contested shots to fall as the Cowgirls couldn't get over the hump in the frame. Wyoming trailed 45-41 after three.
Malene Pedersen's layup opened the scoring in the fourth. From there, an Aurore Eyango layup tied things for the first time in the contest. After a Wyoming timeout, the Wolf Pack would score the next two baskets to go up by four. Following a pair at the free-throw line from Pedersen, Nevada would hit a layup before a Pedersen 3-pointer and a Lana Beslic steal and score forced a Nevada timeout with 3:52 remaining as the Cowgirls took their first lead of the night.
Out of the timeout, the two teams would trade stops before a Wolf Pack 3-pointer on another offensive rebound, was then followed by a Sandvik corner three. Nevada would once again hit a tightly-contested mid-range jumper the next time down the floor to reclaim the lead with under two minutes left to play. The Cowgirls got the ball back three times trailing by just one with under a minute to play but missed a good look from beyond-the-arc, then turned the ball over the next possession and missed another shot on the next trip. After the Wolf Pack split a pair at the line, Pedersen would hit two clutch free throws of her own with 2.7 left to tie things at 59-59.
In overtime, it was all Nevada as it came out and hit another tough shot on its first possession of the extra frame. The Wolf Pack would score the first five points of overtime thanks to hitting a desperation heave from 30-plus feet as the shot clock expired that banked in. UW would get to within four, but that was as close as it would get the rest of the way as Nevada pulled away late.
Sandvik led the Cowgirls with 18 in the loss. Pedersen, thanks to her free throws to end regulation, reached double-digit scoring for the 34th consecutive game as she finished with 12. Logann Alvar and Beslic scored nine points each. Beslic and Pedersen led the Cowgirls with three assists each while Beslic and Rumpf both had a team-best six rebounds on the night.
Nevada ended the night shooting 49.2-percent from the floor while the Cowgirls shot 39-percent and made 8-of-26 from 3-point range. Wyoming got out-rebounded by 12 in the loss as the Wolf Pack outscored the Cowgirls 10-0 in second-chance points. Nevada also had a 34-26 edge in points in the paint and scored 11 points off 12 UW turnovers. Wyoming scored just seven points on 14 Nevada miscues.
The Cowgirls return home Saturday with a contest against reigning regular season Mountain West champion UNLV at 2 p.m.
-WYO-