Cowgirls Face Tough Test in UNLV Saturday at Home
- University of Wyoming Athletics Press Release
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
LARAMIE, Wyo. (Jan. 8, 2026) – The Wyoming Cowgirls return home Saturday for a 2 p.m., contest against four-time defending Mountain West regular season champion UNLV.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network and can be heard across the Cowgirl Radio Network with David Settle and Jennifer Aadland on the call.
ABOUT THE COWGIRLS
Wyoming is coming off a tough overtime loss on the road Wednesday evening at Nevada. After falling behind by 13 in the first quarter, the Cowgirls battled all the way back the rest of regulation to force overtime. In the extra frame, UW unfortunately ran out of gas as it was outscored 11-1 in the extra five minutes of action. Henna Sandvik led the Cowgirls with 18 points on the night as she becomes the first Cowgirl not named Malene Pedersen to outright lead the team in scoring in a game this season.
In conference-only play, Pedersen (17.8 PPG) and Sandvik (13.6 PPG) rank first and ninth, respectively in the Mountain West in scoring. The 31.4 combined points per game are the highest amongst two teammates in the league this season. UNLV is the next-closest with a combined 30 per game from its top-scoring duo. The Lady Rebels do have a third player averaging 14.6 a contest, however.
Overall this season, Pedersen leads the league averaging 16.9 points per game and has scored 10-plus points in 34 consecutive games dating back to last season. Pedersen has scored in double figures and has made at least one 3-pointer in 22 consecutive games. It is the third-longest active streak in Division I, behind only Abilene Christian's Payton Hull (30) and Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes (24). Pedersen is fifth in the MW shooting 45.3-percent from the floor this season while her 39.7-percent shooting from 3-point range ranks third. Her 2.07 3-pointers made per contest also ranks third in the conference.
As team, Wyoming continues to share the ball effectively this season. The Cowgirls rank third in the league averaging 13.5 assists per game and are assisting on over 64-percent of their field goals in 2025-26. UW also ranks fifth in the league with a 0.88 assist-to-turnover ratio and in blocks with 2.9 a contest. The Cowgirls commit the fewest fouls in the league, committing just 12.6 a game, a mark that is eighth-fewest in the country.
SCOUTING UNLV
UNLV is the four-time defending Mountain West regular season champions and enter Saturday's contest once again atop the league standings at 5-0. The Lady Rebels, who played a tough non-conference slate, average 67.1 points per game and allow 63.3 a contest. UNLV is shooting 41.7-percent from the floor and nearly 34-percent from 3-point range. Opponents are shooting just 39-percent and 31.5-percent from beyond-the-arc. The Lady Rebels are plus-three on the glass this season and average 13.1 assists per game.
The Lady Rebels are led by a quartet of scorers in Jasmyn Lott (14.2 PPG), Meadow Roland (13.8), Aaliyah Alexander (10.6) and Shelbee Brown (9.5). In conference play, Roland, Brown and Lott rank third, fourth and fifth, respectively in the league in scoring. Brown averages nearly a double-double as she is pulling down 9.7 rebounds per game. Alexander leads UNLV with 47 assists (3.1 APG). Roland records nearly two blocks per contest while Brown has a team-high 35 steals.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST UNLV
UNLV leads the all-time series 32-29. Wyoming's 71-66 Senior Night win in last season's regular-season finale snapped a six-game skid in the series for the Cowgirls. UW is 19-9 in Laramie all time against the Lady Rebels.
Don't forget to sign up for our email list, and follow us on our socials!
Subscribe to receive our newsletter here (no spam, we promise): Subscribe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pokesnews
X (formerly known as Twitter): https://x.com/Pokes_News
Comments