Fresno State Stops Wyoming Cowgirls Win Streak, 66-64

Four turnovers inside of two minutes left spelled disaster, as the Wyoming Cowgirls lost at home to the Fresno State Bulldogs, 66-64, Wednesday night.

It was the first loss for Wyoming in over a month. You have to go back to Jan. 19 in a home setback against New Mexico, 75-78, to find the last time the Cowgirls came up on the short end. This also snapped a nine-game win streak, which was tied for the fourth-longest in program history.

Fresno State (18-9, 11-5) trailed UW 57-54 with 2:22 left. The Bulldogs forced the four turnovers and went on a 7-0 run in a span of 51 seconds. With 53.1 left, Fresno State had a 61-57 lead.

After free throws for both teams over the final 38 seconds, the Bulldogs held a 66-64 lead and had the basketball. On an inbound play in the backcourt, Fresno State turned it over, as Taylor Rusk came up with a steal for the Cowgirls. Quinn Weidemann got the ball in the corner, faked a three, and drove to the basket. Her runner just before the buzzer came up short off the glass.

Wyoming (18-6, 11-4) was led by Marta Gomez with 20 points on her birthday. Bailee Cotton added 19 points and seven rebounds. The Cowgirls shot 39 percent for the game. They had 16 turnovers that led to 19 points for the Bulldogs.

Fresno State was led by Maddi Utti with 26 points. Candice White added 18. The Bulldogs shot 57 percent from the field. They also went 15-17 (88%) at the foul line. Fresno State committed 18 turnovers in the game.

The entire game was tight. Neither team led by more than six points. Wyoming did have trouble with the Bulldogs’ trapping zone defense.

In the first, the Cowgirls made three 3-pointers and held a 15-12 lead. A Weidemann three-pointer gave UW an 18-12 advantage early in the second. Fresno State responded with six straight points and tied it at 18. Wyoming endured a pair of scoring droughts in the second period but still led 24-20.

Fresno State’s Genna Ogier made a three, and Candice White got a steal and lay-up that made it 25-24 Bulldogs. Cotton made a baseline jumper with five seconds left that gave the Cowgirls a 26-25 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the lead changed hands six times in the first four minutes. Gomez and Cotton got on a roll, as they combined for 18 of Wyoming’s 22 points in the period. UW held a 48-43 advantage after the third quarter.

The Cowgirls head on the road for their next game. They play at Air Force Saturday at 2 p.m. This is part of a stretch where UW plays four games in nine days to conclude the regular season. It’s adjusted for women’s teams to give a few days to prepare for the Mountain West Championships in Las Vegas March 10-13.