FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — Fresno State used a 22-point fourth quarter to pull away from Wyoming for a 53-36 victory in a Mountain West women’s basketball game Saturday at Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs, who led 31-30 after three quarters, broke open a tight contest by outscoring the Cowgirls 22-6 in the final period. Danae Powell led Fresno State with 17 points, while Avery Watkins added 12. Malene Pedersen scored 17 points for Wyoming, which managed just two points in the second quarter. Fresno State (6-6) capitalized on Wyoming’s 18 turnovers, scoring 23 points off them. The Bulldogs also held a 32-18 advantage in points in the paint. Wyoming fell to 4-7 with the loss. Attendance was 1,210.

FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — The Fresno State Bulldogs used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from the Wyoming Cowgirls for a 53-36 victory in a Mountain West Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Save Mart Center. A tightly contested, low-scoring affair for three quarters turned decisively in the final period. Leading by just four points entering the fourth, Fresno State erupted for 22 points while holding Wyoming to six, turning a potential nail-biter into a comfortable 17-point win. The game’s defining stretch came early in the final quarter. With Fresno State leading 31-27, the Bulldogs opened with a 12-2 run over the first four and a half minutes. The surge was fueled by Avery Watkins, who scored six points during the stretch, and a critical three-pointer from Danae Powell that extended the lead to 39-29. Wyoming, which managed only two field goals in the entire fourth quarter, could not mount a response as their offensive struggles reached their peak. The contest was characterized by sloppy play and frigid shooting, particularly from Wyoming. The Cowgirls committed 18 turnovers, which Fresno State converted into 23 points. Wyoming’s offensive woes were stark, shooting just 32.5% from the floor and posting an offensive rating of 60.7 points per 100 possessions. A disastrous second quarter, in which they were held to two points on 1-of-12 shooting, set the tone for their offensive night. Fresno State, while not efficient, did enough to capitalize on Wyoming’s mistakes. The Bulldogs scored 32 points in the paint, won the rebounding battle 35-24, and collected 10 offensive boards leading to 12 second-chance points. Their defense was relentless, tallying 10 steals and 10 assists. Danae Powell led all scorers with 17 points for Fresno State, adding five assists. Avery Watkins provided a significant boost off the bench with 12 points and seven rebounds. Emilia Long orchestrated the offense with eight points and a game-high five assists. For Wyoming, Malene Pedersen shouldered the offensive load, scoring 17 points, but received little consistent support. No other Cowgirl reached double figures, with Madi Symons the next highest at six points. The win improves Fresno State to 6-6 overall. The Bulldogs, who had lost three of their last four, evened their record and gained momentum heading into conference play. Wyoming falls to 4-7 with the loss, snapping a brief two-game win streak. The Cowgirls’ offensive inconsistencies, evident in recent road losses to Minnesota and Colorado, resurfaced in a critical manner. A crowd of 1,210 watched as Fresno State controlled the game’s tempo after a slow start. The first quarter ended with Wyoming holding an 11-6 lead, but the Bulldogs seized control with a 14-2 second quarter. Wyoming’s 17-point third quarter briefly brought them within striking distance before the Bulldogs’ final-quarter explosion sealed the outcome. The game was a statistical anomaly for Wyoming, which entered with a 62.7% probability to win according to National Statistical’s ELO system. Instead, Fresno State’s defensive pressure and fourth-quarter execution proved decisive. Both teams now look ahead to their Mountain West schedules. Fresno State travels to face UNLV on New Year’s Eve, while Wyoming will visit New Mexico on the same day. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Laramie on Jan. 28.

Preview: Wyoming Cowboys at Fresno State Bulldogs FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum to close non-conference play will meet Saturday when the Wyoming women’s basketball team visits the Fresno State Bulldogs at Save Mart Center. The Mountain West matchup features Wyoming (4-6) coming off its most dominant performance of the season, an 83-60 home win over San Jose State on Wednesday. Fresno State (5-6) looks to rebound after a 53-63 home loss to San Diego State the same night. Wyoming’s offense runs through guard Malene Pedersen, who is entering on a hot streak. She scored 21 points with five assists against San Jose State, following a 25-point outing in a win over South Dakota on Nov. 29. Pedersen has scored in double figures in six consecutive games, averaging 18.7 points per contest during that stretch. She and teammate Henna Sandvik, who also had 21 points and five assists last game, form a potent backcourt duo. The Bulldogs counter with guard Danae Powell, their most consistent offensive threat. Powell leads Fresno State in scoring and is coming off a 16-point performance against San Diego State. She dished out seven assists in a win over Chicago State on Dec. 13, demonstrating her ability to facilitate. Both teams have struggled on the road this season. Wyoming is 0-5 in true road games, including losses at Minnesota and Colorado this month. Fresno State is 2-5 away from home but holds a 3-1 record at Save Mart Center. Historically, this series has been tightly contested, adding another layer to Saturday’s game. The Bulldogs will look to leverage their home-court advantage to get above .500, while the Cowboys aim to build on their recent blowout win and carry positive energy into Mountain West play, which begins for both teams next week. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The teams will meet again in Laramie on Jan. 28.