SPOKANE, Wash. — The University of Wyoming Cowgirls came up short at Gonzaga 62-51 on Sunday, despite Emily Mellema pouring in a career-high 27 points in the loss.
The Cowgirls got off to a solid start in the game’s first 10 minutes, jumping out to an early six-point lead. However, Gonzaga responded to end the first quarter, hitting 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to take a 20-15 lead through one quarter of play.
In the second, the Bulldogs extended their lead to as many as eight before back-to-back hoops from Mellema got the Cowgirls back to within four.
After Gonzaga extended its lead up to 31-22, it was Wyoming’s turn to get a rhythm from beyond the arc, as it used back-to-back 3-pointers from Malene Pedersen and Mellema. Mellema’s triple beat the halftime buzzer, sending UW into the locker room down 31-28.
Gonzaga opened the second half scoring six of the first eight points before a Mellema pull-up jumper led to a GU timeout with about four and a half minutes left in the frame with the score sitting at 37-32.
Out of the timeout, the Bulldogs went to work and pushed their lead out to 39-32 before five-straight Cowgirl points cut the deficit down to 39-37. Gonzaga extended the lead in its final two possessions of the quarter and took a 44-37 lead into the fourth.
The fourth quarter followed the same script as most of the contest, with Wyoming not quite being able to reel Gonzaga in as it kept the advantage at three to four possessions for much of the rest of the contest.
Mellema’s 27 in the loss marks her third career 20-point performance. She shot 10-of-18 from the floor and made four 3-pointers. Defensivley, Mellema also contributed four steals.
Pedersen also finished in double figures with 12. Allyson Fertig, who was held in check offensively, grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds on the day. Madi Symons’ team-best four assists tied a career-high for her.
The Cowgirls are off until Friday, Nov. 22, when they host Colorado Christian.
