SAN JOSE, Calif. — In an easy road win for the University of Wyoming Cowgirls, junior guard Malene Pederson made history as the 30th Cowgirl to ever score 1,000 points. She had 20 points on the night, easily leading the squad from Wyoming as it got its sixth conference victory of the season 77–64.
This contest was marked with some long and intense scoring runs by the Cowgirls. Despite taking an initial lead, the Spartans couldn’t answer to an 11–0 run almost immediately into the game. That run would be extended after a break thanks to a three from Lyman native McKinley Dickerson, who had a particularly hot night off the Cowgirls’ bench. She scored 13 points in 13 minutes.
The Cowgirls would score 16 uninterrupted points in total and 23–2 across six minutes.
Back-to-back threes straight into the second quarter would inflate the Cowgirls’ score to make the biggest point differential of the night, at 24 points. By halftime, the box score read 50–28.
In the nick of time and before the Cowgirls could take control again, though, the Spartans went on their own scoring run and cut the Cowgirls’ lead to 17. A Spartans team just warming up and a Cowgirls team slowing down shifted the tide in the favor of the home team and allowed them to creep back to 63–48 by the end of the quarter.
The big story of the night, of course, was Pederson transcending triple-digit buckets into the hallowed halls of the 1,000-points club. The moment came late in the third quarter. What would have been just another innocuous lane jumper any other night for any other player was perhaps one of the biggest moments of this player’s career.
Pederson’s had a very successful stint with the Cowgirls, even being named the 2022–23 Mountain West Freshman of the Year. She averages the second-highest amount of points-per-game out of her team, just behind center Allyson Fertig — who happens to be eighth all-time in Cowgirl points — with 12.7 PPG. This season, she has already racked up 267 points.
Those interested can read all about the Danish hooper at her biography page on the UW Athletics website. That website also provides useful statistics for every Cowgirls player across the 2024–25 season, including Pederson, here.
Pederson would also make the first basket of the fourth. Fertig would respond in kind with two more layups to cushion the Wyoming lead to 19 points midway through the final quarter. At this point in the contest, San Jose State’s attempts at a comeback were futile and bench players would take the floor for the final minutes.
The Cowgirls would win 77–63 with Pederson leading the way with 20 points. Fertig would follow with 16 and then Dickerson would come right after that with 13. As per usual, Fertig would lead in Cowgirl rebounds with eight total.
More information on this game, down to precise statistics, can be found at the UW Athletics web page.
The Cowgirls’ next task is to give the home crowd something to cheer for this Saturday in the Arena-Auditorium as they face the Boise State Broncos. They are 15–7 overall, but only 1–3 in enemy territory. Tipoff on Cowgirl turf is 2 p.m. Mountain Time.