Preview: New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys

BOSLER, Wyo. (Interstat) — The surging New Mexico Lobos visit the struggling Wyoming Cowboys in a Mountain West women’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Arena-Auditorium.

New Mexico (15-7) enters on a three-game winning streak, including a dominant 58-33 victory over Utah State on Saturday. The Lobos have won five of their last seven and currently sit in the upper tier of the conference standings.

Wyoming (8-13) looks to halt a skid after a 57-47 loss at Grand Canyon last weekend. The Cowboys have dropped four of their last five games and will seek to improve their record at home, where they are 5-5 this season.

The Lobos won the first meeting this season decisively, 62-48 in Albuquerque on Dec. 31. New Mexico has relied on balanced contributions, but forward Jessie Joaquim has been a consistent presence on the boards. She grabbed 12 rebounds in just 21 minutes against Utah State and posted a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) in a loss to Grand Canyon on Jan. 17.

Wyoming’s offense runs primarily through guard Malene Pedersen, who has been a bright spot during the team’s difficult season. She is coming off a 20-point, 7-rebound performance at Grand Canyon and has scored in double figures in eight consecutive games, averaging 17.6 points over that stretch.

New Mexico’s recent success has been built on defense, holding opponents to an average of 49.3 points during its current win streak. Containing Pedersen will be a key objective. For Wyoming, improving offensive efficiency is critical; the Cowboys have failed to reach 50 points in three of their last five outings.

The game is a pivotal conference clash for both teams as they navigate the final month of the regular season. New Mexico aims to solidify its positioning for a postseason berth, while Wyoming looks to play spoiler and build momentum at home.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.