Preview: Utah State Aggies at Wyoming Cowboys

BOSLER, Wyo. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt extended conference slides will meet Wednesday when the Utah State Aggies visit the Wyoming Cowboys in a Mountain West women’s basketball matchup at Arena-Auditorium.

Both squads enter with nearly identical struggles. Utah State (6-11, 1-5 MW) has lost five straight games, while Wyoming (5-12, 1-5) has dropped five of its last six. The lone victory for either team in that span was Wyoming’s 67-44 home win over Air Force on Saturday.

The Aggies are coming off a 76-60 home loss to Boise State, their third consecutive defeat by double digits. Guard Elise Livingston, a key player to watch, led Utah State with 17 points in that contest. Over her last seven games, Livingston has averaged 9.1 points, though her production has fluctuated.

Wyoming will counter with its own standout guard in Malene Pedersen, who is averaging 17.5 points per game in conference play. Pedersen erupted for 24 points in the win over Air Force, showcasing the scoring punch the Cowboys rely on. Jane Rumpf added 17 points and three blocks in that victory.

Defensive consistency has been an issue for both teams. During its five-game skid, Utah State has allowed an average of 72.4 points. Wyoming, despite its win over Air Force, surrendered 77 points in a loss to Boise State last week and has been held under 50 points three times in conference action.

The teams will meet again in Logan on Saturday, making this a critical home-and-home set for momentum in the league standings. Following Wednesday’s game, Utah State hosts Wyoming in the quick rematch. Wyoming’s next home game is against Fresno State on Jan. 28.

Wednesday’s tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST at the 5,000-seat Arena-Auditorium.