BOSLER, Wyo. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by missed shots than made ones, the Wyoming women’s basketball team outlasted Fresno State 47-42 in a Mountain West Conference game Wednesday night at Arena-Auditorium.

The game, witnessed by 1,825 fans, was a stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting just over a month prior, a 53-36 Fresno State victory. This time, Wyoming’s defense and a critical fourth-quarter push proved decisive, snapping a two-game skid for the Cowgirls and dropping the Bulldogs to 1-2 on their current road trip.

Neither team found an offensive rhythm, combining to shoot just 31 of 114 from the field. The most glaring struggle came from beyond the arc, where Fresno State made just one of 17 attempts. Wyoming fared slightly better, hitting seven three-pointers, which provided a crucial scoring margin in the low-possession contest.

The game’s pivotal sequence arrived late in the fourth quarter with Wyoming clinging to a 39-38 lead. After a turnover by Fresno State’s Emilia Long, Wyoming’s Aurore Eyango of Lille, France, came up with a steal and converted a driving layup to extend the lead to three points with 1:22 remaining. On the ensuing Fresno State possession, the Cowgirls’ defense forced a difficult shot, and Malene Pedersen secured the defensive rebound.

Pedersen, a guard from Aabyhoej, Denmark, then drew a foul and calmly sank two free throws with 22 seconds left, pushing the Wyoming advantage to five points and effectively sealing the game. Pedersen led all scorers with 17 points, including three three-pointers and a perfect 4-for-4 performance from the free-throw line in the final quarter.

Fresno State’s offensive woes were comprehensive. The Bulldogs managed just nine points in both the second and fourth quarters. Their 14-of-63 shooting performance translated to an offensive rating of 59.1 points per 100 possessions. Djessira Diawara, a forward from Bamako, Mali, provided a brief spark off the bench with eight points, but no Fresno State player reached double figures.

Wyoming built an early 14-11 lead after the first quarter, but its offense went dormant in the second, scoring only a single point on a Henna Sandvik free throw. That allowed Fresno State to claw back, and the teams entered halftime tied at 20. Sandvik, from Helsinki, Finland, finished with 11 points, three assists and a key block.

The third quarter saw Wyoming find a bit of scoring touch, outscoring Fresno State 15-13 to take a 30-28 lead into the final period. The Cowgirls then posted their highest-scoring quarter of the night with 17 points in the fourth, fueled by Pedersen’s seven points and timely defensive stops.

Wyoming’s interior defense, led by 6-foot-4 Heidur Karlsdottir of Laugavellir, Iceland, who blocked three shots, was a constant factor, contributing to the team’s total of seven blocks. The Cowgirls also won the turnover battle, committing 18 to Fresno State’s 13, and capitalized with nine points off those miscues.

For Fresno State, Emilia Long of Port Angeles, Washington, dished out five assists, and Avery Watkins of Seattle added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds, but the Bulldogs could not overcome their shooting struggles. They did excel at the free-throw line, making 13 of 15 attempts.

With the win, Wyoming improved to 8-12 overall and 3-4 in Mountain West play. Fresno State fell to 9-12 and 3-5. Both teams return to action Saturday, with Wyoming traveling to face Grand Canyon and Fresno State hosting Air Force.