Fertig Scores 34 as Cowgirls Lose to Rams

Fifth-most points scored in a single game in program history

LARAMIE, Wyo. (Jan. 25, 2025) – Allyson Fertig had a monster game Saturday, scoring a career-high 34 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. However, it was not enough as the Wyoming Cowgirl offense couldn’t get going in a 61-56 loss to Colorado State inside the Arena-Auditorium.

After Wyoming scored the first four points of the game, CSU countered back with the next two as the Border War was underway. The Cowgirls took a 12-7 lead before the Rams came right back with the next seven points to take a 14-12 lead at the first quarter media timeout. Following the timeout, Colorado State continued its hot offense before an Fertig layup ended the scoring in the frame with the Cowgirls trailing 18-16 after one.

The two teams came out trading baskets to begin the second quarter as UW reclaimed a 23-20 lead early. Both teams kept trading blows with the biggest difference being CSU’s outside shooting, while Wyoming was scoring inside. The Rams led 30-27 at the media timeout. After the timeout, the Cowgirl offense sputtered the rest of the half as Colorado State lengthened its lead to 34-27 at halftime. UW shot just 2-of-13 from beyond-the-arc and turned it over six times in the game’s first 20 minutes while the Rams hit 4-of-10 from deep and had just two turnovers.

The Cowgirls whittled the deficit down to two with seven minutes to play in the third quarter. However, CSU would again have an answer and led 43-37 at the media timeout. Out of the timeout, Wyoming kept battling back as the Rams would keep the lead at arm’s length. Colorado State led 47-42, going to the fourth after getting the last two points of the quarter after both squads turned up the defense late in the frame.

Things remained tight to begin the fourth quarter, as Fertig continued to be a bucket for the Cowgirls. Each time Wyoming would get to within one possession though, the Rams would answer right back. CSU took a 53-48 edge with 5:34 remaining, leading to a Wyoming timeout. The Cowgirls’ outside shot still wouldn’t fall in the game’s final five minutes as they just couldn’t overtake the Rams late. After a pair at the free-throw line from Fertig cut it the deficit to 55-52 with 1:57 left, that was as close Wyoming would get late. UW would get to within three one more time, 59-56 with 20.1 seconds left after a spinning layup from Malene Pedersen. After a Cowgirl foul, CSU would hit a pair at the free-throw line and would seal the win after a Wyoming miss on the other end.

Fertig’s 34 points are tied for the fifth-most for a single game in program history. Fertig shot 15-of-27 from the floor while also adding a pair of blocks. Pedersen was the only other Cowgirl to finish in double figures as she scored 12. Ola Ustowska set a new career-high with nine assists in the loss. Kati Ollilainen had four helpers.

Wyoming, who was shooting nearly 53-percent from the floor in its last six games coming in, was held to just 34.3-percent Saturday (23-67). The Cowgirls finished shooting just 4-of-26 from 3-point range. CSU, meanwhile, shot 39.3-percent and despite cooling off in the second half from 3-point range, hit six from deep and committed just three turnovers in the contest.

UW had a big advantage in the rebounding department, 50-32 and in second-chance points, 16-3. The Cowgirls outscored the Rams 34-26 in paint points while CSU had a bigtime, 17-2 points off turnovers edge. The Colorado State bench scored 10 points while Wyoming’s reserves scored seven.

“Of course, we’re disappointed because we lost,” said Heather Ezell postgame.

“But I think it’s more important now that we have an understanding going forward ‘ok, the reps that we take in practice, they mean something. The shots that we take, they need something.’ We need to understand that going forward, so that we can step up and knock down a shot when we need to.”

“If you would have told me that we would have held them in the low 60s and to 39-percent shooting and held (Emma Ronsiak) to 20 points. I thought in the big picture we did what we were supposed to do on the defensive end.”

Next up for the Cowgirls, is a midweek road trip to the Golden State to face San Jose State at 7 p.m., Mountain Time Wednesday evening.