Wyoming Cowgirls Hold On 59-57 in Senior Night Win Over Grand Canyon

Wyoming escaped a 59-57 Senior Night win over Grand Canyon at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie on March 3, 2026, when the Cowgirls recorded two defensive stops in the final 44 seconds and Malene Pedersen hit the game-sealing free throw.

The victory snapped a four-game skid and was UW’s first win in 20 days, ending a stretch that had left the Cowgirls searching for late-season momentum. Pedersen finished with a team-high 20 points and provided the late-game composure the program needed to close out the home finale.

The contest opened with Wyoming struggling from the floor, missing its first four shots before early driving layups from Jane Rumpf and Payton Muma produced the first points. Grand Canyon led 12-11 after the first quarter, with UW answering late to keep the game close. Wyoming carried a 24-19 lead into halftime after a second quarter in which Malene Pedersen and Henna Sandvik helped push the margin.

Grand Canyon rallied in the third, using a 13-2 run after Wyoming opened the period to jump out and lead 37-30 at the media timeout. Pedersen’s 3-pointer with 59 seconds left in the quarter — reported as Wyoming’s lone three of the night — cut the deficit to 44-42, but GCU still led 46-44 heading to the fourth.

Wyoming outscored Grand Canyon 15-11 in the fourth quarter. The final sequence featured two defensive stops in the last 44 seconds that preserved the two-point margin. Pedersen converted the decisive free throw to make it 59-57 and sealed the Cowgirls’ Senior Night victory.

Pedersen’s line combined scoring and playmaking: 20 points while also contributing five rebounds, five assists and a steal, marking her 17th-career 20-point game in her final home contest as a Cowgirl. Henna Sandvik finished with 16 points, four assists and a block. Jane Rumpf added eight points, and Madi Symons provided a spark off the bench with eight points and eight rebounds plus two assists. Logann Alvar recorded a block and five rebounds on her Senior Night, and Aurore Eyango finished with three assists while being credited for strong defense.

Full scoring lines from the official box score read: Grand Canyon…… 12 7 27 11 — 57 Wyoming…… 11 13 20 15 — 59

Grand Canyon: Mann 7-17 4-6 20, Douglas 0-1 0-0 0, Lamendola 4-12 1-1 10, Elsholz 0-5 0-0 0, Zounia 6-13 0-0 14, Wright 1-4 2-2 4, Joyeuse 2-6 1-2 6, Moo 1-4 1-1 3 Totals: 21-62 9-12 57

Wyoming: Alvar 0-3 2-2 2, Rumpf 2-6 4-6 8, Muma 1-2 0-0 2, Pedersen 8-18 3-6 20, Sandvik 7-15 2-2 16, Eyango 0-1 1-2 1, Symons 4-6 0-0 8, Karlsdottir 1-2 0-0 2, Harrington 0-0 0-0 0 Totals: 23-53 12-18 59

The result positions Wyoming as the No. 8 seed in the Mountain West Tournament; the Cowgirls are scheduled to face ninth-seeded Air Force at 1 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday, March 7, 2026. After the game Pedersen reflected on the close finish: “I love close games. I love the competitiveness about it. It is these games I play for, and we stepped up a lot from last game we played them. Super proud of our team.” She added, “Of course, (the win) gives us a confident boost... We believe in it. We are ready. I think we can go to Vegas and play great. It is going to be fun.”