LARAMIE — It was a tale of two games for Wyoming basketball on Saturday. The Cowboys struggled offensively in a 68-57 loss to UNLV at the Arena-Auditorium, while the Cowgirls put together a dominant wire-to-wire performance in a 64-51 road victory over San Diego State.
Cowboys Struggle From Three in Loss to UNLV
The Wyoming Cowboys could not slow down the Runnin’ Rebels in a 68-57 defeat, as they were held to just four three-pointers—a season-low. The loss split the season series, with each team winning on the road.
“We knew how important this game was in a separation in the league standpoint, and to that point, the pace we wanted was going on in the first half, and we didn’t get the stops we needed,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “UNLV played one-on-one and took advantage of the matchups in situations, and that was the ball game. We didn’t hit shots, and three-point shooting is a key for us. At the end of the day, it comes down to attitude and effort.”
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Wyoming was led by Obi Agbim with 14 points in his return to the lineup, marking his 20th game this season scoring in double figures. Cole Henry added 10 points and tied a career high with six assists, while Abou Magassa chipped in nine points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting performance. Jordan Nesbitt and Matija Belic paced the Cowboys with six rebounds apiece.
Wyoming shot 42.4 percent from the field but struggled from deep, hitting just 4-of-21 (19 percent) from three-point range. UNLV countered with a 46 percent shooting performance, knocking down six threes. The Runnin’ Rebels also held a slight 34-32 advantage on the glass. Despite securing 10 offensive rebounds, Wyoming managed only four second-chance points.
Magassa provided early scoring, finishing off a pair of assists from Henry to give Wyoming a 4-2 lead. The Rebels answered with a 9-6 advantage before going scoreless for nearly four minutes, allowing Wyoming to regain a 10-9 lead. The Cowboys missed their final six shots of the first half and trailed 30-23 at the break.
Wyoming fell behind by as many as 12 points in the second half but managed to battle back within seven after an Agbim and-one. However, UNLV continued to find key baskets, extending its lead back to double digits and securing the win.
UNLV was led by Dedan Thomas Jr. with 18 points, while Jaden Henley and Julian Rishwain added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
The Cowboys return to action Wednesday with a road trip to New Mexico for an 8 p.m. tipoff on FS1.
Cowgirls Dominate Both Ends in Road Win Over SDSU
Meanwhile, the Wyoming Cowgirls delivered a strong two-way performance in San Diego, leading from start to finish in a 64-51 victory over the Aztecs. Wyoming shot 51 percent from the field, including 70 percent in the fourth quarter, to put the game away late.
The Cowgirls started fast, building a 14-8 lead before SDSU cut it to 16-12 at the end of the first quarter. Allyson Fertig’s buzzer-beater putback gave Wyoming a boost heading into the second frame.
The second quarter mirrored the first, with Wyoming maintaining a two-to-three-possession lead throughout. A Logann Alvar layup just before halftime extended the Cowgirls’ advantage to 33-27 at the break.
Wyoming stretched its lead to double digits early in the third quarter, fueled by three straight layups and an Emily Mellema three-pointer. The Aztecs responded with a late run, trimming the deficit to 46-39 heading into the fourth.
A Tess Barnes three-pointer opened the final quarter, and Wyoming’s defense prevented SDSU from mounting a serious comeback. Back-to-back Fertig layups extended the lead to 10 points, and another Mellema three-pointer put the game out of reach.
Fertig led all scorers with 20 points on 10-of-14 shooting, her 12th 20-point game of the season. She also set a career high with five assists. Barnes and Mellema each added 11 points, combining to go 5-for-8 from deep. Malene Pedersen contributed 10 points and a game-high six assists, while Ola Ustowska added a key three-pointer late.
The Cowgirls shot 51 percent overall and 7-of-13 from three-point range. SDSU, meanwhile, hit just one of its eight three-point attempts. Both teams finished with 29 rebounds, but Wyoming held a 9-2 edge in second-chance points.
The Cowgirls now return home for a pair of games at the Arena-Auditorium, beginning with a matchup against Air Force on February 12 at 6:30 p.m.
