LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys struggled offensively in the second half, falling 71-67 to Utah State on Tuesday evening at the Arena-Auditorium. The Aggies, who are receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls, held Wyoming to 34.5% shooting in the second half to secure their 20th win of the season. The Cowboys were without leading scorer Obi Agbim, who missed the game due to injury.
“There are things we are doing that are great, and we are making good teams look not so good,” Wyoming head coach Sundance Wicks said. “Who we are is yet to be determined, but I know this: if we double down on our competitiveness, connection and commitment to the team we are starting to become on the defensive side of the ball, the identity is starting to form. We have to fight our way out right now. We wanted to make it a choppy game, but you have to play intelligent, and you have to be physical without fouling and take care of the basketball.”
Wyoming held Utah State, the Mountain West leader in three-pointers per game, to just three makes from beyond the arc. However, the Aggies also limited the Cowboys to six three-pointers, below their conference average of eight per game. Wyoming shot 45.3% from the field, while Utah State finished at 40.7%. The Aggies also held a 36-32 rebounding advantage.
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Jordan Nesbitt led Wyoming with 11 points, marking his 12th double-figure scoring game of the season. He scored all of his points in the first half and added a team-high seven rebounds. Dontaie Allen contributed 10 points, reaching double figures for the eighth time this season. Kobe Newton and A.J. Wills added nine points apiece, with every available Cowboy scoring at least six points.
The Cowboys started strong, making their first two shots with buckets from Nesbitt and Camaron Belic. The Aggies responded with a 7-0 run to take a 13-6 lead before Wyoming answered with a 6-0 run of its own. Wills, Belic, and Nesbitt each contributed baskets during the stretch.
Wyoming took a 19-18 lead at the seven-minute mark after a steal and transition slam by Scottie Ebube, followed by a Nesbitt layup. Newton’s three-pointer helped the Cowboys take a 35-28 advantage, but Utah State hit a buzzer-beater to cut the deficit to 35-30 at halftime.
Utah State opened the second half with a 15-2 run to take a 45-37 lead. Newton halted the Aggies’ momentum with a three-pointer, and Touko Tainamo added a pair of free throws and a layup to bring Wyoming within one at 45-44.
The Aggies responded with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 54-46 with nine minutes remaining. Wyoming answered with a 7-0 run of its own, capped by an Ebube basket in the paint, to make it 54-53 with seven minutes left.
However, the Cowboys went scoreless for more than four minutes, allowing Utah State to build a 64-55 lead with two minutes remaining. Wyoming made a late push with a 5-0 run, highlighted by Allen’s free throws and a Wills bucket, closing the gap to 64-60 with 39 seconds left.
The teams traded free throws, and Utah State added two more to make it 68-62 with 31 seconds remaining. Wyoming fought back with a three-pointer from Wills and a layup from Brendan Henry, but the Aggies sealed the victory, 71-67.
Utah State’s Ian Martinez led all scorers with 19 points but was held to 0-of-5 from three-point range. Drake Allen added 11 points for the Aggies.
The Cowboys return to action Saturday when they host UNLV at the Arena-Auditorium. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
