LARAMIE — The Wyoming basketball teams faced challenges over the Thanksgiving holiday, with the Cowboys dropping a tight contest to Loyola Marymount in the Cancun Challenge championship game on Wednesday and the Cowgirls falling to Norfolk State on Friday at the San Juan Shootout.
Cowboys Drop Cancun Challenge Final to Loyola Marymount, 73-70
In a rollercoaster game on Wednesday in Cancun, Mexico, the Cowboys erased a 16-point first-half deficit and built a 10-point lead in the second half before ultimately falling to Loyola Marymount, 73-70. Jevon Porter’s 29-point performance for LMU, including a clutch three-pointer late, proved to be the difference.
“We made good adjustments in the second half to get back in it, but I tip my cap to LMU,” said Wyoming head coach Sundance Wicks. “In the first half, we talked about transition, and 18 of their 40 points came in transition. You can’t give a team like that those numbers. I told our guys to think about one thing they could have done better, and I’ve been thinking about it since the game got over myself.”
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Wyoming shot 43% from the field and held a 37-32 rebounding advantage but struggled to contain LMU’s transition offense.
Guard Obi Agbim led the Cowboys with 23 points, marking the 50th double-figure game of his career. Jordan Nesbitt added his fourth straight double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Cole Henry contributed 12 points, his second consecutive double-figure effort.
The Cowboys trailed 40-27 at halftime after shooting just 30% in the first half. A strong second-half surge saw them reclaim the lead on a three-pointer by Agbim with 15:37 remaining. Wyoming later built a 10-point advantage at 62-52, only for LMU to respond with a 10-0 run to tie the game at 64.
LMU took a 71-68 lead with eight seconds left, and although Henry cut it to one with a late basket, the Cowboys could not complete the comeback.
Wyoming returns to action on Dec. 4, opening Mountain West play on the road against Utah State.
Cowgirls Struggle in Loss to Norfolk State
In Puerto Rico, the Wyoming Cowgirls suffered a 56-47 loss to Norfolk State on Friday, struggling with turnovers and shooting inefficiency. The Cowgirls committed 17 turnovers and went 10-for-21 at the free-throw line, missing critical opportunities throughout the game.
“Our offense sputtered today, and we didn’t take advantage of chances when we had them,” said head coach Heather Ezell.
Wyoming started strong, leading 9-4 early, but Norfolk State closed the first quarter with a 9-2 run to take a 13-11 lead. The Spartans built on that momentum, using a 9-3 second-quarter run to carry a 30-24 advantage into halftime.
Despite their struggles, the Cowgirls made it a one-possession game in the second half, cutting the deficit to one point early in the fourth quarter. However, missed three-pointers and turnovers prevented them from overtaking Norfolk State.
Allyson Fertig was a bright spot for Wyoming, finishing with 19 points and a career-high-tying 21 rebounds, just one point shy of a 20-20 performance. Tess Barnes added 12 points, including three three-pointers, while Malene Pedersen led the team with five assists.
Wyoming, now 0-2 in the San Juan Shootout, will face Virginia on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. MT to conclude their trip.
