LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls experienced contrasting fortunes on Tuesday night, with the Cowboys staging a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Air Force 69-62 in Laramie, while the Cowgirls saw their five-game winning streak snapped in a heartbreaking 78-73 loss at Boise State
The Cowboys, fueled by a dominant 19-2 run, overcame a 12-point first-half deficit behind standout performances from Obi Agbim and Cole Henry. Meanwhile, the Cowgirls controlled much of their contest but struggled in the fourth quarter, scoring just six points as Boise State rallied late to steal the win.
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Cowboys Overcome 12-Point Deficit for 69-62 Victory
The Wyoming Cowboys surged in the second half to secure a 69-62 win over Air Force on Tuesday night inside the Arena-Auditorium. A dominant 19-2 run fueled the comeback as the Pokes overcame a 12-point first-half deficit, marking their second-largest comeback of the season. Wyoming shot 60.9 percent from the field in the second half and controlled the glass with a 40-27 rebounding advantage.
“Competitive resilience was what we talked about, and we have a really good stretch coming up where guys can really believe in it,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “Tonight was not perfect, but it is really hard to come out of hard times and at halftime down ten and challenge our guys to find more with each other and become more connected. That is what showed in the second half doing the hard things and winning things. We got to the paint, free throw line and pinned fouls and that is the tale of this tape.”
Guard Obi Agbim and forward Cole Henry combined for 38 points, leading the Cowboys’ charge. Agbim notched a game-high 22 points, marking his seventh game with 20 or more points, while Henry posted a career-high 16 points along with nine rebounds. Dontaie Allen contributed 12 points, his tenth double-digit performance of the season, and Jordan Nesbitt grabbed 10 rebounds, his ninth double-digit rebounding game.
The Cowboys trailed 38-28 at halftime after struggling with a 35.5 percent shooting effort in the opening period. Wyoming held Air Force scoreless for the first four minutes of the second half, cutting the deficit to four. A 19-2 run, highlighted by Henry’s inside play and an Agbim three-pointer, propelled the Cowboys to a 57-48 lead with under eight minutes remaining. The Falcons battled back to tie the game at 62-62 with 2:41 left, but Agbim drilled another clutch three to reclaim the lead. Wyoming iced the game at the free-throw line, securing the seven-point victory.
Air Force was led by Wesley Celichowski with 16 points, while Kyle Marshall and Beau Becker each added 10 points.
Wyoming closes out their homestand on Saturday, hosting San Jose State at 2 p.m.
Cowgirls Falter in Fourth Quarter, Fall to Boise State 78-73
The Wyoming Cowgirls saw their five-game winning streak snapped as Boise State staged a fourth-quarter rally for a 78-73 victory on Tuesday night. Wyoming led by nine heading into the final frame but managed just six points in the last 10 minutes as the Broncos surged ahead.
The Cowgirls started strong, jumping out to an 18-10 lead before Boise State closed the gap to 23-16 at the end of the first quarter. Both teams traded baskets throughout the second, with the Broncos eventually tying the game at 40-40 before an Emily Mellema buzzer-beater gave Wyoming a slight halftime edge.
The third quarter saw Wyoming regain control, using a strong push to take a 67-58 lead into the final period. However, the offense stalled in the fourth, allowing Boise State to chip away. With the Broncos getting to the free-throw line consistently and knocking down crucial three-pointers in the final minutes, Wyoming’s lead evaporated. Malene Pedersen briefly put the Cowgirls back in front with a pair of free throws, but Boise State responded with back-to-back threes to seal the game.
Wyoming committed 21 turnovers, leading to a 26-14 points-off-turnovers deficit. The Broncos also outscored the Cowgirls 40-28 in the paint. The Cowgirls shot 45.6 percent (26-57) but went just 1-of-11 in the fourth quarter. Boise State finished 46.8 percent (29-62) from the field and 16-of-18 at the line, while Wyoming was 13-of-15 from the stripe.
Mellema led Wyoming with 18 points, shooting 7-of-13. Pedersen followed with 16 points and a team-high five assists. Allyson Fertig recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds, surpassing Michele Hoppes (1984-87) as Wyoming’s all-time career rebounding leader. Tess Barnes added 14 points, including four three-pointers.
The Cowgirls look to bounce back as they stay on the road for a matchup against Nevada on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. MT.
