SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Wyoming opened the game by making nine of its first 10 shots and cruised to an 87-72 neutral-site victory over South Dakota State on Monday night inside the Sanford Pentagon.
The Cowboys finished nonconference play at 9-2, earning their first win away from the Arena-Auditorium this season.
“I told our guys today the job is not done, and we have to prove we can go on the road and win a game,” Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said. “This was a great precursor for conference play as South Dakota State is a physical basketball team. I got a locker room of guys who are connected and care about winning. I want to see players respond and this group is doing so. We are playing unselfish right now and are hard to guard and we put pressure on them early with our guard play.”
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Wyoming shot 54 percent from the field and held the Jackrabbits to 40 percent shooting. The Cowboys went 17 of 20 from the free-throw line, including 14 of 17 in the second half, and outrebounded South Dakota State 38-21. The Jackrabbits made 10 3-pointers, while Wyoming connected on eight.
Nasir (Naz) Meyer, who just won his third Mountain West Freshman of the Week Award, led the Cowboys with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He added seven rebounds and four 3-pointers. Khaden Bennett scored 11 points, went 6 of 6 from the line and led Wyoming with nine rebounds. Leland Walker added 13 points and a team-high five assists, while Matija Belic finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
The teams combined for just two baskets in the first two and a half minutes before Kiani Saxon threw down a one-handed dunk and Meyer hit a 3-pointer to give Wyoming a 7-2 lead. The Cowboys followed with a 6-0 run to take a 13-5 advantage, and Damarion Dennis capped a 9-1 stretch with an and-one for a 16-6 lead.
Wyoming maintained a double-digit lead after opening 9 of 10 from the field before South Dakota State used a 7-0 run to pull within 20-15 midway through the half. Meyer and Simm-Marten Saadi each hit 3-pointers to push the lead back to 29-17, and Dennis added another triple as part of a late run that gave Wyoming a 36-22 advantage.
The Jackrabbits cut the deficit to single digits late in the half, but Walker pushed the ball in transition in the final seconds to send Wyoming into the break with a 40-29 lead. The Cowboys shot 55 percent in the opening half.
Wyoming extended the margin early in the second half behind baskets from Meyer, Belic and Bennett, building a 48-31 lead. A 6-0 run later pushed the advantage to 54-33, and Bennett’s corner 3 made it 61-38.
South Dakota State responded with a 9-0 run to pull within 61-47, but Walker stopped the surge with a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired. After another brief Jackrabbit run, Meyer scored on an acrobatic jumper to spark a 10-0 burst that stretched the lead to 74-52 with six minutes remaining.
Wyoming continued to attack the paint down the stretch and pulled away for the 15-point win.
Kalen Garry led South Dakota State with 15 points, while Jaden Jackson added 14. Both players made four 3-pointers.
Wyoming will open conference play Saturday by hosting Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium.
