Over 1.3 million readers this year!

Cowboys drop 2-point heartbreaker at San Diego State

Wyoming guard Obi Agbim drives to the rim against San Diego State on Saturday. (via University of Wyoming Athletics)

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Wyoming Cowboys basketball team held the San Diego State Aztecs without a basket for five minutes in the second half and led by as many as nine late in the game, but could not hold on down the stretch in a 63–61 loss on Saturday.

SDSU went on a 20–0 run through the final six minutes, but the Pokes closed the game on an 11–2 run in the closing 10 seconds to trail get to within 1 point in one of the wilder finishes in Cowboy basketball history.

“It is all about little margins, but I couldn’t be prouder of our Pokes’ effort tonight; the game plan was executed, and you could see them frustrated and a lot of good things from our guys,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “My message in the locker room was we play up to our competition, but I’d like to see that in other games, so I want to see some consistency. I think the pressure got to our guys late. We played fearless and physical, and it was time to come in here and show that.”

Wyoming was led by Dontaie Allen with 18 points, a season high. He knocked down four 3-pointers on the night. Jordan Nesbitt added 9 points but had foul trouble throughout the contest. Oleg Kojenets added 6 points and six rebounds. Obi Agbim added 12 points — including 8 in the game’s final moments — and six assists.

The Pokes got on the board first with a layup from Nesbitt, but SDSU went on a 5–2 run. The teams would trade baskets over the next couple of minutes.

Wyoming went scoreless for over three minutes while the Aztecs scored 8 straight points to take an 18–12 lead with under 10 minutes left in the half.

Nesbitt added a triple and a layup to give the Pokes a 21–20 lead with six minutes left in the opening frame.

The two teams continued to trade baskets and the lead for the next several minutes, but the Aztecs closed the half with a bucket and a pair of free throws to lead 28–25 at the half.

Wyoming opened the second half by tying the contest at 28–28 with an Allen triple. However, the Aztecs answered with a pair of 3-pointers to reclaim the lead. Not long after, Wyoming made it a 34–33 game with a pair of free throws from Kojenets and a three from Allen. They would then push the lead to 3 points with a Kobe Newton freebie and Scottie Ebube slam, holding the Aztecs scoreless for over four minutes.

Allen later helped Wyoming grow its lead to 50–41, as Wyoming made four straight shots with six minutes left.

Once again, the lead wasn’t safe, and the Aztecs used the free throw line and a bucket to take a 51–50 lead with just over four minutes left, and then stretched their lead to 61–55 with 10 seconds left.

The game was not over yet, though. The Pokes added three more after a technical on free throws from Allen to cut the gap to 61–58, and moments later Agbim added a triple for a 62–61 game. Unfortunately for UW, that was where they ran out of time, as a free throw gave SDSU the final 63–61 lead.

The Aztecs were led by Magoon Gwath with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Boyd added 13 points.


Back

Related