Tag: wyoming cowboys basketball

Wyoming Tabs Northern Colorado’s Linder as Head Coach

Wyoming introduced Jeff Linder as the 22nd head coach in school history on Tuesday. Linder is coming off four seasons at Northern Colorado.

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Wyoming Tabs Northern Colorado’s Linder as New Head Coach

Linder was named Big Sky Coach of the Year in 2019

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Wyoming has brought in Jeff Linder to replace Allen Edwards.

Less than two weeks removed from a wild run into the Mountain West Tournament semifinals, Wyoming has a new head coach in former Northern Colorado skipper Jeff Linder.

While the job may not have been one of the most attractive openings in college basketball, it held great appeal for Linder, who grew up in the region and has coaching experience in the Mountain West, having served as a Boise State assistant from 2010 to 2016.

In a statement, Linder referred to the position as “an incredible fit” and considered it “almost too good to be true” when athletic director Tom Burman offered him the job.

Linder comes to Laramie after four seasons with the Bears, having led the team to at least 21 wins in each of the past three seasons. The Lafayette, Colo. native was 80-50 during his time at Northern Colorado, a stint that also included a CIT Championship in 2018. Coming off that campaign, Linder took home Big Sky Coach of the Year honors in 2019. This past season, he guided UNC to a 22-9 record and a second-place finish in the conference.

“Jeff possesses many important qualities I was looking for in a new head coach for Cowboy Basketball,” athletic director Tom Burman said in a statement. “First and foremost, he is a proven winner as a head coach.”

Suffice it to say, all that success intrigued a program thirsty for some of its own.

Wyoming has brought in Linder to replace Allen Edwards, who went 60-76 during his four years with the Cowboys. Though the final games of Edwards’ tenure were certainly memorable, the two wins that they secured in the MW Tournament matched the number of wins they amassed during league play. After back-to-back 20-win seasons to start his career in Laramie, Edwards failed to reach ten wins in consecutive seasons.

That was enough for Wyoming to make a switch.

“I appreciate the contributions that Coach Edwards has made to Wyoming Basketball,” Burman said in a statement announcing Edwards’ firing. “But after the lack of success in the past two seasons, I believe it is in the best interest of our program to make a change at this time.”

On the other side of that change is Linder, who began his coaching career as an assistant with Colorado for the 2000-2001 season. After his time Boulder, he made stops at Emporia State and Midland before rejoining the ranks of Division I at Weber State. During his time with the Wildcats, Linder recruited current Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard.

In 2008, Linder left the Big Sky for the West Coast Conference, joining San Francisco as an assistant. After two seasons with the Dons, he joined Leon Rice’s staff at Boise State. Linder helped guide the Broncos program through a string of very successful seasons, eventually earning the role of Associate Head Coach.

It wasn’t long before Linder shed the “associate” tag, heading back to the Big Sky in 2016 to helm Northern Colorado’s program. His time in Greeley got off to a rocky start, as the Bears posted a forgettable 11-18 record on their way to an eighth-place finish. Over the next three seasons, however, he led the team to a 69-32 mark.

Now he will look to continue that success for a Wyoming program searching for its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015 and just its third since 2000.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Harris Scores 23 to Lead Nevada to 73-68 Win over Wyoming

Game Recap: Nevada 73, Wyoming 68 Hendricks’ career night nearly leads Cowboys to Senior Day upset Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Nevada staved off a Cowboy comeback, but Jake Hendricks gave the home crowd in Laramie a Senior Day to …

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Game Recap: Nevada 73, Wyoming 68

Hendricks’ career night nearly leads Cowboys to Senior Day upset

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Nevada staved off a Cowboy comeback, but Jake Hendricks gave the home crowd in Laramie a Senior Day to remember.

Facing the last-place team in the league, it was understandable that Nevada may have taken their foot off the gas a bit for their trip to play Wyoming. But their dreams of grabbing the #2 seed in the Mountain West Tournament almost came to a grinding halt on Tuesday night. After nearly giving up all of a double-digit lead over the Cowboys, the Wolf Pack escaped with a 73-68 win in Laramie.

Hunter Maldonado’s potentially game-tying three-pointer in the dying seconds drew iron, and Wyoming fell just short of pulling off a Senior Day upset of Nevada.

Jalen Harris led the Pack with 23 points, adding seven rebounds and a pair of steals. A sure-fire pick for the upcoming All-MWC first team, Harris shot 50% on the night and hit three three-pointers. Fellow guard Jazz Johnson was also in double figures, finishing with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting.

Wyoming senior Jake Hendricks made the most of his final game at Arena-Auditorium, exploding for a career-high 27 points. Hendricks shot 7-for-11 from distance, another record for the guard. Hunter Maldonado was held below his season average, but still managed 14 points and four assists. TJ Taylor added 11 and seven rebounds for the Cowboys.

Hendricks’ record-setting day almost singlehandedly kept Wyoming alive in this game.

After the Wolf Pack pulled out to a 21-10 lead during the first half, the Cowboys stormed back with a 9-0 run, all scored by Hendricks. Later in the game, during a stretch in which Nevada had extended the lead back out to double digits, he scored 12 of 14 points for Wyoming. With five minutes remaining, a Hendricks three made the score 63-60, and Kwane Marble soon cut the deficit to just one point.

The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes, with Nevada bending but never fully breaking. Unfortunately for the headbanded senior, the hot streak ran cold as Hendricks failed to score in the final five minutes.

But thanks to his earlier efforts, Wyoming still had a chance to tie the game in the last seconds of the game. As luck would have it, Maldonado’s three-pointer fell flat and the Cowboys solidified their place in the basement of the Mountain West.

For Nevada, a win is a win—no matter how close, or how ugly.

At worst, the Wolf Pack will remain in position to secure the #3 seed in the Mountain West Tournament after tonight’s victory. Though they came into Tuesday with the same league record, Utah State holds a tiebreaker advantage over Nevada thanks to the Aggies’ 80-70 win back in January—and thanks to the Mountain West’s uneven scheduling, the teams won’t play again in the regular season.

The Aggies host San Jose State on Tuesday night, in a matchup Utah State is heavily favored to win. However, as Wyoming showed tonight, you never know who might explode for a career night.

UP NEXT

Nevada closes out the regular season at home for a massive Senior Night soiree with San Diego State (26-1, 15-1 MW). This is the easily the biggest game of the year for the Wolf Pack, so expect Lawlor to be buzzing for this one. With second place potentially on the line—and with the Aztecs finally revealing their mortality—the stakes are astronomical. Jalen Harris vs. Malachi Flynn could be a battle for the ages in Reno.

Wyoming finishes things up with a trip to Fresno State (10-18, 6-11 MW) to face the Bulldogs. Justin Hutson’s team has languished through a lost season, but they do still have a chance to finish ahead of New Mexico in seventh place with a win over the Cowboys. Expect Nate Grimes to have a big day against one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. The Bulldogs should win in a walkover—then again, conventional wisdom said the same thing tonight.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Struggling MW Teams Meet as Wyoming Hosts Fresno State

The Mountain West’s worst teams face off on Saturday afternoon in Laramie, as Fresno State travels to Arena-Auditorium to face Wyoming.

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Fresno State at Wyoming: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Cowboys searching for first MW win after two close calls

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

The two teams are a combined 1-12 on the early Mountain West season

GAME DETAILS

WHO: Fresno State (5-12, 1-5 MWC) at Wyoming (5-14, 0-7 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, January 18 — 4:00 P.M. MT / 3:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Arena-Auditorium, Laramie, Wyo.

WATCH: Mountain West Network

LISTEN: TuneIn Wyoming; TuneIn Fresno State

ALL-TIME: Fresno State leads the series, 8-4

ODDS: Fresno State -4, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

If you’ve seen Fight Club, then you already understand just how ugly a basement fistfight can get. David Fincher’s adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s modern classic serves as a rough approximation for Saturday’s matchup between Wyoming and Fresno State.

Physicality. Grit. Desperation.

This clash of the Mountain West’s ninth- and tenth-place teams may not be a blockbuster, but it could act as a springboard for one of these squads to reverse their fortunes.

Fresno State does have the slight advantage over the Cowboys in the standings, though they won’t be quick to brag about their 1-5 start. That sole victory came against San Jose State, and while the Spartans’ program is starting to show signs of life, Jean Prioleau’s club is still ranked #283 in the KenPom ratings.

It’s been a tremendously tough season for Justin Hutson and the Bulldogs, especially coming off of last year’s relatively surprising success. But the departure of two bona fide studs will do that to a team.

And if anyone can relate to Hutson’s frustrations, it’s Allen Edwards.

Remember: just two years ago, Edwards was putting the finishing touches on his second 20-win season in as many tries as head coach of the Cowboys. Like Fresno State, Wyoming suffered a devastating loss when it bid farewell to talented seniors like Hayden Dalton, Alan Herndon, and Louis Adams.

They still haven’t recovered.

Justin James put the team on his back, but could only drag them as far as an 8-24 record after Hunter Maldonado went down with an injury. Now, that mantle has been passed to Maldonado, who is doing an admirable impression. The sophomore is averaging nearly 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and a steal every night.

But similar to last year, the individual performances aren’t adding up to wins.

Wyoming remains winless at 0-7, but they have come tantalizingly close to getting that first victory in their past two outings. First, they fell in overtime at home against UNLV. Next, it was Jalen Harris putting the dagger in the Cowboys’ heart as he lifted Nevada to a 68-67 win in Reno.

A return to Arena-Auditorium could help push them over that threshold and finally into the winner’s circle.

But even if Fresno State won’t have home court advantage, the Bulldogs do have the edge when it comes to the numbers.

GAME PLAN

On Wyoming’s possessions…

When the home team has the ball, feel free to get up and get another drink. The Cowboys’ average offensive possession lasts over 19 seconds, one of the slowest times in the country. A large portion of those possessions end with three-point attempts, which comprise nearly half of Wyoming’s entire shot selection. Unfortunately, they only connect on roughly 31% of them.

As alluded to in the previous section, the offense runs through Hunter Maldonado. There are other player capable of scoring—namely Jake Hendricks and Hunter Thompson—but Maldonado’s running a usage rate well north of 30%.

This team doesn’t get offensive rebounds. Well, it does, but at a lower rate than any other team in Division I men’s basketball. The Cowboys crash the glass successfully at a 13.6% clip, which is less than half of the national average of 28.2%, per KenPom. It’s especially strange when you consider that Wyoming is one of the taller teams in the country, on average.

Turnovers are not a huge issue for Wyoming, but ball security isn’t exactly a strong suit, either. This offense is one of the least effective in the country overall, but their shooting and rebounding woes are much more to blame than their ballhandling abilities.

On Fresno State’s possessions…

Orlando Robinson and Jarred Hyder have both emerged as offensive weapons alongside Nate Grimes and New Williams, giving Justin Hutson a wealth of options. Still, Fresno State has had issues shrugging off their early issues shooting the ball. They are shooting just 38.4% from the floor in conference play, suggesting that the problem is actually getting worse.

And though the Cowboys shoot a lot of three pointers, the Bulldogs make their numbers look paltry. Fresno State’s more long balls per possession than most of the country, with 48.9% of all shots coming from beyond the arc. But again like Wyoming, those shots aren’t falling often enough.

But while Wyoming can’t grab an offensive rebound to save their collective life, Fresno State has done remarkably well for themselves, rating well above average in this department thanks to Grimes and Robinson. The battle of the boards will be where Fresno State has the biggest advantage against the Cowboys.

GAME PREDICTION

Fresno State 68, Wyoming 63

The Bulldogs will likely shoot right around 40% for the game, but their ability to create second chances will help mitigate their inaccuracy. And as Fresno State’s defense is scant more than mediocre, a slowly improving Wyoming offense will keep it close. But Fresno State should be able to escape from The Equality State with its second MW win.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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UNLV needs late surge to survive Wyoming upset bid

Game Recap: UNLV 78, Wyoming 69 (OT) Rebels move to 4-1 in MW; Cowboys still winless Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV holds steady in second place despite a close call in Laramie TJ Otzelberger’s team found a way to survive on …

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Game Recap: UNLV 78, Wyoming 69 (OT)

Rebels move to 4-1 in MW; Cowboys still winless

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV holds steady in second place despite a close call in Laramie

TJ Otzelberger’s team found a way to survive on Saturday, preserving the hot streak that has marked their coach’s first season in the Mountain West.

UNLV (9-9, 4-1 MW) beat Wyoming 78-69 in Laramie’s Arena-Auditorium, but the Runnin’ Rebels needed a late push – and an extra five minutes – to save themselves from the Cowboys’ upset bid.

The Rebels were led by Bryce Hamilton’s 19 points off the bench. Jonah Antonio and Marvin Coleman were both also in double digits for UNLV, scoring 15 and 14, respectively. Donnie Tillman also added 10 points from the bench.

Kwane Marble paced Wyoming (5-13, 0-6 MW) in the scoring department with 19 points, followed closely by Jake Hendricks with 18 and Hunter Maldonado with 16. Marble was extremely efficient, going 4-for-4 from the field and 9-for-11 on free throws, but Maldonado and Hendricks combined to shoot just 30% on the game.

Wyoming led by seven points with 1:25, after Hunter Thompson hit the front end of a trip to the free throw line. But a 7-0 run, capped by two Donnie Tillman free throws in the dying seconds, forced overtime.

The Cowboys never led again.

UNLV opened up the extra period with back-to-back three-pointers from Coleman and Antonio. Coleman also hit a three during the late run to push the game into overtime.

The second-year Rebel is averaging nearly ten points per game since being installed in the Rebels’ starting lineup just before Christmas. Antonio, another recent addition to the starting five, reached double figures for the first time since the team’s opening game of the season.

Those adjustment has already paid early dividends for Otzelberger, with the team going 5-1 over their past six games. UNLV has finally climbed back to .500 after losing eight of their first 12 games.

That they were victorious despite a poor offensive showing from Amauri Hardy is especially encouraging for a team that has looked one-dimensional at times.

Saturday’s triumph was the fourth in five tries for UNLV in Mountain West play, keeping them in a second-place tie with New Mexico. The Lobos were also victorious over the weekend, beating Air Force at home. Both teams trail undefeated San Diego State, with the Aztecs moving to 17-0 after an easy win over Boise State.

In stark contrast to the early success of those teams, Wyoming still remains winless on the conference season. The Cowboys are in last place in the Mountain West, trailing Fresno State by a game and a half.

UP NEXT

UNLV hosts San Jose State (6-12, 2-4 MW) on Wednesday night. The Spartans are coming off a loss to Colorado State over the weekend, but they haven’t looked like the pushovers they were a year ago. Jean Prioleau’s club has already beaten New Mexico and Nevada in league play. They also came closer than anyone else to beating San Diego State, with Malachi Flynn’s buzzer-beater serving as the Aztecs’ only saving grace.

Wyoming will head to Reno to take on Nevada (10-7, 3-2 MW) in a Tuesday night matchup. The Wolf Pack have stumbled a bit of late, with the aforementioned loss to San Jose State and another to Utah State making for a very forgettable week. But this team is plenty talented and should have the offensive firepower to outgun the Cowboys. Jalen Harris should be in the mix for MW Player of the Year honors if he can continue to light up the league’s defenses.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Week 7 DPI Rankings: Lobos Rising After Six-Game Streak

It was back to non-conference play last week for the Mountain West. Not everybody was in action—and some who were now wish they hadn’t been.

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Week 7 DPI Rankings: Lobos Rising After Six-Game Streak

The top two stand pat, but plenty of movement below

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

New Mexico, Boise State climbing in the latest DPI rankings for Week 7

It was back to non-conference play last week for the league’s affiliate members on the heels of the opening salvo to the long Mountain West season. Not everybody was in action—and some now wish they hadn’t been.

But it wasn’t all misery.

Some teams are making big strides, including one squad trying to make a move into the uppermost echelon of the MWC.

Below are the DPI rankings heading into the heart of Week 7. If you’re new to the rankings or just want a refresher, head here for a rundown of how the DPI is calculated. The ratings below reflect games played through Tuesday, December 17. As always, non-Division I games are not counted in the DPI.

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#1 — SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS

Last Week: #1

The Aztecs moved to the #1 spot in the Mountain West last week and with no games since their close shave against San Jose State, they haven’t moved much up or down. Brian Dutcher’s team is still undefeated and boasts one of the best defenses in the country. Malachi Flynn’s star turn has propelled SDSU into the national polls, along with the play of Matt Mitchell, Yanni Wetzell, and Jordan Schakel. If KJ Feagin can provide a little more offense, this team could really turn in a special season.

#2 — UTAH STATE AGGIES

Last Week: #2

It’s been a bit of a rough patch for the Aggies over the past few games. They still have one of the two best rosters in the league, but they aren’t quite living up to preseason expectations so far. After losing to Saint Mary’s and looking underwhelming in their first two Mountain West games, Utah State fell to BYU on Saturday in Salt Lake City. It was only their second loss, but it’s a missed opportunity for a good out-of-conference win to put on their NCAA Tournament resume.

#3 — NEW MEXICO LOBOS

Last Week: #4

The Lobos have won six straight after toppling New Mexico State and Grand Canyon since the last DPI rankings were posted here. Though they aren’t playing at the level of SDSU just yet, this patchwork roster of homegrown talent and incoming transfers has performed admirably in the early going. JaQuan Lyle has been everything that Paul Weir could have wanted and more. Oh, and Carlton Bragg is averaging a double-double. So far, so good.

#4 — NEVADA WOLF PACK

Last Week: #3

The Wolf Pack looked like they were starting to turn a corner over the past few weeks, winning five straight games on either side of Thanksgiving. But last week, Nevada was the second casualty of BYU’s surge, along with Utah State and UNLV. The offense had been clicking on all cylinders, but immediately downshifted from a 100-point performance against Air Force to a 42-point outing against the Cougars. That kind of volatility that makes it tough to trust Steve Alford’s club.

#5 — BOISE STATE BRONCOS

Last Week: #6

Leon Rice is getting things back on track in Boise, but outside of their win over BYU—before Yoeli Childs came back, of course—the Broncos haven’t really beaten anybody. It was another rocky showing for Boise State last week, with a midweek loss to Tulsa preceding a blowout win over Alabama State. Derrick Alston is averaging 21 points and Justinian Jessup is finding his form. But the starting five is not the problem here; Rice’s team suffers from a lack of depth.

#6 — COLORADO STATE RAMS

Last Week: #5

The Rams jumped out to a promising start, but they’ve lost three of their past four games, including both of their opening Mountain West bouts. Mixed in there was a 72-68 win over South Dakota State, and while the Jackrabbits are not a bad squad by any means, that they played CSU so closely gives a good indication of where the Rams are right now. Niko Medved’s team gave in-state rivals Colorado a run for their money, but ultimately fell 56-48 over the weekend.

#7 — AIR FORCE FALCONS

Last Week: #8

The defense still leaves a lot to be desired, but recently, the Falcons have been getting better results than they did during a rough November. The new month has been kinder to the cadets, with Air Force winning four of its past five (Note: Tuesday’s 99-42  win over Johnson & Wales is not counted in the DPI). AJ Walker has taken an important step forward as an offensive option. The sophomore was averaging 20 points per game over the past three games coming into Tuesday.

#8 — FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS

Last Week: #10

Justin Huston finally got his team to a second Division I win on Saturday against Cal Poly. But the bigger story here is the seven losses that they have already incurred. Nate Grimes is doing exactly what was expected of him so far, averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per night. Guards Jarred Hyder and New Williams both have some good performances under their belts, but they haven’t been able to click at the same time. That needs to change.

#9 — UNLV RUNNIN’ REBELS

Last Week: #9

The Rebels didn’t play last week, so the bad taste of the 33-point loss to BYU back has been lingering for a week and a half. There have been a lot of close calls, with UNLV playing in four separate overtime games so far. They are shooting under 42% from the field and turning the ball over 15 times a night. Games against Pacific and Robert Morris this week offer TJ Otzelberger the chance to start making some headway in his first year at the helm.

#10 — WYOMING COWBOYS

Last Week: #7

Allen Edwards got his Cowboys out to a 3-3 start, but they have dropped five straight games, including their most recent defeat at the hands of Northern Colorado. The Bears didn’t just sneak past Wyoming, either—the Big Sky hopefuls handed the home team a 21-point drubbing at Arena-Auditorium. The defense has been fair to middling, but the offense has been dreadful thus far. The Cowboys are shooting under 50% on two-pointers and just over 30% on threes.

#11 — SAN JOSÉ STATE SPARTANS

Last Week: #11

There’s a bit of a running joke around here about which Spartan is most likely to transfer next year, since the sputtering Spartans have seen five double-digit scorers depart in the past three offseasons—including Brandon Clarke, who parlayed his post-SJSU star turn at Gonzaga into a budding NBA career. All jokes aside, Seneca Knight has separated himself as the Spartans’ top option, scoring 12.5 points per game. Hopefully the sophomore can remain an important building block for Jean Prioleau.

That’s it for this week. Check back next week to see who’s rising and falling in the Mountain West and be sure to visit the Dieckhoff Power Index daily for updated rankings on all 353 teams in Division I basketball.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Cowboys trampled by #25 Buffaloes, 56-41

Game Recap: #25 Colorado 56, Wyoming 41 Second-half runs by the Buffs bury the Cowboys Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Poor shooting and turnovers plague the Cowboys in Sin City Hunter Maldonado continues to carry the brunt of the Wyoming …

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Game Recap: #25 Colorado 56, Wyoming 41

Second-half runs by the Buffs bury the Cowboys

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Poor shooting and turnovers plague the Cowboys in Sin City

Hunter Maldonado continues to carry the brunt of the Wyoming offense, but his 14-point effort wasn’t enough on Sunday night, as the Cowboys fell 56-41 to regional rival, #25 Colorado.

Tyler Bey was the main man for the Buffaloes, scoring 11 points and pulling down a career-high 19 rebounds. D’Shawn Schwartz led Colorado in scoring with 12, while Evan Battey nearly registered a double-double with nine points and 13 rebounds.

After Maldonado, Wyoming’s leading scorer was Greg Milton III with seven points, while Trevon Taylor and Jake Hendricks each scored six. The Cowboys’ anemic offense was hamstrung by poor shooting (32%) and turnovers (19) throughout the game.

Despite the backdrop of playing in The Entertainment Capital of the World, this game failed to deliver many of the thrills that its host city is known for.

It was an ugly, low-scoring affair from the beginning, with the teams heading into the locker room knotted at 15 points apiece. The Cowboys and Buffaloes combined to shoot below 25% from the field and committed a total of 16 turnovers in the first half.

Maldonado led all scorers with nine points at the break. Colorado’s Tyler Bey had ten rebounds by halftime but had made just one field goal to that point.

But the Buffs came out swinging in the second half, going on a 13-0 run over the first four minutes.

Wyoming answered and cut the deficit to as little as four points during the second half, but never fully recovered from Coloardo’s haymaker at the beginning of the period.

Another Buffaloes run late in the second half put the game out of reach.

Colorado (4-0, 0-0 Pac-12) remained undefeated after Sunday’s conquest at T-Mobile Arena. The win should help Colorado remain in the national polls and keeps them nipping at the heels of Pac-12 front-runners Oregon and Arizona.

OUTLOOK: For Wyoming, Hunter Maldonado has taken on the role vacated by NBA draftee Justin James, who served as the Cowboys’ do-everything star last season. A 6’7” sophomore, Maldonado was shaping up to be a great complement to James last year before an injury cut his season short.

Now, the spotlight—and the burden—is squarely on Maldonado.

But so far, the results have been much the same for Allen Edwards and the Cowboys. Wyoming came into the game on a bit of a roll after wins against Detroit Mercy and Louisiana, but that momentum took a big hit on Sunday.

With the loss, Wyoming (3-4, 0-0 MWC) falls back under .500 as they prepare for the second round of the MGM Main Event in Las Vegas. It was the Cowboys’ third loss in three tries against Power 5 opponents. Earlier in the season, they lost to South Carolina by 34 and to Oregon State by 20.

UP NEXT: The Cowboys are guaranteed a fourth shot at a Power 5 school on Tuesday, when they face the loser of the Clemson-TCU matchup. That game takes place later Sunday night. KenPom projections favor the Horned Frogs by three points over the Tigers. Both teams currently reside in the top 75 of Pomeroy’s ratings, with TCU at #51 and Clemson at #75.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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