Cowboys Can’t Slow Down Runnin’ Rebels in 68-57 Loss on Saturday

Pokes held to season low three three-pointers

LARAMIE, Wyo. (Feb. 8, 2025) – The Wyoming Cowboys could not slow down the Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV in a 68-57 loss on Saturday afternoon in the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie. The Pokes were held to only four three-pointers in the contest for a season-low, as the two teams split the season series with each winning on the road.

“We knew how important this game was in a separation in the league standpoint and to that point, the pace we wanted was going on in the first half and we didn’t get the stops we needed,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said. “UNLV played one-on-one and took advantage of the matchups in situations and that was the ball game. We didn’t hit shots and three-point shooting is a key for us. At the end of day, it comes down to attitude and effort.”

Wyoming was led in scoring by Obi Agbim with 14 points in his return to the lineup. He has scored in double-figures in 20 games this season. Cole Henry added 10 points and tied a career high with six assists. Abou Magassa added nine points and was 4-of-4 from the field. Jordan Nesbitt and Matija Belic led the Cowboys with six rebounds apiece.

The Pokes were held to 42.4 percent from the field and a season-low 19 percent from behind the arc going 4-of-21. UNLV shot 46 percent from the field adding six three pointers. UNLV held a 34-32 lead on the glass, as Wyoming added 10 offensive rebounds, but only added four second chance points

Magassa capitalized on some nice passes from Henry for an early 4-2 lead for the Cowboys. The Runnin’ Rebels took a 9-6 lead on the Pokes but went scoreless for nearly four minutes with Wyoming taking a 10-9 lead with under 11 minutes left in the half.

UNLV ended its drought, but a corner three from Touko Tainamo made it a 13-11 game. But the Runnin’ Rebels pushed their lead to 18-15 with six and a half minutes left in the opening frame. Agbim added five-straight points for the Pokes and tied the game at 20-20 a minute later.

The Pokes missed six straight shots and did not record a field goal for nearly four minutes to close the frame and trailed 30-23 at the break. Wyoming was held to 32 percent from the field and 2-of-11 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.

The Cowboys would find themselves down 10 points at 37-25 in the opening minutes of the second half, as UW recorded three turnovers in a 7-0 run for UNLV. Wyoming made it a nine-point game, but UNLV immediately pushed it back to 12 points with 13 minutes left.

Wyoming made three-straight buckets and Agbim added an and-one play for a seven-point game at 46-39 with under 12 minutes left. Wyoming kept on making shots, but so did UNLV building the lead back to 11 points at 54-43 with nine minutes left in the contest.

Wyoming struggled from the field with UNLV taking a 62-47 advantage with under four minutes left, as Wyoming went scoreless for over two minutes. The Runnin’ Rebels would continue the pressure and took the contest 68-57.

UNLV was led by Dedan Thomas, Jr. with 18 points. Jaden Henley added 13 points and Julian Rishwain with 11 points.

The Cowboys return to action on Wednesday with a trip to New Mexico for an 8p.m. start on FS1.